How much does it cost to build a restaurant app?
By the Menuthere editorial team · Updated
Building a restaurant app from scratch with an agency usually costs several thousand dollars up front plus ongoing maintenance. The cheaper route is a done-for-you app: with Menuthere's Branded App at $99 a month you get your own app on Google Play and the App Store, under your name and icon. On top of that you pay the stores directly: Apple charges $99 a year and Google Play a one-time $25.
- A bespoke app from an agency means a large one-off build cost and a monthly bill to keep it running and updated.
- Menuthere's Branded App is $99/month, first month paid upfront, and your app is live within 30 days of payment or you get the whole amount back.
- Store accounts are paid to the stores, not to your app provider: Apple $99/year, Google Play $25 once.
- Your Branded App runs everything in the Pro plan behind it: 0% commission, WhatsApp on your own number, loyalty and your own riders.
- You do not need an app to start taking orders. A free ordering website and QR codes work on any phone's browser.
Your own restaurant app, without the agency bill
Menuthere builds and publishes your app on Google Play and the App Store under your own name and icon, with push notifications, order updates and 0% commission on every order. You focus on the food; we handle the stores.
What are you actually paying for in a restaurant app?
A restaurant app has three separate costs: building the app, keeping it running and updated, and the developer accounts the app stores require. A custom build pays for all three yourself. A done-for-you app like Menuthere's folds the build and upkeep into one monthly fee, and you pay only the store accounts on top.
| Custom agency build | Menuthere Branded App | |
|---|---|---|
| Up-front build | Several thousand dollars | None (first month paid at signup) |
| Ongoing | Monthly maintenance + updates | $99 a month, all updates included |
| Apple Developer | $99 a year (to Apple) | $99 a year (to Apple) |
| Google Play | $25 once (to Google) | $25 once (to Google) |
| Time to launch | Months of development | Live within 30 days of payment |
| Commission on orders | You build the ordering yourself | 0% on every order |
How much do Apple and Google charge for a restaurant app?
These fees go to the app stores, not to your app provider. The Apple Developer Program is $99 a year. Google Play charges a one-time $25 registration fee. Your restaurant orders are physical goods, so neither store takes a cut of your food sales: Apple and Google both bar their in-app billing for physical goods and food delivery, so your customers pay you directly.
- Apple Developer Program: $99 a year, charged in local currency where available.
- Google Play Console: a one-time $25 registration fee.
- No store cut on food orders: Apple and Google do not allow their in-app purchase billing for physical goods or food delivery, so the stores take 0% of your order value.
How long does it take to get a restaurant app approved?
Apple says about 90% of submissions are reviewed in under 24 hours. Google Play says most reviews are quick, but some can take up to seven days or longer in rare cases. With Menuthere, your Branded App is live within 30 days of your first payment, or the whole amount is refunded. A custom agency build is measured in months before it reaches review at all.
Do I need an app, or is a website enough?
Most restaurants should start with a website. A free Menuthere ordering website and QR codes let customers order from any phone's browser, with no download and no commission. An app is worth paying for once you have regulars who would keep your icon on their phone and want push notifications to reach them directly. You can add the app later without losing anything.
Who this is a good fit for
- Established places with repeat customers who would keep an icon on their phone, such as busy cafés, dessert shops and small chains.
- Owners who want push notifications to reach regulars directly, at no cost per message.
- Brands that want to look like the big delivery apps without paying delivery-app commission.
Who this is not for
- A brand-new or very small place with few repeat customers: start with a free ordering website and QR codes first.
- Owners who only need to take a handful of orders a week, where a website or WhatsApp is enough.
- Anyone expecting the app stores to waive their own fees. Apple's $99/year and Google's $25 are paid to Apple and Google.
Common follow-up questions
Can I build a restaurant app for free?
Not a real app on the App Store and Google Play. But you can take orders for free with a Menuthere ordering website and QR codes, which work in any phone browser without a download. An app is the paid step you add once you have loyal customers.
Will Apple or Google take a commission on my food orders?
No. Both stores bar their in-app purchase billing for physical goods and food delivery, so they take 0% of your order value. You pay only the account fees: Apple $99 a year and Google $25 once.
Does the $99 a month include updates?
Yes. Menuthere's Branded App fee covers building, publishing and keeping your app updated, plus everything in the Pro plan behind it. You do not pay separately for app maintenance.
Read next
Sources (4)
- Apple Developer Program — fees and enrolment, Apple, read 30 September 2026
- Google Play Console registration fee, Google Play, read 30 September 2026
- App Store review times, Apple, read 30 September 2026
- Google Play Payments policy (physical goods), Google Play, read 30 September 2026