How to Build an App Like Uber Eats? A Step-by-Step Guide!

When Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi called Uber Eats a “secret weapon” in the competitive ride-hailing industry, he was spot on. 

In 2024, Uber Eats raked in a staggering $13.75 billion in revenue, proving the power of the food delivery market. 

So, imagine you stepping into a profitable business that has consistently grown over the past few years. With the food delivery market booming at an unprecedented scale, building a food delivery app like Uber Eats isn’t just an idea—it’s an opportunity to tap into a rapidly growing, highly profitable industry. 

Know how to start with features, development process, tech stack, development costs, and much more – everything in one guide!

What is Uber Eats?

Uber Eats is an on-demand food delivery service that connects customers, restaurants, and delivery partners through a mobile app or website. 

The concept was simple: use Uber’s reliable network of drivers to deliver food quickly and efficiently. It allows users to browse menus, place orders, and have food delivered directly to their doorsteps while tracking the delivery in real time. 

Whether you’re craving fast food, a gourmet meal, or something in between, Uber Eats delivers it easily and conveniently.

By combining Uber’s technology with a fast-growing food delivery market, Uber Eats revolutionized how people order food. It is now one of the leading platforms in food delivery worldwide, serving millions of customers in hundreds of cities.

How Does Uber Eats Work?

Uber Eats connects customers, restaurants, and delivery partners on a single platform, making food delivery simple and seamless:

Customer Orders – Users browse restaurants, select food items, and place their order through the Uber Eats app or website. Payment is made via card or other payment methods.

Restaurant Prepares the Order – Once the order is received, the restaurant starts preparing it. The customer is notified when the order is ready.

Delivery Partner Picks Up the Order – A nearby delivery partner accepts the order request, picks up the food from the restaurant, and uses GPS to deliver it to the customer’s location.

Real-Time Tracking – Customers can track their orders from the restaurant to delivery. Once the food is delivered, they can leave feedback on their experience.

Must-Have Features to Include in a Food Delivery App like Uber Eats 

Here comes the foundation of your food delivery development app that will determine your business success. Let’s take a look at essential features to include in a food delivery app like Uber Eats:

A) Customer Panel

Let’s check features you can consider for the customer panel:

1. Real-Time Order Tracking – Track your delivery live via GPS from restaurant to doorstep.

2. Restaurant Search & Filters – Easily find food based on cuisine, ratings, or location preferences.

3. Multiple Payment Options – Pay seamlessly using cards, wallets, UPI, or cash on delivery.

4. Ratings & Reviews – Share your feedback on food quality and delivery service.

5. Push Notifications – Stay updated with real-time order alerts, offers, and promotions.

B) Delivery Partner Panel

Let’s check the features you can consider for the delivery partner panel:

1. Order Alerts & Acceptance – Instantly receive and accept nearby delivery requests.

2. GPS Navigation – Access real-time maps and directions for fast deliveries.

3. Earnings Dashboard – Monitor daily earnings, bonuses, and completed trips.

4. Availability Toggle – Easily go online or offline based on your schedule.

5. In-App Communication – Contact customers or restaurants via chat or call.

C) Restaurant Panel

Let’s check the features you can consider for the restaurant panel:

1. Order Management System – Receive, prepare, and track orders with live status.

2. Menu Management – Update menu items, prices, and availability instantly.

3. Real-Time Notifications – Get alerts for incoming, modified, or canceled orders.

4. Payout Tracking – View payment history and track earnings in one place.

5. Restaurant Profile Management – Edit restaurant hours, contact details, and location.

D) Admin Panel

Let’s check features you can consider for the admin panel:

1. User Management – Oversee and control all users, partners, and delivery agents.

2. Commission & Payout Management – Set fees and manage financial transactions.

3. Analytics & Reports – Gain insights into performance, trends, and peak hours.

4. Promo Code & Campaign Management – Launch discounts and promotional offers.

5. Dispute Resolution Tools – Resolve customer complaints and process refunds efficiently.

Step-by-Step Process to Build an Uber Eats Clone App

Now, let’s understand how to develop an Uber Eats clone app from scratch. We’ve listed the development process in detail:

Step 1: Plan Your App

Before diving into food delivery app development similar to Uber Eats, you must lay a strong foundation. 

