How to Make a Food Ordering Website: Features, Cost, Steps to Follow

More and more people are shifting to online ordering systems to avoid distractions from critical activities and save precious time. The increased use of mobile devices, demand for fast service, and virtual payment solutions are driving growth in the food delivery market.

Above all, the convenience of ordering food from restaurant websites significantly contributes to their popularity. These platforms allow customers to easily compare menus and prices across restaurants, place delivery orders, and pay with a credit card. Given these trends, it's profitable to create a food delivery website that meets global market needs and consumer demand.

Building a food delivery website could be a great opportunity to establish a reliable revenue stream. Below, explore the most common monetization strategies along with how leading platforms successfully apply them.

• Commission fees from restaurants. The platform takes a cut from every order placed through the site. This is the core revenue stream for most food delivery services. Uber Eats charges a commission that ranges from 15% to 30%, depending on the visibility they opt into.
• Delivery & service fees from customers. Customers are charged extra for the convenience of ordering and delivery to help cover logistics and platform costs. DoorDash, for example, includes a service fee and a delivery fee that vary based on order size, location, and demand.
• Subscription-based models. Platforms offer paid memberships in exchange for perks like unlimited free delivery or exclusive deals. Deliveroo Plus and Uber One offer monthly plans that enhance user loyalty and generate steady, recurring income.

Below, you can review a comprehensive 7-step roadmap we’ve compiled to help you better understand the overall process for developing a food ordering website.

Start by understanding who you're building your platform for – busy professionals, students, families, or a mixed audience. Pinpoint their needs and define your value proposition accordingly. Besides, it’s crucial to set clear, measurable goals. Do you want to dominate a local niche or scale nationwide? These insights will influence every decision ahead. At this early stage, focus on creating a food ordering website that resonates with both customers and restaurant partners.

Before the tech build begins, start forming partnerships with restaurants, cafes, or ghost kitchens in your target area. Approach them with a solid business idea and a value proposition – such as increased order volume and exposure. You don’t need a finished platform to start forming these relationships. Instead, build trust through clear terms, future promotional plans, and platform benefits. Early partnership development ensures your site has variety and credibility when it goes live, boosting your chances of traction from day one.

Choosing the right IT partner sets the tone for the entire journey. Look for a team with proven experience in food tech, an extensive portfolio, and plenty of feedback from past clients. They should understand your business goals, tech requirements, and timeline. Whether you want to create a food delivery website from the ground up or just need tech muscle, an expert vendor bridges ideas and implementation with minimal risk and maximum output.

We have extensive experience collaborating with businesses across various domains and delivering on-demand solutions.

Cleveroad partnered with a US-based transportation startup to build an on-demand P2P ridesharing solution designed for riders with specific mobility and medical needs. The client aimed to move beyond a standard Uber-like model and create a more flexible, on-demand platform with advanced filtering, offline driver validation, and complex payment options.

Our team stepped in as the full-cycle development partner to transform the initial concept into a scalable, production-ready mobile solution that enables real-time ride requests and service delivery.

How Cleveroad’s experts supported the project:

• In-depth discovery and business analysis with ~20 stakeholder meetings
• A full specification package, a clickable prototype, and an accurate estimate within two weeks
• A real-time event-driven system with live driver tracking and instant notifications
• Built a sophisticated filtering algorithm tailored to riders’ specific needs and preferences
• Secure Stripe-based payment flows (P2P payments, cancellation fees, etc.),
• Delivered native mobile apps and a robust backend infrastructure with cloud deployment

As a result, the client received a fully functional and scalable on-demand transportation platform aligned with their business goals and ready for growth. The solution improved user experience, enabled real-time ride matching and complex payment scenarios, and supported a unique business model tailored to specialized transportation needs. The client also benefited from fast delivery, proactive communication, and a reliable tech foundation that continues to support positive user feedback and ongoing platform expansion.

Here’s what John Salmon, founder at Unified Potential, Inc, dba MoveUP, says about collaborating with Cleveroad on the creation of an on-demand ridesharing solution:

Your IT vendor will collaborate with you to shape a well-prioritized feature list. This includes must-haves like user registration, real-time order tracking, multiple payment options, and restaurant dashboards. Together, you’ll align features with your business goals and build a basic food-ordering site to test the solution concept under real-world conditions with minimal features. Furthermore, with your team, you’ll be able to scale the food website and add more advanced functionality. With experts, you can avoid overbuilding and focus on what drives customer satisfaction and revenue.

