Step-by-Step Guide: Building a Grubhub Clone with Adalo

Why Adalo Works for Building a Food Delivery Marketplace

Adalo is a no-code app builder for database-driven web apps and native iOS and Android apps—one version across all three platforms, published to the Apple App Store and Google Play. This makes it the perfect foundation for a Grubhub-style marketplace where you need robust database functionality to manage complex relationships between restaurants, menus, orders, customers, and delivery drivers in one interconnected system.

For a food delivery app to succeed, it needs to be where your users are—on their phones, ready to download from app stores they trust. With Adalo, you build once and deploy everywhere, reaching hungry customers on iOS, Android, and web simultaneously. Built-in push notifications let you alert customers when their order is confirmed, being prepared, or out for delivery, creating the real-time engagement that keeps users coming back.

Building a food delivery marketplace like Grubhub requires managing complex relationships between restaurants, customers, drivers, menus, and orders—all while delivering a seamless mobile experience. Traditional development for this kind of multi-sided platform typically costs $50,000+ and takes months of coding.

Adalo, an AI-powered app builder, makes this achievable without writing code. Its database-driven architecture handles the interconnected data relationships a delivery marketplace demands, while publishing native iOS and Android apps to both app stores from a single build. With no record limits on paid plans and infrastructure that scales to millions of monthly active users, you can start small and grow without hitting platform ceilings.

This comprehensive tutorial walks you through creating a fully functional food delivery marketplace. You'll build restaurant listings, ordering systems, payment processing, and delivery management. While some advanced features like real-time GPS tracking require external integrations, we'll guide you through implementing these using Custom Actions and third-party services like Firebase.

Why Adalo Works for Building a Food Delivery Marketplace

Adalo creates database-driven web, iOS, and Android apps published directly to the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. This makes it ideal for a Grubhub-style marketplace where you need robust database functionality to manage restaurants, menus, orders, customers, and delivery drivers in one interconnected system.

For a food delivery app to succeed, it needs to be where your users are—on their phones, ready to download from app stores they trust. With Adalo, you build once and deploy everywhere, reaching hungry customers on iOS, Android, and web simultaneously. Built-in push notifications let you alert customers when their order is confirmed, being prepared, or out for delivery, keeping them engaged throughout the ordering experience.

The platform's 2026 infrastructure overhaul (Adalo 3.0) delivered 3-4x faster performance and removed database record caps entirely. Your marketplace can scale from launch day to serving millions of users without migrating to a different platform or hitting arbitrary limits.

Prerequisites and Initial Setup

Step 1: Create Your Adalo Account and App

  1. Visit Adalo.com and create an account
  2. Click "Create New App"
  3. Select "Mobile App" for full camera and location features
  4. Name your app (e.g., "FoodHub Delivery")
  5. Choose "Start from Template" and select the Restaurant Ordering Template

Ada, Adalo's AI builder, lets you describe what you want and generates your app. Magic Start creates complete app foundations from a description, while Magic Add adds features through natural language.

Pro tip: Magic Start can generate a complete app foundation from a description. Tell it you need a food delivery marketplace with restaurant listings, ordering, and driver management—it creates your initial database structure, screens, and user flows automatically.

Step 2: Configure Basic App Settings

  1. Set primary color scheme (red/orange works well for food apps)
  2. Choose readable fonts for menu text
  3. Enable location services in app settings
  4. Configure push notification permissions
  5. Set up the Google Maps API key in Adalo—refer to Google Maps API setup documentation for configuration details

Setting Up the Marketplace Database

Step 3: Enhance the Users Collection

  1. Navigate to Database in the left sidebar
  2. Select the default "Users" collection
  3. Add role-based properties:
    • Is Customer (True/False - default: true)
    • Is Restaurant Owner (True/False - default: false)
    • Is Driver (True/False - default: false)
    • Phone Number (Text)
    • Profile Picture (Image)
    • Current Location (Location)
    • Delivery Address (Location)

Step 4: Create Restaurants Collection

  1. Click "+ Add Collection"
  2. Name it "Restaurants"
  3. Add essential properties:
    • Restaurant Name (Text)
    • Description (Text - Multiline)
    • Address (Location)
    • Phone (Text)
    • Cuisine Type (Text)
    • Opening Hours (Text)
    • Delivery Fee (Number)
    • Minimum Order (Number)
    • Rating Average (Number - default: 0)
    • Is Active (True/False - default: true)

