How to Launch an App Like Uber Eats, and Why the Best Time to Do This Is Now
2020 turned our kitchens and living rooms to fancy restaurants and coffee shops. We barely learned how to cook but discovered the multitude of amazing food delivery services available in our regions. Uber Eats and similar apps literary saved our lives.
Third-party delivery services served restaurants and cafes greatly. While public places were abandoned because of COVID-caused global lockdown, food and products delivery turned to a chance to survive. Many small local cafes and stylish world-known restaurants couldn’t handle the delivery themselves. Clearly, it required much resources, both human and financial. Thus, they delegated delivery to third-party companies.
On-demand delivery is a global 2020 trend. It’s a chance for restaurants to extend business borders and reach out to clients and customers with no significant investments.
This is why it’s time to find your place under the sun of this trend, and launch a viable app like Uber Eats.
App like Uber Eats: your chance to compete with a market leader
Why do we draw your attention to Uber Eats specifically? Because its global market share rose significantly between 2016–2020 and kept its position even during tough times. While most of the Uber products estimated lockdown-related loses, this service proved its strength.
How it all started?
Uber the unicorn has been changing the transportation industry since 2009. In 2014, founders decided to extend their operations to transporting not only humans but also sandwiches, Chinese food, pasta from local Italian restaurants, and so much more. The founders analyzed Uber vs Uber Eats differences and came to an organic conclusion: food delivery product is not just about “login — choose — order”. It is more about browsing the options, getting acquainted with new restaurants, choosing a perfect breakfast or lunch to share with the closest ones etc. This is why they decided to separate ride-sharing and food delivery apps, and Uber Eats app was born. The app with a goal to bit Grubhub and numerous similar solutions.
Analyzing its path for more than 6 years, we can say that the idea was pretty successful. Even now, when Uber loses millions of dollars, Uber Eats still proves to be profitable.
However, this story has a negative side.
Uber Eats doesn’t operate everywhere.
Mainly, it focuses on large cities and urban areas. It doesn’t satisfy the needs of potential customers all over the world.
Even more than that. Uber Eats fails to meet the existing users’ expectations. For example, Australian restaurants have rising concerns about Uber Eats, while American consumers share shocking stories about half-eaten chicken delivered by Uber Eats.
And this is the gap for your business: create something new, something better and more user-oriented than Uber Eats, and target the uncovered market with your app.
From an idea to Uber-Like app: 4 cornerstones of your product launch
Although the idea to build an Uber-like application seems extremely challenging at the beginning, there’s a chance to turn it to life in just 4–6 months. And we know how to do it. Make yourself comfortable, and start the journey.
- Preparation
First of all, focus on one limited area. Let it be a rural region in the Scottish Highlands or a small town in Nebraska — the point is to start slowly, catering to the needs of users based in one region.
- Make sure Uber Eats and similar apps do not operate in your target market;
- Find out potential customers’ opinions: would they even use a food delivery app?
- Discuss your plan with the people you trust, let it be either you schoolmate or your business partner.
A dependable partnership is significant in any sphere. Software development is not an exception. Even if you have a technical background, it may take a lifetime to launch an app as a one-man-band. Consider the software outsourcing model to save both your time and your money.
Read also: Everything you need to know about successful project outsourcing
2. Budget
Proceed with financial planning. There are numerous businesses that started with a basic budget only, with bootstrapping or even borrowed money. The significant thing is to have a clear vision of how much you are ready to invest in the initial stage of your Uber-like app growth.
Take a sheet of paper and put down a sketch of your business model canvas. Take your time to analyze the resources you have now and investments you’d like to attract. Here’s the example of how your business model may look like:
Just download this pic, take a pencil and dive into planning.
3. MVP
While you are working on the idea to build a food delivery app, somebody else may do it, too. Maybe, this person even focuses on your region and wants to get a massive piece of your local market share.
Instead of focusing on a full-features software product, consider minimum viable product development. MVP is the very first version of your app, a version powered with essential features only. At the same time, it should demonstrate the unbeatable quality as its key purposes are to:
- engage first users;
- and raise funds for further growth.
Keep in mind that your app must serve there are different types of users at the same time:
- Restaurants;
2. Couriers;
3. Customers.
Think carefully about features to deploy for each group.
Right features — users’ satisfaction — quick growth.
4. Fundraising
After your engineering team rolls out an MVP, a whole new story starts.
This story consists of a variety of vital elements, and one of them is called fundraising.
On this stage, you need to collect enough funds to upgrade your product and provide better services to your potential users.
There are numerous ways to collect investments for your startup:
- Publish your idea and the links to a ready-made solution on a crowdfunding platform;
- Meet the angel investor on a professional network;
- Apply for a government grant etc.
Before reaching out to a potential investor, make sure your app has:
- A considerable number of users;
- A potential to bring real money.
What’s next?
In this short plan, many specific things may remain unnoticed. It’s crucial to pay attention to things like:
- The tech stack;
- The team size and expertise;
- The chicken-and-egg problem;
- The monetization model for your app etc.
To dive deeper into this topic, check our latest research on how to build an app similar to Uber Eats for your local market.
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