Here are the basic functionalities for a food ordering website MVP:

• User registration and profile management
• Restaurant listing with menus and search filters
• Cart and checkout functionality
• Secure payment gateway integration
• Real-time order tracking and status updates
• Order history and basic notifications
• Simple admin panel for managing restaurants, users, and orders

With help from your vendor’s design team, you’ll craft a user interface that’s intuitive, attractive, and conversion-friendly. Experts will apply UX best practices to ensure customers can browse menus, place orders, and track deliveries without friction. They’ll also tailor the design to mobile-first behavior, so your site shines across all devices. A thoughtful design process turns casual visitors into repeat customers while reflecting your brand’s identity and vision for the food-ordering experience.

At this stage, you start building the technical foundation required to support your food business and its digital operations. Your development team will build a website and an online infrastructure that enables customers to order through a reliable food ordering system.

Front-end and back-end engineers will design an intuitive online ordering page, integrate POS systems, payment gateways, maps, and delivery tracking tools, and ensure the platform meets all your website needs. While creating an online food ordering experience, the team will also implement basic search engine optimization to help customers find it more quickly.

Using agile workflows, your vendor will run regular demos and refine functionality — whether you want a standard setup or a commission-free online ordering system. This step-by-step process helps you make smart product decisions while building a scalable solution.

Once development is complete, your team will launch your website and prepare the platform for real users. This includes final testing, deployment, and ensuring customers can smoothly order online from day one.

After release, your vendor will monitor performance, update features, and optimize the system as your food business grows. Ongoing support ensures your online food ordering system remains secure, fast, and aligned with changing website needs, helping you scale confidently after launch.

When planning to build an online food ordering website, you’ll face a key decision: use a ready-made platform or develop a custom solution from scratch. Each option offers different advantages depending on your budget, timeline, and long-term business goals.

A ready-made food delivery website is a pre-built platform you can quickly configure and launch. It’s typically the fastest and most budget-friendly way to enter the market.

Pros:

• Fast deployment. Launch within days using pre-configured templates and features.
• Lower upfront cost. Ideal for startups and small businesses with limited budgets.
• Simple management. Easy to operate without a dedicated tech team.
• Automatic updates. Platform providers handle maintenance and feature updates.

Cons:

• Limited customization. Design, functionality, and integrations are restricted.
• Scalability constraints. Growth depends on the provider’s capabilities.
• Generic design. Your site may look similar to competitors using the same templates.
• Recurring fees. Monthly subscriptions and add-ons can increase long-term costs.

Ready-made platforms work best for businesses that want a quick market entry and basic functionality without heavy technical investment.

A custom-built food delivery website is developed specifically for your business, giving you full control over features, integrations, and the user experience. It’s a flexible solution designed for scalability and long-term growth.

Pros:

• Tailored functionality. Add only the features your business needs, like custom loyalty systems to advanced tracking.
• Strong brand identity. Unique UI/UX aligned with your brand and audience.
• High scalability. Easily expand features and handle growing user demand.
• Flexible integrations. Connect CRM, ERP, analytics, payment systems, and more.
• Enhanced security. Custom code and infrastructure improve data protection.

Cons:

• Higher initial investment
• Longer development timeline
• Ongoing maintenance and updates required

Despite these challenges, custom development often provides better long-term value. You avoid dependency on third-party platforms, gain full ownership of your product, and can scale without platform limitations.

Cleveroad expert tip: The right choice depends on your business strategy. Ready-made solutions are suitable for testing ideas or launching quickly. However, if you plan to scale, build a strong brand, or introduce unique features, a custom food delivery website offers far greater flexibility and control. While the upfront investment is higher, the long-term benefits and tailored functionality typically outweigh the initial costs.

To reduce risks and avoid unnecessary spending during your food delivery website launch, it’s highly recommended to build a Minimal Viable Product (MVP). This means creating a simplified version of a food-ordering website with only core functionality, and testing it in real-world conditions before scaling further.

An MVP allows you to:

• Validate your business idea with real users
• Test key features before heavy investment
• Gather feedback and refine functionality
• Scale gradually based on actual demand

Below, we’ve described four main functional modules and an additional module for third-party integrations that are essential to your meal delivery platform.