Step 5: Build Menu Structure Collections

  1. Create "Menu Categories" collection:
    • Category Name (Text)
    • Display Order (Number)
    • Is Available (True/False)
  2. Create "Menu Items" collection:
    • Item Name (Text)
    • Description (Text - Multiline)
    • Price (Number)
    • Image (Image)
    • Is Available (True/False)
    • Preparation Time (Number)

Step 6: Create Order Management Collections

  1. Create "Orders" collection:
    • Order Number (Text)
    • Status (Text - Values: "Pending", "Confirmed", "Preparing", "Ready", "Out for Delivery", "Delivered", "Cancelled")
    • Order Total (Number)
    • Delivery Fee (Number)
    • Tax Amount (Number)
    • Tip Amount (Number)
    • Special Instructions (Text)
    • Delivery Address (Location)
    • Order Date (Date & Time - Automatic)
    • Estimated Delivery (Date & Time)
  2. Create "Order Items" collection:
    • Quantity (Number)
    • Item Price (Number)
    • Special Requests (Text)

Step 7: Set Up Database Relationships

  1. Restaurants relationships: Add "Owner" → Users (Many to One)
  2. Menu Categories relationships: Add "Restaurant" → Restaurants (Many to One)
  3. Menu Items relationships: Add "Category" → Menu Categories (Many to One), Add "Restaurant" → Restaurants (Many to One)
  4. Orders relationships: Add "Customer" → Users (Many to One), Add "Restaurant" → Restaurants (Many to One), Add "Driver" → Users (Many to One)
  5. Order Items relationships: Add "Order" → Orders (Many to One), Add "Menu Item" → Menu Items (Many to One)

For detailed guidance, see the Database relationship setup documentation.

Building Customer-Facing Features

Step 8: Create Restaurant Discovery Screen

  1. Add new screen "Browse Restaurants"
  2. Add Custom List component with Data source: Restaurants, Filter: Is Active = true
  3. Display for each restaurant: image/logo, name and cuisine type, rating stars and delivery time, delivery fee and minimum order
  4. Add Search Input component to filter restaurants by name with real-time-like search via manual refresh

Step 9: Build Restaurant Detail Screen

  1. Create "Restaurant Detail" screen
  2. Add restaurant header section with cover image, name, rating, delivery info, hours, and contact details
  3. Add menu categories navigation using a horizontal Custom List where click actions filter menu items
  4. Add menu items display with Custom List filtered by selected category, showing item details and "Add to Cart" buttons

Step 10: Implement Shopping Cart System

  1. Create "Shopping Cart" screen
  2. Add cart items list using Custom List of Order Items, filtered where Order > Customer = Logged In User AND Order > Status = "Pending"
  3. Add order summary section with subtotal calculation, delivery fee display, tax calculation, and total amount
  4. Add checkout button linking to payment

See the Cart functionality guide for additional implementation details.

Step 11: Configure Payment Processing

  1. Set up Stripe Marketplace Payments and get API keys—refer to the official Stripe Marketplace Payments documentation
  2. In Adalo settings, add Stripe configuration
  3. Create "Checkout" screen with Payment Component, dynamic pricing from cart total, success action that updates order status to "Confirmed", and confirmation notifications

Restaurant Management Dashboard

Step 12: Build Restaurant Owner Registration

  1. Create "Restaurant Registration" screen
  2. Add form components for restaurant details input, location picker for address, document upload for verification, and bank details for payments
  3. On submit: Create restaurant record linked to user

Step 13: Create Order Management Interface

  1. Add "Restaurant Dashboard" screen
  2. Add incoming orders list filtered by Restaurant = Current User's Restaurant, grouped by order status with refresh capability
  3. Add order detail actions including Accept/Decline buttons for new orders, status update dropdown, and estimated preparation time input

Step 14: Build Menu Management System

  1. Create "Menu Management" screen
  2. Add category management with Custom List of menu categories and add/edit/delete options
  3. Add item management with Custom List of menu items by category, edit pricing and availability, upload/change item images, and toggle item availability

Magic Add can help here—describe the feature you want ("add a menu item availability toggle that updates in real-time") and it generates the necessary components and logic.

