We build mobile apps for UK restaurants, cafés, takeaways and food chains. Let customers order for collection or delivery, book a table and collect rewards from their phone, while you keep more of every order and build a direct relationship with your regulars.
- iOS and Android
- Ordering, booking and loyalty
- EPOS and booking integrations
- You own the app and data
Your own app, your customers, your margin
Delivery marketplaces bring orders, but they take a commission on every sale and keep the relationship with your customers. A restaurant app gives you a direct channel: customers order and book with you, you send them offers through push notifications, and loyalty rewards bring them back.
We design each app around how your restaurant actually works, from a single independent site to a multi-branch chain, and connect it to the EPOS, booking and payment systems you already use. Prefer a website-first approach? See our restaurant website development service.
Restaurant app features we build
Start with what matters most to your business, then add features as the app grows.
Online ordering
Collection, delivery and order-ahead, with menu options, modifiers, scheduled orders and fast checkout.
Table booking
Real-time availability, confirmations, reminders and deposits, connected to your booking system.
Loyalty and rewards
Points, stamps, tiers, birthday rewards and member-only offers.
Push notifications
Targeted offers, new dishes and reminders to fill quieter times.
Menus with allergens
Easy-to-update menus with allergen and dietary information.
Delivery and tracking
Order status, delivery zones and live tracking, using your drivers or a delivery partner.
Order at table
QR code ordering and pay-at-table for dine-in customers.
Multi-branch
Branch selection, local menus and prices, managed centrally.
Admin dashboard
Manage menus, orders, offers and customers, with sales and loyalty reports.
Which type of restaurant app do you need?
| App type | Best for | Core features |
|---|---|---|
| Ordering app | Takeaways and restaurants with strong collection or delivery trade | Menu, ordering, payments, order tracking |
| Loyalty app | Cafés and restaurants with frequent regulars | Rewards, offers, push notifications, accounts |
| Booking app | Dine-in restaurants and busy venues | Reservations, deposits, reminders, waitlists |
| All-in-one app | Growing brands and chains | Ordering, booking, loyalty, multi-branch, integrations |
Custom app or white-label ordering app?
We'll give you an honest recommendation. A custom app isn't always the right first step.
| White-label ordering app | Custom restaurant app | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Low | Higher |
| Ongoing cost | Monthly fees, sometimes per-order fees | Hosting and support |
| Brand experience | Template-based | Designed around your brand |
| Loyalty and features | Fixed options | Built to your needs |
| Integrations | Limited to supported systems | Your EPOS, booking, CRM and delivery partners |
| Best for | Single sites with simple needs | Growing brands, chains and distinctive concepts |
Integrations and UK essentials
Your app should fit into how your restaurant already runs. We connect it to the systems your team uses, so orders and bookings don't need re-keying.
Because food is a physical product, customers can pay with standard methods such as card, Apple Pay and Google Pay, without app store in-app purchase commission. You'll still pay normal card processing fees.
Food businesses selling online must make allergen information available before purchase and at delivery, so we build allergen details into menus from the start.
- EPOS and till systems with an API
- Table booking platforms
- Card payments, Apple Pay and Google Pay
- Delivery partners or your own drivers
- CRM and email marketing
- Accounting and reporting
Restaurant app development cost
Indicative ranges for iOS and Android apps with an admin dashboard, excluding VAT, hosting and payment fees.
| Project | Typically includes | Typical cost | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ordering app MVP | Menu, ordering, payments, order tracking, admin | £15,000 – £35,000 | 2 – 4 months |
| Full restaurant app | Ordering, table booking, loyalty, push notifications, EPOS integration | £35,000 – £80,000 | 4 – 6 months |
| Multi-branch platform | Branch menus, delivery integrations, advanced loyalty, analytics | £80,000+ | 6 months or more |
See how these compare in our mobile app development cost guide and UI/UX app design cost guide.
Not sure where to start?
Tell us how customers order and book today. We'll recommend an app, a white-label option or a website, and explain why.
Our restaurant app development process
Discovery
How you take orders and bookings, your systems and goals.
Design
Branded, fast ordering and booking journeys.
Development
iOS, Android and admin, in two-week sprints.
Integrations
EPOS, payments, booking and delivery connected.
Testing
Real orders tested end to end with your team.
Launch
App store release and in-venue promotion plan.
Support
Updates, new features and performance monitoring.
How we build restaurant apps
Cross-platform apps
One codebase for iOS and Android with Flutter or React Native, usually the best value.
Native apps
Swift and Kotlin when you need the deepest device features or performance.
Why work with Fulminous Software
Honest advice
We'll tell you if a white-label app or a website is enough.
Apps, web and software
One team for your app, website and back-office systems.
Itemised GBP quotes
Clear proposals with VAT shown separately.
Start lean
Launch an MVP, then grow features based on real orders.
London-headquartered
UK-hours project management and support.
You own your app
Code, data and app store accounts in your name.
Restaurant app development FAQs
What is restaurant application development?
Restaurant application development is the design and build of mobile apps for restaurants, cafés, takeaways and food chains. These apps let customers order for collection or delivery, book tables, earn loyalty rewards and pay, and give the restaurant a direct channel to its customers instead of relying only on third-party platforms.
How much does a restaurant app cost in the UK?
As a guide, an ordering app MVP for one restaurant typically costs £15,000 to £35,000, a full app with ordering, loyalty and table booking £35,000 to £80,000, and a multi-branch app with POS and delivery integrations £80,000 or more. Hosting, payment fees and support are extra.
Should I build a custom app or use a white-label ordering app?
A white-label ordering app is cheaper and quicker for a single site with simple needs. A custom app makes sense when you want your own brand experience, a loyalty programme designed around your business, multiple branches, or integrations a white-label product can't support.
Will Apple or Google take a commission on food orders?
Generally no. Food and other physical goods or services used outside the app can be paid for with standard payment providers such as card payments, Apple Pay and Google Pay, rather than in-app purchase. You still pay normal card processing fees.
Can the app integrate with our EPOS and booking system?
Usually, yes. We can integrate with EPOS systems, table booking platforms, payment providers, delivery partners and CRM tools that offer APIs, so orders and bookings flow straight into the systems your team already uses.
Can the app handle multiple branches?
Yes. Customers choose a branch and see the right menu, prices, opening times and stock, while you manage every location from one admin dashboard.
How do restaurant apps show allergen information?
Food businesses selling online must make allergen information available before purchase and when food is delivered. We build menus with allergen and dietary information that is easy to update and clear for customers.
How long does it take to build a restaurant app?
An ordering MVP usually takes 2 to 4 months, a full app with loyalty and booking 4 to 6 months, and a multi-branch app with several integrations 6 months or more.
Do you provide support after launch?
Yes. We offer ongoing support for iOS and Android updates, bug fixes, security, menu and feature changes, and performance monitoring.
Build an app your customers will use every week
Tell us about your restaurant and how customers order and book today. We'll recommend the right approach and send an itemised GBP quote.
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