Talabat CLI Food Delivery System

Introduction

As students passionate about computer science and problem-solving, our team—Arjun, Suhaam, Jonathan, and I (Gordon)—set out to build something that combined real-world relevance with solid backend logic. The result was the Talabat CLI Food Ordering System, a complete command-line application that simulates a real delivery platform like Talabat or Uber Eats.

The goal was simple: create a working system that could manage users, restaurants, menus, and orders—all while running smoothly within a MySQL-powered database. It wasn’t just a coding exercise; it was about understanding how backend systems interact, how databases are structured, and how logic connects every part of a user’s journey—from signing up to receiving their meal.

Project Overview

The Talabat CLI is a Python-based food ordering and management system designed for the console. It provides both admin and user functionalities with a structured, database-driven approach.

Key Features include:

• User & Admin Accounts: Secure login and registration system with unique username generation.

• Restaurant & Menu Management: Admins can add, update, and delete restaurants or menu items.

• Order Management: Users can browse restaurants, place orders, and track delivery status in real time.

• Automatic Delivery Updates: The system automatically updates order statuses from “Pending” to “Delivered” based on delivery time.

• MySQL Database Integration: Ensures data persistence, validation, and relational integrity between users, restaurants, menus, and orders.

What makes this project unique is that it’s fully functional in a terminal environment—offering a backend-level simulation of how real delivery systems like Talabat operate behind the scenes.

Development Journey

The development process began with setting up a local MySQL database using mysql.connector and structuring tables for users, restaurants, menus, and orders. We started by sketching out the system flow—how users would register, log in, and place orders, and how admins would control the data behind it.

The CLI interface was built using Python’s os and tabulate modules to handle screen clearing and table formatting. We implemented modular functions for each operation—registration, menu management, and order handling—ensuring the system stayed clean, readable, and reusable.

One of the most challenging yet rewarding parts was developing the automatic delivery status updater, which used time calculations to simulate real-time delivery tracking. The addition of loading animations, formatted message boxes, and neatly structured headers made the experience more interactive, even in a terminal window.

By the end of the process, we had created not just a demo project, but a full-fledged CLI application capable of handling a miniature food delivery ecosystem.

Challenges and Learning

The journey taught us much more than syntax. Managing database connections, preventing SQL errors, and debugging login systems helped us deeply understand backend logic and data flow. We learned how foreign keys, relational tables, and queries connect data efficiently.

Collaborating as a group also brought out valuable lessons in teamwork—dividing responsibilities, merging ideas, and solving bugs collectively. Implementing role-based access (user vs admin) was another technical milestone that improved our understanding of authentication systems.

Finally, integrating small UI details like boxed headers, progress dots, and clean output tables reminded us how much user experience matters—even in a CLI tool.

Final Thoughts

The Talabat CLI Project represents our first serious attempt at simulating a real-world database-driven application. It showed us how a combination of Python, SQL, and teamwork can result in something both practical and educational.

More than just a submission for our XII CBSE Final Project in Computer Science, it stands as a testament to how we turned textbook concepts into a functioning digital system—one that mirrors the logic and flow of professional applications.