Driver Functionality

Step 15: Create Driver Registration

  1. Build "Driver Application" screen
  2. Add verification forms for driver license upload, vehicle information, insurance documents, and background check consent
  3. Set up approval workflow for new drivers

Step 16: Build Driver Dashboard

  1. Create "Driver Home" screen
  2. Add available orders list filtered by Status = "Ready" AND within delivery radius, sorted by distance or order value
  3. Add active delivery tracking using external services like Firebase for real-time updates, showing current assigned order details, customer contact information, and navigation integration with external maps

Step 17: Implement Delivery Status Updates

  1. Add status update buttons on active deliveries
  2. Configure automatic notifications: "Picked up" status notifies customer, "Delivered" status completes order, photo capture confirms delivery

Adding Location and Maps Integration

Step 18: Configure Google Maps Services

  1. Get Google Maps API key with enabled services: Maps JavaScript API, Places API, Geocoding API, Distance Matrix API
  2. Add API key in Adalo settings
  3. Test location services on all screens

Step 19: Add Restaurant Location Features

  1. Install Maps component from Adalo Marketplace
  2. Display restaurants on map view with multiple markers, custom markers with restaurant logos, and info windows with basic details
  3. Add distance-based filtering for "Restaurants within 5 miles" and sort by closest to furthest

Step 20: Handle Delivery Address Management

  1. Add location picker for delivery addresses
  2. Save customer addresses for repeat orders
  3. Calculate delivery fees based on distance
  4. Validate addresses within delivery zones

Implementing Real-Time Features

Step 21: Set Up Push Notifications

  1. Configure notification permissions on app launch—visit the Adalo Push Notifications setup guide
  2. Create notification triggers for new orders (to restaurants), order confirmations (to customers), status updates (to all parties), and delivery completion alerts
  3. Test notifications across iOS and Android

Step 22: Add Live Order Tracking (External Integration)

  1. Sign up for Firebase or similar service for real-time updates
  2. Use Custom Actions to update driver locations and enable location-based updates
  3. Create webhook endpoints for location updates from external services
  4. Display tracking on customer order screen
  5. Offer manual refresh (pull-to-refresh or button) or on-visit updates via Custom Actions

Step 23: Configure Order Status Automation

  1. Set up automatic status progressions
  2. Add time-based triggers for auto-accept after restaurant timeout, driver assignment for ready orders, and delivery completion reminders
  3. Implement status change notifications using Push Notifications

Payment and Commission Management

Step 24: Set Up Stripe Connect for Marketplace

  1. Choose a paid plan as needed—see Pricing (plans start at $36/month with unlimited usage)
  2. Configure Stripe Connect in restaurant onboarding—see Stripe Connect Marketplace
  3. Add commission percentage settings
  4. Set up automatic payment splitting: Platform commission (5-15%), restaurant payment (remaining amount), driver tips (separate processing)

Step 25: Build Financial Dashboard

  1. Create earnings overview for restaurants
  2. Add transaction history displays
  3. Show commission breakdowns
  4. Enable payout schedule management
  5. Add dispute resolution workflows

Advanced Features and Optimization

Step 26: Implement Performance Optimizations

  1. Enable "Load Items as User Scrolls" on all lists
  2. Set maximum list item limits (20-30 items per view)
  3. Optimize images (compress/resize before upload and use smaller thumbnails in lists)
  4. Use calculated fields instead of dynamic calculations
  5. Use X-Ray to identify performance issues before they affect users

With Adalo 3.0's infrastructure delivering 3-4x faster performance and no data caps on paid plans, your marketplace can grow without the scaling concerns that affected earlier versions.

Step 27: Add Review and Rating System

  1. Install Star Rating component from marketplace
  2. Create "Reviews" collection with Rating (1-5 stars), Review text, and Customer and restaurant relationships
  3. Calculate average ratings for restaurants
  4. Display reviews on restaurant detail screens

Step 28: Build Customer Support Features

  1. Create help center with FAQs
  2. Add in-app chat for customer service
  3. Build order issue reporting system
  4. Set up refund request workflows
  5. Add contact information and support hours

Multi-App Architecture Strategy

Step 29: Split Into Specialized Apps

For optimal performance at scale, create separate apps sharing one database:

  1. Customer App: Ordering and tracking only
  2. Restaurant App: Order management and menu updates
  3. Driver App: Delivery assignments and navigation
  4. Admin App: Platform management and analytics

Each app optimizes for specific user needs while sharing the same database. This architecture supports scaling to 1 million+ monthly active users with proper data relationship setups.

Step 30: External Service Integration

Consider these external services for production scaling:

Testing and Launch Preparation

Step 31: Comprehensive Testing Protocol

  1. Create test accounts for all user types
  2. Test complete order workflows: customer browsing and ordering, restaurant order management, driver pickup and delivery, payment processing and commissions
  3. Verify notification delivery across platforms
  4. Test location services and mapping accuracy

Step 32: Launch Preparation

  1. Choose a paid plan—Adalo starts at $36/month with unlimited usage and no record caps
  2. Complete app store preparation: app descriptions and screenshots, privacy policy and terms of service, age ratings and content guidelines
  3. Set up customer support systems
  4. Prepare marketing materials and launch strategy

Adalo handles the complex App Store and Play Store submission process, so you can focus on your marketplace rather than wrestling with certificates and provisioning profiles.

