How we helped Ziplunch scale with a sleek food ordering app

Context

Ziplunch is a Toronto-based startup founded by Majdi Alnabih to solve a growing operational problem in the food delivery space. As platforms like Uber Eats scaled, they strained restaurants and disrupted the dining experience. Majdi, with a background in mass manufacturing, saw an opportunity to optimize meal delivery for group orders instead.

Ziplunch started lean, using PDFs and SMS to process early orders. But as demand grew past 300 orders per day, it became clear the team needed a scalable, digital product — one that could evolve fast without requiring in-house technical leadership.

Challenge

The founders had no prior experience building mobile apps. Their initial workflows were functional but not sustainable. They needed a partner who could help define the product strategy, manage development, and deliver fast — while offering honest feedback on what mattered.

“Eyad told us not to waste time building a rewards system. He said to focus on retention first. It was the right call.”

With shifting priorities and limited internal capacity, Ziplunch needed more than development. They needed clarity, structure, and delivery ownership from day one.

Solution

Optimum stepped in with a full delivery team — technical advisor, project manager, and engineers — and helped Ziplunch shape the product from the ground up. Together, they mapped user journeys, prioritized features, and designed a user experience focused on speed and simplicity.

The app allowed users to order meals from curated menus, pre-schedule deliveries, and complete transactions in under 30 seconds. Development ran across iOS, Android, and desktop — and finished within four months, on time and bug-free.

“They were in our Slack. Any issue we raised, they responded within hours. Time zones didn’t matter.”

When COVID hit just after launch, Ziplunch was able to pivot quickly from office delivery to serving residential towers. The platform handled it without code overhauls.

Outcome

• Delivered a complete mobile and web ordering system in four months
• Pivoted successfully during the pandemic
• Scaled with new use cases, clients, and capabilities
• Launched major features like split payments and catering
• Now running project number four with Optimum

“Eyad is part of the team now. Not a vendor. Not someone we part ways with. This is long-term.”

Majdi’s advice to other startup founders: avoid building in-house too early. Instead, start lean and partner with people who understand how to deliver products that evolve with you.