How to Develop a Food Ordering App Like Jahez?

In today’s fast-paced, digitally connected world, the way people eat has transformed dramatically. No longer confined to cooking at home or dining out, consumers increasingly prefer the convenience of ordering food with just a few taps on their smartphones. This shift in behavior has given rise to a multibillion-dollar online food delivery industry, prompting many entrepreneurs to explore how to develop a food ordering app like Jahez—a platform that has led the charge in the Middle East with its localized services and seamless user experience.

Founded in Saudi Arabia, Jahez has carved a unique space in the food delivery ecosystem. With a localized focus, smooth user experience, and seamless technology, it’s no surprise that the app has become a go-to platform for food lovers and restaurant owners alike. If you’re considering building a similar platform, this blog post is your comprehensive guide. From core features and advanced technology to the estimated cost and team structure, we’ll walk you through every essential element needed to build a food ordering app like Jahez.

App Stats

Understanding Jahez’s performance provides key insights into what success looks like in this space. It also helps you benchmark expectations and establish measurable goals for your app. Here are some noteworthy stats and facts:

• App Name: Jahez
• Category: Food & Drink
• Platform: Android & iOS
• Availability: Primarily in Saudi Arabia; expanding to other Gulf countries
• Downloads: 5 million+ downloads on Google Play Store
• User Rating: 4.2 stars out of 5 from over 100,000 reviews
• Launch Year: 2016
• Funding: Over $36 million raised as of 2021
• Valuation: Estimated at over $2 billion after IPO in Saudi Arabia’s Nomu market

These stats show that Jahez is not just an app but a business empire in the making. It has successfully tapped into local preferences while maintaining high standards of service, functionality, and user experience.

Key Highlights

Let’s dive into the standout features and differentiators that make Jahez unique:

Localized Service

Jahez provides a hyper-localized user experience, customized to the cultural, linguistic, and behavioral norms of its primary user base. From Arabic language support to delivery schedules accommodating religious practices like prayer times and fasting hours during Ramadan, this level of localization creates strong brand loyalty.

Ease of Use

The app boasts an intuitive UI/UX that caters to all age groups. Whether you’re a teenager ordering snacks or a senior citizen craving traditional meals, the app’s simple navigation, large icons, and clear CTAs make it user-friendly across demographics.

Efficient Delivery Network

With its robust logistics backend, Jahez ensures timely delivery through real-time GPS tracking and optimized driver routes. The company often partners with local delivery services, keeping costs low while ensuring high efficiency.

Advanced Notification System

Users receive timely alerts on every step of their order—from confirmation to preparation and delivery. The “driver approaching” notification is especially appreciated by users who want to be ready when their food arrives.

Review System

Customer feedback plays a central role in the app’s operations. The review and rating system helps users make informed choices and also holds restaurants accountable for quality and timeliness.

Essential Features to Develop a Food Ordering App Like Jahez

A fully functional food delivery app like Jahez must offer features that serve users, restaurant partners, and delivery personnel alike. Here’s a detailed look at core functionalities:

User Registration and Onboarding

Offer multiple sign-up options such as email, phone number, or social media accounts. A one-time password (OTP) verification system enhances security and ensures authentic user profiles.

Address and Location Management

Let users save multiple addresses—home, work, or custom—to make reordering faster and easier. Use GPS to auto-detect locations and offer address auto-fill suggestions.

Restaurant Discovery

Showcase restaurants based on user location. Enable search filters for cuisine types, ratings, delivery time, distance, and promotions. Include high-quality images of menu items to influence decision-making.

Menu Customization

Allow users to customize meals with add-ons, special instructions, or allergy notices. Restaurants should be able to update item availability and prices in real time.

Seamless Checkout Process

Incorporate multiple payment methods including credit/debit cards, digital wallets, net banking, and cash on delivery. Offer promo codes, coupons, and loyalty rewards at checkout.

Order History and Reordering

Provide access to past orders with a quick reordering option. Include details like price, order date, and restaurant name for user convenience.

Real-Time Order Tracking

Display the status of orders through every stage—confirmed, being prepared, picked up, and out for delivery. Integrate with map APIs for live driver tracking.

Ratings and Reviews

Enable users to rate and review food, delivery experience, and the app interface. These reviews can be crucial for quality control and building community trust.

Customer Support

Integrate a support system with live chat, FAQs, and support ticket generation. Offer easy access to refund and dispute options.

Advanced Features to Develop a Food Ordering App Like Jahez

Beyond the basics, adding advanced features can significantly improve user retention and operational efficiency. Here’s what you should consider:

Artificial Intelligence for Personalization

Use AI to personalize the homepage with food suggestions, restaurant recommendations, and offers based on the user’s past orders, behavior, and time of day.