Platform Considerations and Solutions

Key Technical Notes

Real-Time Features: Adalo doesn't support native live tracking. For GPS tracking and live order updates, integrate external services like Firebase through Custom Actions or External Collections.

Performance at Scale: The Adalo 3.0 infrastructure overhaul (late 2025) addressed previous performance concerns. Apps now run 3-4x faster with modular infrastructure that scales with your needs. Note that most third-party platform ratings and comparisons predate this major update.

Optimization Best Practices: Use X-Ray to identify bottlenecks, implement progressive list loading, optimize images before upload, and consider the multi-app architecture for large-scale operations.

Cost Breakdown and Resources

Adalo Subscription: Plans start at $36/month with unlimited usage, unlimited database records, and app store publishing with unlimited updates. No usage-based charges or bill shock. See the Adalo Pricing page for current details.

Additional Service Costs:

Marketplace Components: Visit the Adalo Component Marketplace for specialized features and pricing.

Additional Resources

Note: This Grubhub clone includes menus, ordering, cart/checkout, payment integration, and delivery management using Adalo's features. Real-time updates like GPS tracking and dynamic ETA calculations require external integrations through Custom Actions or External Collections. With over 3 million apps created on the platform and infrastructure supporting 20 million+ daily data requests, Adalo provides a proven foundation for building and scaling your food delivery marketplace.

FAQ

Why choose Adalo over other app building solutions?

Adalo is an AI-powered app builder that creates true native iOS and Android apps from a single codebase. Unlike web wrappers, it compiles to native code and publishes directly to both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. With unlimited database records on paid plans, no usage-based charges, and infrastructure that scales to 1M+ monthly active users, it handles the hardest part of launching an app—getting it into the stores users trust.

What's the fastest way to build and publish an app to the App Store?

Adalo's drag-and-drop interface combined with AI-assisted building lets you go from idea to published app in days rather than months. Magic Start generates complete app foundations from descriptions, and Adalo handles the complex App Store submission process—certificates, provisioning profiles, and store guidelines—so you can focus on your app's features.

Can I build a food delivery marketplace app without coding?

Yes. Adalo's visual builder handles all the essential features including restaurant listings, menu management, shopping carts, order tracking, and payment processing. The platform's database system manages the complex relationships between restaurants, customers, drivers, and orders that a marketplace requires.

Can Adalo handle real-time GPS tracking for delivery apps?

While Adalo doesn't support native real-time tracking, you can implement these features by integrating external services like Firebase through Custom Actions. This allows you to add live driver location updates, dynamic ETA calculations, and real-time order status notifications to create a complete delivery experience.

How do I handle payments and commissions in a food delivery marketplace?

Adalo integrates with Stripe Connect for marketplace payments, allowing you to automatically split payments between your platform, restaurants, and drivers. You can configure commission percentages, set up separate tip processing, and manage payouts—all through Adalo's built-in payment components without custom code.

How much does it cost to build a food delivery app with Adalo?

Adalo plans start at $36/month with unlimited usage, unlimited database records, and app store publishing with unlimited updates. There are no usage-based charges or record limits on paid plans. Additional costs include Google Maps API usage, Stripe transaction fees, and any optional third-party services you integrate.

Can my Adalo food delivery app scale to handle many users?

Yes. Adalo 3.0's infrastructure overhaul delivered 3-4x faster performance with modular architecture that scales to serve apps with millions of monthly active users. With proper data relationship setups and the multi-app architecture strategy, your marketplace can grow from launch day without hitting platform ceilings.

What database structure do I need for a food delivery app?

A food delivery marketplace requires interconnected collections for Users (with role-based properties), Restaurants, Menu Categories, Menu Items, Orders, and Order Items. Adalo's database system lets you create relationships between these collections—linking orders to customers, restaurants, and drivers—enabling complex marketplace functionality without SQL knowledge.

How long does it take to build a food delivery app?

With Adalo's templates and AI-assisted building, you can have a functional prototype within days. A complete marketplace with all features—restaurant management, ordering, payments, and driver functionality—typically takes 2-4 weeks depending on complexity and customization needs.

Do I need coding experience to build with Adalo?

No coding experience is required. Adalo's visual builder has been described as "easy as PowerPoint." You drag and drop components, set up database relationships visually, and configure logic through intuitive interfaces. For advanced features, Custom Actions let you integrate external services without writing code.