System design for matching closest registered store based on zip code?

Question

I have the following problem.

I am creating a restaurant delivery system.

So restaurants choose the zipcodes they want to deliver. So in Boston, they might choose Either all of Boston or Back Bay (a specific area of Boston with several zip codes .... ).

Basically, the restaurant confirms the areas they are willing to serve by ticking boxes that are described as follows:

- Cambridge (ZIP CODE)
- Boston (all of Boston)
--- Back Bay (covers zip codes: 02...., 02.., 02..)
--- North Boston (covers zip codes: 02145, 021..., 02..., 02..)

Users type in their zipcodes, and I match them to the areas that Restaurants specified.

What is the best way to design such a system? I don't think I am going in the right direction...

Answer 1

is this only for Boston or would it be global? Will you be looking at exact zipcode matches? What if someone enters a zipcode you don't have but it's within the delivery range. I would recommend using longitude / latitude lookups.

This might be a good place to start: https://developers.google.com/maps/articles/phpsqlsearch

BTW: I'm looking to do something very similar and will most likely use the article referenced above :) thanks for helping me too.