How Food Delivery Apps Can Lose Customers With Bad UX Design

I recently completed my MBA capstone project on the major challenges of food delivery services applications, using Uber Eats as a case study. One of the common issues that most reviewer papers agreed on was the poor user experience on the mobile application. I had a firsthand experience of this problem last week, and it made me switch to a different app.

After a hectic day, I was too tired to cook or go out to eat, so I decided to order pizza. I went to Domino's Pizza app because I trusted their quality and service. I saw a great deal on the app and decided to take it, only to find out at the checkout that delivery was not available for that order. I spent the next 15 minutes trying to find a way to order pizza with home delivery, but I could not find it. I was hungry and frustrated, so I gave up on Domino's and went to Uber Eats.

Uber Eats also showed me some great deals, and I chose one of them. But when I reached the checkout, I saw that the restaurant was too far from my house to be delivered. I did not understand this because I had ordered pizza from the same place before, and it was delivered. I tried to look for another option, but the more I searched, the more complicated it was to navigate through the app. I felt like I was wasting my time and money.

Finally, I left Uber Eats and downloaded "Just Eat". This was my first time using this app, but I was impressed by its simple, clear, and straightforward user interface. I easily ordered my pizza, and it arrived at the exact time they told me it would. I was happy and satisfied with my meal and the service.

This experience made me realize how important it is for food delivery apps to have a good UX design. UX design is not just about aesthetics, but also about functionality, usability, and accessibility. Food delivery apps should understand that ease of navigation through their app is a unique selling point. Most people who order from these apps are either too tired or too hungry to deal with complicated user interfaces. If they encounter hidden costs, confusing options, or poor performance, they will likely switch to another app that offers a better experience.

That was how Domino's Pizza and Uber Eats lost a customer in me yesterday. Have you ever had a similar experience? Let me know in the comments.