Launch Checklist

A launch is not “the site is online”. It is the first day you can take a real order, deliver it, settle it and support the customer without improvisation. Work through this list in order and keep evidence for each item.

Business and legal

• Legal entity, bank account and payment merchant account active.
• Terms, privacy, refund and cancellation pages published and linked in the footer.
• Business address, support email and phone/WhatsApp visible.
• Food, tax and marketplace registrations completed for the operating country.
• Vendor agreements signed, including commission, payout and refund terms.
• Data-processing agreements with hosting, email, SMS and payment providers.

Payments

• Sandbox payment completed, failed and refunded.
• Webhook/callback received and order status updated.
• Live keys entered only after sandbox sign-off; secrets stored in a password manager.
• Cash-on-delivery limit, rider float and end-of-shift reconciliation defined.
• Payout cycle and vendor statement format agreed.

Catalogue and vendors

• 25–40 vendors in the launch zone, with complete menus, prices and photos.
• Prep time, opening hours, holiday closures and pause rules set per vendor.
• Sold-out behaviour tested: item, category and whole vendor.
• Allergen, modifier and packaging notes present where needed.
• One vendor trained as a pilot and available on launch night.

Delivery

• Zones drawn, fees and minimum baskets tested at the edges.
• Rider onboarding, equipment, insurance and cash rules documented.
• Dispatch tested with manual assignment, reassignment and rider offline.
• Delivery proof, failed delivery and return-to-kitchen flows tested.
• Customer ETA reflects prep time plus travel time, not a fixed promise.

Apps and brand

• Logo, colours, app name, icons and splash screens replaced.
• Android and iOS builds use the production API URL and your own package IDs.
• Push notifications tested on a real device.
• App-store listings complete, including screenshots, privacy and data-safety forms.
• No vendor branding remains in the footer, emails, invoices or app splash.

Support and measurement

• Support inbox, WhatsApp and phone monitored during launch hours.
• Refund and complaint escalation path written down.
• Analytics and conversion events verified in real time.
• Order, delivery, refund and settlement dashboards reviewed daily for the first two weeks.
• Backup taken immediately before launch and restore tested.