RestaurantHub.be is a Belgium-based food ordering platform that began with a simple request: integrate the Mollie payment gateway. The client discovered us through our YouTube tutorial on Mollie integration in Laravel and reached out via our blog.

Discovery Phase

Identifying the Problem

The initial problem was the lack of a secure and reliable payment gateway on the platform. But soon, the scope expanded into revamping the entire system for performance, SEO, and scalability.

Competitor Analysis

We assessed popular platforms like Uber Eats and Deliveroo to understand how RestaurantHub could offer a more localized and affordable solution for Belgian restaurants.

Setting Goals

1. Seamless Mollie integration
2. Increase website traffic
3. Transform platform to support multi-restaurant vendors
4. Launch mobile apps to capture the growing mobile user base

Planning and Strategy

Feature Prioritization

We prioritized:

1. Vendor onboarding
2. Order management
3. SEO-friendly product/menu pages
4. Mobile API setup

Technology Stack

1. Backend: Laravel (latest version)
2. Frontend: HTML5, Bootstrap 5
3. Database: MySQL
4. Hosting: AWS EC2
5. Mobile Apps: Flutter (native Android & iOS)

Timeline

The project was executed in multiple sprints over several months in 2023.

Design Process

UI/UX Considerations

The original design was inconsistent and not optimized for modern UX. We redesigned key flows like restaurant dashboards, cart views, and order tracking pages.

Tools Used

Figma was used to create and validate design flows for both the website and mobile apps.

Feedback Loops

Designs were shared with the client and actual restaurant owners to collect feedback for iteration.

Development Process

Frontend Development

All frontend work was completed using HTML and Bootstrap, ensuring fast page loads, responsive design, and mobile-first optimization.

Backend Development

We restructured the backend using:

1. Custom cart and language modules (to replace outdated packages)
2. Role-based multi-vendor support
3. Optimized Eloquent queries
4. Background job queues for order handling

APIs and Integrations

1. Mollie payment API
2. Custom REST APIs for mobile apps
3. Planned delivery API for future logistics automation

Agile Sprint Cycles

We used Trello for sprint management and GitHub for version control with a strict branching and merge policy.

Challenges and Solutions

Legacy Database Structure

The client had already set up part of the database, but it lacked optimization.

Solution: We refactored the structure, indexed foreign keys, and cleaned up redundant relationships to improve load speed.

Deprecated Packages

Third-party packages (cart, language) used were outdated and incompatible.

Solution: Custom Laravel-compatible modules were created.

Simultaneous Order Processing

To handle multiple real-time orders across restaurants, we used Laravel queues and jobs to maintain speed and prevent conflicts.

Testing and QA

Git Workflow

1. No use of dd() or console.log() allowed in final PRs
2. All commits required descriptive messages
3. Code reviewed and tested before merges

Manual & Automated Testing

1. UAT with real restaurant data
2. PHPUnit for backend logic
3. Device-based testing for mobile apps

Deployment and Launch

Infrastructure

1. Hosted on AWS EC2
2. Git-based deployment for syncing new features
3. Cron jobs for cache clearing, order alerts, and queue workers
4. Error monitoring with email notifications sent to admin

Launch

1. Gradual vendor onboarding
2. SEO-optimized landing pages
3. Google My Business integration for location-based discovery

Post-Launch Insights

1. 70% traffic increase in just 2 months after SEO updates
2. Mobile app adoption gained traction, especially on Android
3. Multiple restaurants onboarded within weeks
4. Vendors appreciated the easy-to-use dashboard and localized platform features

Key Takeaways

Lessons Learned

1. Early technical debt should not be ignored—refactoring was worth the time
2. SEO drives real, measurable results for food ordering platforms
3. Mobile-first strategy ensures wider adoption

Advice for Future Projects

1. Always invest in proper database architecture early
2. Plan for scalability, even in MVP phase
3. Don’t ignore performance optimization—it impacts user retention

What We’d Do Differently

1. Audit existing systems more thoroughly before building
2. Integrate monitoring tools earlier
3. Start restaurant feedback loops during the design phase

Conclusion

What started as a one-time Mollie integration turned into a long-term collaboration that transformed RestaurantHub.be into a scalable, multi-restaurant platform complete with native mobile apps.

From performance to SEO and user experience, we helped RestaurantHub position itself as a local, reliable alternative in Belgium's food tech space—and with continued growth, the future looks even more promising.