[1]Technology has the power to change the world. And it sure is changing the way we order food. A number of restaurants and online food chains are coming up with their own mobile apps to make ordering food and checking out the menu an easier exercise for their customers.
So while there are mobile apps launched by popular food sites like Zomato, Burrp, Foodpanda, etc, almost all popular food chains have launched their own apps to make access to their menus easier. The mobile app allows users to search and order food from local restaurants by browsing menus, selecting desired items and ordering from their smartphones. The app even enables them to make the payment online.
Experts believe that mobile applications are gaining traction in a lot of markets and a significant percentage of traffic includes users looking for options when they are mobile.
Sikha Rawat, a tech professional, says that her life has become easier with mobile apps for ordering food, as she can access the menu easily and place an order even while returning from work in the cab. “It has made things so simple. You don’t need to log in, open the Internet browser, etc, just a tap and you get all the options in front of you,” says Sikha, who has downloaded some of the prominent food ordering apps on her mobile.
Zomato, which launched its mobile app in 2011, has seen a steady rise in the number of users. Pankaj Chaddah, the co-founder and COO of Zomato, says that mobile apps platforms have become much more mature since their inception few years ago. In fact, mobile apps have become more popular than computer apps. “Our mobile app is so convenient, we have seen that most users, who have our app, have stopped using the website,” he says. “The apps now provide a rich set of functionality and tools to build apps that help us provide an engaging experience on the smartphone. We’re now working on some interesting features for our apps that’ll make finding great places to eat on the move much more enjoyable,” he adds.
Amit Kohli, founder, Foodpanda.com, couldn’t agree more. He has seen the number of users for mobile app services rise significantly. In the last three-four months, they have witnessed more than 80,000 downloads. “It’s becoming popular because the app makes ordering food effortless, as it doesn’t require coordinating with a person and is less time consuming,” says Amit, who thinks that in times to come, the technology is going to become even more popular with services spread all across.
However, some believe that nothing could replace the old-fashioned method of ordering food. Akshay Tomar, who has been working with the hospitality sector for some time now, isn’t really satisfied with the mobile apps. “It gives you easy access but sometimes doesn’t really work the way you want it to,” he says, as he mentions a recent experience where he ordered a pizza on the mobile app of a popular pizza delivery chain. “After 10-15 minutes of placing the order, I got a call from the outlet, saying, ‘Sorry sir, you had ordered for this, but it is not available. Would you mind changing the order?’ This was while I was waiting for my order to be delivered,” says Akshay, who was really disappointed with the experience. “Over the phone at least you get options and save yourself from disappointment,” he says and adds that with more experiments and development being done, it may become better in times to come.
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[1] http://archive.asianage.com/t21jpg-506