User-side functionality helps customers seamlessly navigate the food delivery website and place orders without friction. Key features to include:

Core user features:

• User registration and login. This feature lets users sign up or log in using email, phone number, or social accounts like Google or Facebook. It ensures secure access and a personalized experience, saving addresses, past orders, and payment methods for faster checkout. Quick onboarding helps users start ordering instantly.
• Search and filter. Helps users quickly find meals by restaurant name, cuisine type, dish, or dietary preference. Filters such as “fast delivery,” “top-rated,” and “budget-friendly” enhance convenience and improve the overall user experience.
• Order placement. Once users select meals, this feature guides them through customization, delivery options, and order confirmation. A clear interface and simple checkout process reduce friction and encourage repeat orders.

No food ordering platform can function without delivery operations. The goal of this module is to ensure intuitive, fast, and transparent delivery management.

Essential delivery features:

• Driver registration and profile. Delivery partners can sign up, upload documents, and create profiles with contact info and delivery areas. This ensures only verified drivers operate on the platform, improving reliability and trust.
• Order assignment and routing. Drivers receive order notifications with pickup and drop-off details. Integrated GPS routing helps find the fastest path, reducing delivery times and maintaining food quality.
• Status updates and proof of delivery. Drivers update statuses such as “picked up” or “delivered.” Photo confirmation or digital signatures can be included to verify delivery and maintain transparency for customers.

Cleveroad expert tip: Alongside a website, consider building a food delivery app to expand reach and improve convenience.

This module allows restaurants to join your platform and manage their presence and operations efficiently.

Key restaurant features:

• Restaurant registration and profile management. Restaurants register and add business hours, contact details, locations, and images. Updated profiles build trust and improve visibility for customers.
• Menu management. Restaurant owners can add, edit, or remove menu items, upload images, update pricing, and tag items as “popular,” “new,” or “out of stock.” This ensures accurate listings and smoother browsing.
• Order management. Restaurants receive instant notifications about new orders and can view customer preferences and delivery instructions. Real-time status updates, such as “preparing” or “ready,” keep users informed and improve coordination.

The admin module serves as the command center for your platform, helping you manage users, restaurants, payments, and overall performance.

Core admin capabilities:

• Dashboard and analytics. Provides real-time insights into orders, revenue, user activity, and top-performing restaurants. This helps business owners make informed operational and marketing decisions.
• User and vendor management. Admins can manage accounts, approve restaurants, and monitor activity to maintain platform quality and security.
• Commission and payment management. Automates commissions, payouts, and transaction tracking. Proper financial management ensures accurate payments and supports revenue growth.

To enhance functionality and user experience, your MVP will require integrations with external services.

These integrations support:

• Secure payment processing
• Delivery and mapping services
• Analytics and performance tracking
• Customer support tools

Trusted third-party solutions enable secure transactions, real-time updates, and optimized delivery workflows, while improving customer engagement and operational efficiency.

As with any industry, food ordering constantly changes, and some changes suddenly become widespread trends. Let’s discuss 3 most vibrant trends in food delivery websites:

AI-powered algorithms are an effective method to offer tailored recommendations based on user behavior, preferences, and past orders. This usually includes suggesting particular dishes, dineries, or even specific dietary options to individual users. Moreover, using AI development helps businesses meet consumer expectations for customization and highly personalized experiences on food delivery websites.

To make a food ordering website truly innovative and appealing for users, consider implementing voice search functionality and AI chatbots. These features are integrated into food ordering websites to simplify and speed up the ordering process. Users can place orders, request recommendations, or check delivery status using voice commands or by interacting with a chatbot.

Websites have begun incorporating features that promote sustainable and ethically sourced food options. This may include filters for organic, locally sourced, or zero-waste meals. Some platforms let users view the carbon footprint of their orders or choose an eco-friendly option.

As more consumers become environmentally aware, platforms try to align with their clients' values. By adding such functionality, you can attract and retain a user base that prioritizes an eco-friendly lifestyle, setting your offer apart from competitors who don’t cater to this growing demand.

So, let’s determine the final cost to build a food delivery website. All estimates below are based on the average rate in our region (Central Europe, Estonia): $50 per hour.

How did we calculate the final price for a food delivery website? We added development and non-development time. After that, we multiplied the time by the team’s hourly rate.

So, to build a food delivery website, you need at least $80,800. We calculated the MVP version of the service. If you want to add more advanced features, you’ll likely pay more.