Voice Search Integration

Integrate voice search to enhance accessibility, especially for users who are driving or multitasking. Allow food item searches and voice-based checkouts.

Loyalty & Rewards System

Gamify the experience by offering points for every order, which can be redeemed for discounts or free meals. Display a user’s rank (e.g., Gold, Platinum) to encourage more spending.

Contactless Delivery Option

Provide a checkbox during checkout for “Leave at the door” delivery. Include a note field for users to give specific instructions to drivers.

Multi-Language and Multi-Currency

If your app is targeting a diverse audience, add language options (e.g., English, Arabic, French) and currency settings to make the app more inclusive.

Analytics Dashboard for Restaurants

Equip partner restaurants with a comprehensive dashboard to view sales, customer feedback, peak order times, and menu performance.

Fleet Management for Drivers

Offer drivers a separate interface with route optimization, order queues, payment tracking, and communication tools for real-time updates.

Monetization Models

Here are several monetization strategies to ensure your app generates sustainable revenue:

Commission-Based Model

Charge restaurants a percentage (typically 15–30%) on each successful order. This is the most common and reliable income stream.

Delivery Charges

Users can be charged a flat or distance-based delivery fee. Dynamic pricing can be applied during high-demand times or adverse weather conditions.

Subscription Plans

Offer users a monthly or yearly subscription (like “Jahez Plus”) for perks such as zero delivery charges, early access to deals, and priority support.

Advertising and Promotions

Allow restaurants to pay for featured listings, banner ads, or promotional placements within the app to gain more visibility.

Data Monetization

Aggregate user data (without compromising privacy) to provide market insights to partner restaurants or other stakeholders.

Process to Develop a Food Ordering App Like Jahez

Developing a food delivery app involves strategic planning, execution, and iteration. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown:

1. Discovery & Planning

Conduct competitor research, identify your target demographic, and define your unique selling proposition (USP). Create user personas and define user stories to guide development.

2. Wireframing & Prototyping

Design the app flow and interface using wireframes and mockups. Test these designs with potential users to validate assumptions.

3. Technology Stack Selection

Choose the tech stack that aligns with your needs. React Native for mobile apps, Node.js for backend, MongoDB/PostgreSQL for database, and AWS for cloud services are common picks.

4. Development & Integration

Build modules for user login, restaurant discovery, payment gateways, tracking, and notifications. Use APIs for maps, analytics, and payment processing.

5. Quality Assurance

Perform end-to-end testing: unit testing, integration testing, UI/UX testing, and load testing to ensure a smooth and bug-free user experience.

6. Launch Strategy

Prepare for app store submissions, promotional campaigns, and PR outreach. Launch an MVP first and scale based on feedback.

7. Post-Launch Support

Continuously monitor app performance, resolve bugs, release updates, and collect user feedback to refine features.

Cost to Develop

Here is a detailed cost estimate to build a food delivery app similar to Jahez:

Development Phase	Estimated Cost (USD)
UI/UX Design	$5,000 – $10,000
Mobile App Development	$15,000 – $25,000
Backend Development	$15,000 – $30,000
Admin Dashboard & Reporting	$5,000 – $10,000
QA and Testing	$4,000 – $8,000
Third-Party Integrations	$3,000 – $8,000
Launch & Marketing	$5,000 – $12,000
Total Estimate	$52,000 – $103,000

Note: These are ballpark figures and can vary based on geography, team type (freelance vs agency), and scope.

Team Structure

To execute this complex project, you’ll need a team that includes:

• Project Manager – Oversees development timelines and coordination.
• UI/UX Designer – Crafts visually appealing and user-friendly interfaces.
• Mobile App Developers – Build the iOS and Android apps (preferably using cross-platform tools).
• Backend Developer – Handles server-side operations and database management.
• QA Engineer – Ensures that the app functions smoothly across all devices.
• DevOps Engineer – Manages cloud deployments, CI/CD pipelines, and app scalability.
• Marketing Strategist – Plans the launch campaign, user acquisition, and retention strategies.
• Customer Support Lead – Manages feedback, queries, and complaints from users and partners.

Conclusion

The online food delivery market is ripe with opportunities, and Jahez is a shining example of how to localize and scale successfully. With the right combination of core and advanced features, a clear monetization strategy, and a skilled team, you can build a food ordering platform that not only competes but thrives.

Building an app like Jahez requires more than just tech expertise—it demands cultural awareness, operational efficiency, and a long-term vision. Start small, test fast, and scale smart.

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