Free product requirements document template
A product requirements document (PRD) with the problem, goals and non-goals, user stories, a prioritised requirements table, success metrics and open questions. Use it to align product, design and engineering before building a feature.
What's in this template
PRODUCT REQUIREMENTS DOCUMENT Split Bill in Group Orders Ritika Sharma, Product Manager · Thali ordering squad · Updated 5 October 2026 |
Product | Thali, food delivery app |
Author | Ritika Sharma, Product Manager |
Team | Ordering squad (design: Kabir Joshi, engineering lead: Vivek Menon) |
Status | In review |
Last updated | 5 October 2026 |
Target release | Version 8.4, 15 December 2026 |
Problem
Group orders make up 18% of Thali's orders in Bengaluru, Pune and Hyderabad, mostly office teams and friends ordering lunch together. Today one person pays for everyone and then chases colleagues on UPI. In our September survey of 2,100 group-order hosts, 61% said collecting money afterwards was "annoying" or "very annoying", and 23% said they now order less often as a group because of it. Average group order value is ₹1,480, compared with ₹410 for solo orders, so every lost group order costs us real revenue.
18% Of orders are group orders | 61% Of hosts find settling up annoying | ₹1,480 Average group order value, vs ₹410 solo |
Goals
- Let each person in a group order pay for their own items at checkout.
- Increase the number of group orders per week by 15% within three months of launch.
- Cut the time hosts spend settling up to zero for groups that use split bill.
Non-goals
- Splitting delivery and packaging fees in custom ratios (fees are split equally in version 1)
- Supporting payment methods other than UPI and saved cards for guests
- Splitting bills for dine-in or table reservations
- Group orders across more than one restaurant
User stories
- As a host, I want to turn on "Everyone pays for their own" when I start a group order, so I do not have to collect money later.
- As a guest, I want to see exactly what I owe, including my share of fees and taxes, before I pay.
- As a guest, I want to pay with UPI in two taps, so I can get back to work.
- As a host, I want to see who has paid and nudge anyone who has not, so the order is not delayed.
- As a host, I want the option to cover someone's share, so a colleague without UPI can still join.
Requirements
ID | Requirement | Priority |
|---|---|---|
R1 | Host can choose "Host pays all" or "Everyone pays for their own" when creating a group order | P0 |
R2 | Each guest sees an itemised share: their items, GST on their items, equal share of delivery and packaging fees | P0 |
R3 | Guests pay through UPI intent or a saved card from the group order screen | P0 |
R4 | Order is placed only when every share is paid, or the host chooses to cover unpaid shares | P0 |
R5 | Host sees live payment status for each member and can send a reminder notification | P1 |
R6 | Unpaid shares expire after 15 minutes and the host is asked to cover or remove the items | P1 |
R7 | Refunds for cancelled orders go back to each payer in proportion to what they paid | P0 |
R8 | Coupons apply to the whole order, with the discount shared in proportion to item value | P2 |
R9 | Each payer receives their own GST invoice | P1 |
Success metrics
Metric | Current | Target (3 months after launch) |
|---|---|---|
Group orders per week | 42,000 | 48,300 (+15%) |
Share of group orders using split bill | 0% | 40% |
Group order abandonment at checkout | 14% | 10% |
Split-bill payment success rate | n/a | 97% |
Support tickets about group payments per week | 380 | 200 |
Design and technical notes
- Design: Figma file "Group order v3" covers host setup, guest share screen and payment status.
- Payments: each share is a separate Razorpay payment linked to one parent order. The order is held for up to 15 minutes before it is sent to the restaurant.
- The restaurant always receives one order and one payout, so no change is needed in the restaurant partner app.
Open questions
- Should guests who are not Thali users be able to pay through a web link? (Owner: Ritika, decide by 20 October)
- Do we hold the restaurant order during the 15-minute payment window, or send it once 80% of the value is paid? (Owner: Vivek, needs data on prep times)
- How do we show partial refunds when one item in a split order is out of stock? (Owner: Kabir)
- Does legal need to review the GST invoice change for guests? (Owner: Ritika, meeting with finance on 12 October)