How to Get a Mobile App for Your Restaurant (Without Hiring a Developer)
A mobile app for your restaurant doesn't require a developer or a big budget. Here's what to look for, what it costs, and how to get it done fast.
Inside this article
If you run a restaurant, you've probably noticed that your competitors are showing up in the App Store. Branded apps for local restaurants aren't just for chains anymore. A small burger joint, a family-owned Italian place, a busy café — all of them can have a mobile app, and more of them do every year.
The question most restaurant owners ask isn't whether to get an app. It's how. What does it actually cost? How long does it take? And do you really need to hire a developer to pull it off?
The short answer: no, you don't.
Why Restaurant Owners Want a Mobile App
The reasons are pretty consistent across the industry. A mobile app gives you a direct line to your customers that doesn't go through a third party.
When someone downloads your app, they're giving you permission to reach them directly — through push notifications, loyalty programs, and order updates. You're not paying a delivery platform a 30% commission every time someone orders. You're not at the mercy of a review platform's algorithm. You own the relationship.
Beyond that, a branded app on the App Store signals legitimacy. Customers who see your app in the store are more likely to trust your business, book a table, or place an order than if they'd only found you through a Google search.
What a Restaurant App Actually Needs
You don't need an app with dozens of features to see results. Most effective restaurant apps do a handful of things well:
- Online ordering (direct, without the commission cut)
- Table reservations
- Loyalty points or a stamp card system
- Push notifications for promotions, new menu items, or special events
- Your menu, always up to date
If your restaurant already has a website that handles orders or reservations, a web-to-app conversion means all of that functionality moves into a native app automatically. Customers get the familiar mobile app experience — icon on their home screen, push notifications, fast loading — without you rebuilding everything from scratch.
How Much Does a Restaurant App Cost?
This is where the range gets wide. Here's what the options actually look like.
Custom development: A fully custom native iOS and Android app built from scratch can run anywhere from $15,000 to $50,000+, depending on the complexity. This makes sense for large restaurant chains. For an independent restaurant or a small group, it's rarely justifiable.
No-code app builders: Platforms like AppInstitute or Appy Pie let you build a basic app yourself starting around $60–100 per month. The tradeoff is time — you configure everything yourself, and the result can feel generic.
Web-to-app conversion services: If you already have a website, a service like Webvify converts it into a fully branded native app and handles the App Store and Google Play submission for you. You're not rebuilding anything — your existing website becomes the app, with push notifications and native navigation added on top. The process takes days, not months, and costs a fraction of custom development.
The App Store Submission Problem
One thing no one warns restaurant owners about: getting your app into the App Store is its own process, separate from building the app.
Apple charges $99/year for a developer account. You need screenshots in specific sizes, a privacy policy, and an app binary that meets Apple's technical requirements. If anything is wrong, Apple rejects the app and you start the review process over.
For a restaurant owner who isn't technical, this step alone is enough to stall or kill an app project. Most app-builder platforms put this entirely on you.
A done-for-you service handles the submission as part of the package. You provide your website URL and your brand assets. The service builds the app, submits it to both stores under your developer account, and hands you a working app when it's approved.
What to Look for When Choosing a Service
If you're evaluating options for getting a restaurant app, here are the questions worth asking:
Does it include App Store submission? Some platforms assume you'll handle this yourself. If you're not technical, that's a problem.
Is there an admin panel after launch? You need to be able to update your menu, send push notifications, and manage the app without calling a developer every time.
Does the app actually work if my website changes? A web-to-app conversion should reflect your website automatically. If you update your menu online, the app should show the new menu without any extra steps.
What happens if Apple rejects the app? App Store rejections happen. Make sure whoever builds your app will handle the resubmission process, not leave it with you.
Getting Started
If you have a working restaurant website — one that already handles orders, reservations, or shows your menu — you're ready to turn it into a mobile app. The website is the hard part. The app is the packaging.
The fastest path from zero to live app for a restaurant owner is a web-to-app conversion service that handles everything: build, submission, and the admin panel you'll use afterward. You keep your existing website. Customers get a branded app. You skip the developer fees.
Ready to get your restaurant's app live on the App Store and Google Play? See how Webvify works →