Notice: The time and price above are approximate. Feel free to contact our Senior Business Analysts to get a custom feature list and project estimate.

Additionally, the final price can vary depending on the team’s location. For example, developers in North America have higher rates than those in Central Europe. To give you a hint, we’ve estimated the approximate cost to make a food ordering website worldwide:

• Central Europe. $80,800 (based on $50/h)
• North America. $161,600 (based on $100/h)
• Western Europe. $145,440 (based on $90/h)
• Australia. $161,600 (based on $100/h)

We at Cleveroad prepare two types of project cost estimates for food ordering website development: rough and detailed. This approach helps you understand the budget range early and receive a precise calculation before development begins.

A rough estimate is an initial cost approximation that gives you a general understanding of your food ordering website development budget and timeline.

We prepare two rough estimates to gradually improve cost accuracy:

• First rough estimate (Solution Design stage): At this stage, we define business goals, outline the core functionality of your food-ordering website, evaluate project complexity, identify potential risks, and shape the roadmap. Based on this information, we provide an initial cost range and proposal.
• Second rough estimate (Discovery phase): During discovery, we dive deeper into business processes, finalize the feature list, clarify integrations (payments, delivery tracking, restaurant dashboards), and define architecture and non-functional requirements. This allows us to refine the preliminary budget.

A rough estimate helps you plan investments early and understand the expected scope before moving to full-scale development.

A detailed estimate provides the most accurate cost calculation for your food ordering website and serves as the foundation for project planning and development.

This estimate is prepared after the Discovery phase, when all key requirements are clarified. Our business analysts and development team break down the project into user stories and sprints, evaluating each feature and integration separately.

When building a detailed estimate, we consider:

• Complete project documentation (wireframes, specifications, feature descriptions)
• Third-party integrations, analytics, and additional services
• Team composition, hourly rates, and development timeline
• Infrastructure, testing, and post-launch support needs

If you already have documentation or prototypes, we can prepare a detailed estimate faster. This structured approach ensures transparency, predictable budgeting, and a clear understanding of your investment in food ordering website development.

Cleveroad is a custom software development company with over 15 years of experience in the IT market. Our team has been helping startups, SMBs, and enterprises develop custom software solutions across various domains, including on-demand platforms.

By cooperating with us, you'll be assured of the following benefits:

• Full-cycle software development with a complete software team, going from planning, design, to coding, testing, and launch. After release, we provide you with ongoing support and updates to keep the product running smoothly
• 250+ in-house software engineers available, including mobile and web developers, DevOps, designers, PMs, QA engineers, business analysts, and more
• A variety of flexible partnership models suitable for your particular resource needs: Dedicated Development Team, Project-Based Model, or IT Staff Augmentation
• Cooperation with an IT partner certified with ISO 9001:2015 (quality management), and ISO/IEC 27001:2013 (security management), guarantees outstanding quality and robust security for your solutions

Our portfolio includes many custom software development projects across various domains, including on-demand applications. One of our latest cases is ElTab – a location-based marketplace.

The Cleveroad team delivered a subscription-based mobile marketplace for a UK startup aiming to connect users with curated partner venues and exclusive offers. The platform was designed to attract new customers to partner locations while providing users with a seamless subscription-driven experience across mobile devices.

The project started with a structured discovery phase led by Cleveroad experts. The team analyzed the business model, defined core functionality, prepared specifications and wireframes, and delivered architecture and cost estimates. The solution was tailored for users and partners across London.

During development, engineers implemented secure payment integrations, scalable backend infrastructure, and an intuitive cross-platform interface. A web-based admin dashboard was also created to manage users, partners, subscriptions, and analytics from a single environment.

Distinctive platform functionality includes:

• Subscription management with tier-based access and exclusive offers
• Location-based discovery with real-time notifications
• Early-access perks unlocked through referrals and loyalty actions
• Secure multi-payment processing with in-app purchases and renewals
• Personalized user profiles with preferences and activity tracking
• Push notifications for updates, promotions, and new offers
• Partner dashboard for managing campaigns and availability
• Analytics module to monitor engagement, subscriptions, and revenue

As a result, the client received a scalable, ready-to-launch platform that streamlined partner management, improved user engagement, and enabled future feature expansion as the business grew.

Here’s what Oliver Carew, Founder of El Tab, says about cooperation with Cleveroad: