A Hunger for Food Delivery Apps
Published: 2021-07-06 09:44:28

Covid-19 has effected many things, but did any of us think it would alter our food shop and takeaway services? Cue the increase of food delivery apps.

At [Clever Software Group](https://cleversoftwaregroup.com/services), our custom software developers are experts at developing line of business mobile apps; a software solution that saw a serge in demand throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. As a bespoke software development company, it is our job to connect people and increase business intelligence. The custom line of business apps we craft, in accordance with your unique specifications, will revolutionize the way you do business. It has been very interesting to monitor the use of line of business mobile apps within the food delivery and hospitality industry, throughout the turbulent period of the pandemic.

Usage of platform-to-consumer app services has nearly more than doubled during the crisis, and in its wake, has shaken up societies food delivery and takeaway ordering habits.  Custom software systems, such as food delivery apps, have allowed consumers to continue purchasing whatever they’d like to eat, whenever they want over the past 18 months, when all of the hospitality sector was asked to close.

Due to various national lockdowns, delivery apps became the saving grace for so many business owners. An increase in people used the bespoke software solutions to not only order their favourite takeaway treat, but also their weekly shop via digital platforms.

A cheeky takeaway, whilst having a quiz night with friends and family, became a staple in our weekly routines for so many of us last year. The implementation of line of business apps allowed many independent eateries and restaurants to stay afloat during a very testing time. Exploring digital avenues was often the only way businesses could continue to operate during the national lockdowns, with custom software development being the driving force behind so many hospitality applications and online interfaces.

So many of us saw takeaways as something to look forward to during the pandemic, with little else to do at the time. And let’s face it, no one wanted to do the washing up – life was hard enough already. Thanks to the advancement in bespoke software systems, technology and a booming digital transformation, the need for food delivery apps is now in high demand. They have allowed the hospitality industry to continue to function in some form, whilst encouraging consumers to spend more via specific features on apps and still provide and excellent service.

Pre-Covid-19 (remember those days?), people would often turn to food delivery software and services as a convenience for fast paced lives. However, this increased drastically during the pandemic, as people were also reluctant to visit supermarkets and stand in a queue for hours on end. As Brits, we love a queue, but we all have our limits.

The global crisis made many of us rethink the way we approach our food shop. A large majority of consumers began to look for more ways to purchase produce, to avoid waiting in long online lines for supermarket home deliveries. In an answer to this, 3.5 million boxes of fresh fruit and veg were delivered nationwide by over 500 British companies, such as Riverford, during the early stages of the pandemic. The massive strain on supermarkets caused so many of us to look for alternative food shops, with a large focus turning to online ecommerce sites and bespoke software applications, to provide the desired outcome.

Food delivery has expanded from purely takeaway-based services, to being able to order everything and anything you could wish for. If you have forgotten to pick up some kitchen roll and washing-up liquid on your way home, you can now use food delivery apps such as Deliveroo, to bring the desired products to your doorstep in under an hour. Whilst you’re at it, why not throw some biscuits into your virtual baskets for good measure.

Deliveroo was the pioneering platform-to-consumer app, with the food delivery company partnering with multiple well-known supermarkets during the pandemic, to offer a wider range of products to its consumer base.

The UK takeaway industry is responsible for 40% of the European takeaway revenue, with 24.8 million users of food service apps in 2020 alone. Millions of first-time users took to food delivery apps during the Covid-19 pandemic, causing a mass boost in food orders within the first 3 months of the initial national lockdown.

The rise in usage of food delivery apps has transformed employment. Not just internally for hospitality businesses themselves and the need for more delivery drivers, but it has also created a high demand for bespoke software developers and companies to develop mobile apps. Food delivery and service apps have created a lot of opportunities for the food industry and its consumers alike.

Takeaway and online grocery orders will probably decrease ever so slightly, as lockdown restrictions continue to lift, but the effects of food delivery apps will be long lasting. Consumers will still be able to relish in the convenience of having a food shop or takeaway order arrive at their home almost instantly. As the digital transformation of so many sectors continues, more and more eateries within the hospitality industry will require the services of custom software developers to create food service apps, to keep ahead of the competition and drive consumers hunger, in more ways than one.

If you would like our help to craft a line of business or platform-to-consumer app, please contact us today. We look forward to helping you with a tailor-made software service for your business.