You must start with comprehensive research, including business goals, app features, monetization strategies, and competitive analysis. 

Consider what would make your food delivery app unique from your competitors. It can include local restaurant partnerships, faster delivery times, or loyalty rewards.

Create user personas for all parties involved: customers, delivery drivers, and restaurant owners. Decide whether your app will be location-specific or regional.

Key tasks:

• Conduct competitor analysis (such as DoorDash, Eber Eats, Grubhub)
• List essential features & functionalities (such as real-time tracking, in-app payments, menu browsing, etc.)
• Select a monetization model (commission, delivery fees, ads)

Step 2: UX UI Design

Design plays a critical role in user engagement and overall app success—94% of first impressions are driven by how your app looks and feels. 

Incorporate an intuitive, interactive, and accessible design to offer a seamless and smooth user experience. Moreover, a food delivery app’s UX UI must be strategically designed to boost engagement and encourage repeat visits. Some crucial elements include a visually appealing layout, clear information, personalized recommendations, and a streamlined process. 

Remember that a well-designed interface can boost conversion rates by up to 400%, while a poor user experience can cause 90% of users to abandon the app entirely.

Therefore, focusing on UX UI design is crucial for your food delivery business, like Uber Eats, to grow significantly.

Step 3: Develop the App

At this stage, your vision starts to take shape. Android and iOS food delivery app developers start working on your app’s blueprint into a functional platform. Development is typically divided into multiple modules for faster and more organized execution. 

Developers work on front-end development, which is the user-facing side of the app. This includes everything from customers, delivery partners, and restaurant owners to interact with. 

Our best on-demand food delivery app developers use tools like React Native, Flutter, Kotlin, or Swift to build responsive and high-performing interfaces for both Android and iOS.

For backend development, our best developers work on the engine of your app. It powers the logic, manages the database, handles APIs, processes payments, and ensures data security. 

Frameworks like Node.js, Django, or Express.js are commonly used to build scalable and secure server-side infrastructure.

With seamless coordination between front-end and back-end development, your food delivery app is ready to deliver real-time performance, user satisfaction, and business value.

Step 4: Test Everything

After your app’s development, it’s time to test it to ensure it’s operating smoothly and efficiently. Testing is critical to ensure your app works smoothly across all devices and platforms. Use manual and automated testing methods to identify errors or bugs and fix performance issues. 

Implement the following types of testing:

• Functional testing (Do features work?)
• Usability testing (Is it easy to use?)
• Performance testing (Can it handle traffic?)
• Security testing (Are user details safe?)
• Cross-platform/device testing

Step 5: Launch & Grow

Once your app is bug-free, launch it on the App Store and Google Play Store. Begin with a soft launch or beta release to get early feedback. Post-launch, focus on marketing, user acquisition, and performance monitoring.

Growth strategies:

• Partner with local restaurants and food influencers
• Offer first-order discounts or referral bonuses
• Use social media and paid ads for promotion
• Analyze user behavior and improve features over time

Tools & Technologies to Consider for Uber Eats Clone App Development

Time to dive into the technical side! Below is a breakdown of the essential tools and technologies used to develop an app like Uber Eats:

1. Front-End (User-Facing App)

• React Native / Flutter: Popular for building cross-platform mobile apps (iOS and Android) with a single codebase.
• Swift (iOS) / Kotlin (Android): Native development for platform-specific performance and deeper integrations.
• Web App: Use React.js or Angular.js to build a responsive web version of the app.

2. Back-End (Server Side)

• Programming Languages: Node.js, Python (Django/Flask), or Java – ideal for scalable, high-performance apps.
• Database: PostgreSQL or MongoDB depending on structured or unstructured data needs.
• API Services: RESTful APIs or GraphQL to manage data exchange between front-end and back-end.
• Cloud Hosting: AWS or Firebase for secure and scalable infrastructure.

3. APIs & Integrations:

• Google Maps API: Location tracking, route optimization, and real-time navigation.
• Stripe / Razorpay: Secure and flexible payment processing for global and regional transactions.
• Twilio: SMS and in-app messaging for user communication and order updates.

4. Other Key Considerations:

• No-code Platforms: Tools like Appy Pie, Thunkable, Glide, and Adalo for prototyping or creating MVPs.
• Clone Scripts: Pre-built Uber Eats-like templates to fast-track development and reduce costs.
• App Testing: Conduct Functional, Performance, and Security Testing to ensure a seamless and secure experience.

