Mobile App, Telegram Bot or Website: Which One First?
Does a restaurant need a mobile app, a Telegram bot or a website? We compare them by price, launch time and customer convenience and say where to start.
For most restaurants the right order is: Telegram bot and website first, then a branded mobile app. A bot and a website launch quickly and don't make the customer download anything. An app is valuable when there are many repeat customers and you want push messages and loyalty.
All three can work on one catalog and one customer base, so the question is not "either-or" but "in what order". We compare them below.
Key points:
- A bot and a website start fast and cheap.
- An app keeps repeat customers, but has a download barrier.
- When all three share one base, each channel does its own job.
How do the three channels differ?
A Telegram bot is the easiest to open, a website brings customers from search, and an app is for the most loyal customers. The main difference is in how the customer enters: a bot is one tap, a website is a link, an app is a download.
| Telegram bot | Website | Mobile app | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Difficulty for the customer | almost none | low | must download the app |
| Launch | a few hours to a day | one day | about 2 weeks |
| Found in search | no | yes (SEO) | inside the app store |
| Push and reminders | yes (in Telegram) | limited | yes |
| Works best for | new and repeat customers | new customers, from ads | loyal, repeat customers |
When is a Telegram bot best?
If you want the customer to order without downloading or registering, a bot is best. Telegram is the most widely used messenger in Uzbekistan, so it is a familiar place for the customer. It is also easy to send messages, promo codes and reminders from a bot.
Details: Telegram bot for restaurants.
When do you need a website?
A website is for new customers who come from search and ads. If someone searches Google or Yandex for "restaurant near me", the website gets found. It also adds trust: address, menu, prices and reviews in one place.
When the site and bot share one catalog, you don't update the menu in two places. We wrote separately about the ordering website.
When does a mobile app pay off?
When you have many repeat customers. An app lives on the customer's phone and is convenient for push messages and loyalty (points, cashback). But you have to persuade the customer to download it, which is hard with new customers.
On price: an app built from scratch, according to Delever, takes roughly $30,000–100,000 and 6–12 months, with permanent maintenance. In Delever a branded app (iOS and Android) comes as a separate module for 13 million UZS (one time) and is ready in about 2 weeks. Delever publishes it to the App Store and Google Play itself.
In what order should you start?
The recommended order: Telegram bot and website, then the app once your customer base has grown. The first two launch fast, the customer base builds up and you see which channel brings more orders. You decide about the app based on those numbers.
We explained how to know which channel a customer came from separately. Loyalty works the same across channels: points collect together in the bot, website and app. About loyalty programs.
Conclusion
- Launch the bot and the website first.
- Add the app when the customer base and repeat orders have grown.
- Check that all three channels work with one catalog and CRM.
We tell you which channel to start with for your own restaurant: delever.io or @delever_bot on Telegram.
Frequently asked questions
Does a restaurant need a mobile app?
Not always. For new customers a bot and a website are enough. An app pays off when you want repeat orders and push messages and the customer base has grown.
How much does a mobile app cost?
Built from scratch, according to Delever, roughly $30,000–100,000. In Delever a branded app is a one-time module of 13 million UZS (about $1,500).
How long does an app take?
In Delever a branded app is ready in about 2 weeks, and Delever also handles publishing to the App Store and Google Play. Review time depends on the stores.
Do the app, bot and website work separately?
Not in Delever: all three work on one catalog and one customer base. Points and cashback collect together across channels.
Want to see Delever on your own venue? Book a free 30-minute demo at delever.io or message @delever_bot on Telegram.