Restaurant Mobile App Development: In-House, Agency, or IT Partner?

The restaurant industry is embracing tech solutions to “be where their customers are”. While some restaurant owners sacrifice 30% of their profit margin by partnering with third-party delivery platforms, others invest in restaurant app development.

What is the most profitable move restaurants can make to “be where their customers are”? Should they develop their apps by themselves, hire an agency, or partner with a trusted IT partner?

 

Restaurant Mobile App Development: In-House

While the idea of creating your restaurant app by yourself may seem appealing at first, it’s essential to recognize the challenges and limitations it brings. Here are some of the downsides you should consider:

• Coding Skills: Developing an app requires coding skills, which your existing team may not possess. Hiring and training developers can be time-consuming and expensive.

 

• Compatibility Issues: Ensuring your app integrates seamlessly with your Point of Sale (POS) system and other restaurant operations can be a complex task, leading to compatibility issues.

 

• Ongoing Maintenance Costs: Maintaining and updating an app requires continuous effort and resources. Failing to do so can result in bugs, glitches, and security vulnerabilities.

 

Restaurant Mobile App Development: Hiring an Agency

While hiring an agency to build your restaurant’s online ordering app can be a method chosen by many, there are important considerations to keep in mind. Here are three key points to consider:

• Ongoing Improvements: Agencies often prioritize the initial build but may not focus on continuous enhancements. Consider how your app will evolve over time.

 

• Communication and Control: Agencies can bring communication challenges, which might lead to misunderstandings and delays. You may also have limited control over daily development decisions.

 

• Long-Term Reliance: Think about the long-term implications of relying on external expertise. As your business grows, will you face scalability challenges, and what is your willingness to entrust a significant part of your digital presence to external experts?

 

Restaurant Mobile App Development: Omnichannel IT Partner

Currently, many restaurant chains are adopting omnichannel software as they recognize the benefits it comes with.  And having your unique ordering app in your own brand that your customers love is just the cherry on top of the omnichannel offering.

Here’s what an Omnichannel IT Partner offers:

• Expertise & Maintenance: IT experts bring both the skills to create a great app and efficiency in development, saving you time and resources. They also handle the maintenance of your app, freeing you to focus on your core business of delivering great food.

 

• Customization: Professionals offer customized, user-friendly, scalable, and secure apps that seamlessly integrate with your brand.

 

• Constant Innovation: Choosing an omnichannel partner ensures that you always have the latest features in your app within a short time to market.

Compare your alternatives: In-House vs. Agency vs. IT Partner

Your success is our commitment, and we’re here to help you achieve it.

At S4D, we not only offer these advantages but go a step further by being your true digital partner and considering your long-term business goals. This means that our team is well-equipped to create a tailored, efficient, and integrated ordering app that enhances your customer experience and streamlines your operations.