Top 3 Popular Food Delivery Apps

Following, we’ve listed the top 3 popular food delivery apps:

1. Grubhub

One of the pioneers in the U.S. food delivery scene, Grubhub connects diners with local restaurants, offering a wide variety of cuisine choices and flexible payment options.

2. DoorDash

Known for its extensive reach across North America, DoorDash stands out with fast delivery, real-time tracking, and unique features like DashPass for free deliveries.

3.Zomato

A global player based in India, Zomato combines food delivery with restaurant discovery, offering menus, reviews, and quick ordering in major cities worldwide.

How Much Does it Cost to Build an App Like Uber Eats?

Here comes the most important and asked question – “What’s the estimated cost to create a food delivery app like Uber Eats?” 

The answer varies depending on various factors, including the project’s complexity, UX UI design, tech stack, features, and more. The estimated development cost ranges from $20,000 to $150,000 or above. 

Section	Details	Estimated Cost
1. Features & Functionality	Basic: Registration, restaurant listing, search, order placement, payment, tracking	$20,000 – $80,000
	Advanced: AI recommendations, analytics, loyalty programs, driver scheduling, multi-payments	$80,000 – $150,000+
2. App Platform	Single Platform (iOS or Android)	$25,000 – $70,000+
	Cross-Platform (iOS + Android)	$70,000 – $150,000+
3. Design Complexity	Basic UI/UX	$5,000 – $15,000
	Custom Interactive Design	$15,000 – $30,000
4. Dev Team Location	USA / Canada	$120 – $200/hr
	Western Europe	$80 – $150/hr
	Eastern Europe	$40 – $80/hr
	India / SE Asia	$20 – $60/hr
5. Ongoing Costs	Maintenance & Updates	5–20% of dev cost/year
	Hosting & APIs	$1,000 – $5,000/month
	Marketing & Support	Varies by scale

Final Cost Estimate of Uber Eats Like App Development:

Let’s take a final cost estimation to develop an app like Uber Eats:

Type	Estimated Cost Range
Basic MVP App	$25,000 – $70,000
Mid-Level App With Basic Features	$70,000 – $150,000
Fully-Advanced App	$150,000 – $300,000+

What are the Top Challenges When Building an App Like Uber Eats?

Let’s now discuss what challenges you can face when creating a food delivery app like Uber Eats:

1. Real-Time Tracking

Ensuring accurate GPS tracking for customers, drivers, and restaurants in real-time can be technically complex and requires seamless integration with mapping services.

2. Payment & Commission Handling

Managing multiple payment methods, secure transactions, and calculating commissions for restaurants and delivery partners demands a robust financial infrastructure and compliance.

3. Multi-User Management

Your on-demand food delivery app must cater to three different user types—customers, restaurants, and delivery agents—each with unique dashboards and permissions, which increases development complexity.

4. Scalability

Handling high-order volumes during peak hours or expanding into new cities requires a scalable backend architecture that maintains performance under pressure.

5. Customer Support & Dispute Handling

Timely resolution of delivery issues, order complaints, or refund requests is crucial to user satisfaction, and a well-structured support system with clear workflows is needed.

How Apptunix Helps You Build a Food Delivery App Like Uber Eats?

At Apptunix, a leading on-demand app development company, we don’t just build apps—we build businesses. From concept to launch and beyond, our expert team helps you develop a full-fledged food delivery app tailored to your vision.

• Custom App Development – Whether you want something like Uber Eats or a completely unique concept, we build tailored solutions that fit your brand and audience.
• All-in-One Platform – We create separate yet integrated apps/dashboards for customers, restaurants, delivery partners, and admins—ensuring smooth operations for all.
• Cutting-Edge Tech Stack – We use the latest technologies like Flutter, React Native, Node.js, and real-time tracking APIs to ensure your app is fast, scalable, and secure.
• Revenue-Driven Features – From dynamic pricing and commissions to ad placements and premium listings, we help you integrate monetization.
• End-to-End Support – UI/UX design, QA testing, deployment, performance monitoring, and even future updates—we’ve got you covered every step of the way.

Want to see your idea turn into the next big food delivery platform like Uber Eats? Let’s build it—together.