Enhancing Dining Experiences: A Case Study on dual apps for Guests and Servers in Restaurants
The Guest and Server apps are designed to streamline the dining experience by bridging the communication gap between restaurant guests and staff. Studies show that 1 in 3 people with food allergies have had an allergic reaction while dining out, often due to miscommunication or kitchen mistakes.
Role
Wireframing & Prototyping, UI Design
Company
Cocobolo Group
Year
05/2021 - 08/2021
Introducing the Guest and Server App
The Guest and Server apps are interconnected applications designed to enhance the dining experience by seamlessly connecting restaurant guests and servers. The Guest app allows diners to input key information, including dietary preferences, allergies, and special requirements, ensuring their meals are tailored to their specific needs. Meanwhile, the Server app provides restaurant staff with instant access to this crucial information, enabling them to meet dietary needs with precision and reduce the risk of errors. Together, these apps prioritize guest safety and satisfaction, creating a more reliable and stress-free dining experience.
My role involved identifying key pain points and implementing solutions to enhance both the guest and server interfaces. Through a thorough redesign process, I aimed to create a more intuitive and inviting experience, ultimately improving usability and efficiency for all users.
The goals of the project include…
Personalize Dining Experience
Allow guests to easily share their dietary preferences and needs, ensuring that meals are tailored to their individual requirements.
Enhance Efficiency
Ensure that the integration can accommodate future enhancements or additional services without requiring significant redesigns.
Improve Communication
Provide servers with real-time access to guests' dietary information, reducing the risk of errors and misunderstandings.
Ensure Safety
Minimize the risk of dietary-related issues by accurately capturing and conveying important dietary information.
Key Insights and Improvements of the project…
from ineffective design…
The app's bright purple color palette didn’t reflect the hospitality industry, making it feel out of place.
… to revamped color palette
Introduced a more welcoming, hospitality-appropriate color scheme, replacing the bright purple with soothing tones.
from confusing server navigation…
The server app lacked clear navigation, making it difficult to access essential tools and functions.
… to enhanced server navigation
Redesigned the server app to improve clarity and make essential functions easily accessible.
from poor screen layouts…
The screens didn’t serve their purpose effectively, leading to confusion for both guests and servers.
… to new screens designs
Created more functional and user-friendly screens, ensuring a seamless experience for both guests and servers.
from inefficient user flows…
The existing user flows were inefficient, making it difficult for guests to input their preferences quickly.
… to optimized user flows
Simplified guest input processes, making it faster and more intuitive for guests to share their preferences.
When guests join the app, they fill out dietary preferences as part of their profile. Servers can then access these preferences once they are connected to the guest's table.
Dining Preferences Screen
Create or join a table with friends, allowing the server to access dining preferences and guest profiles. If needed, the server can also create a table, such as when guests are already at the restaurant but haven't set one up themselves.
Creating a Table
The "My Tables" screen separates active tables from unassigned ones, helping servers manage their current tables more efficiently while also keeping track of how many are still waiting to be served.
Table Profiles
To maintain clear communication and avoid misunderstandings, servers can send guests pre-written messages directly through the app.
Send a Message to the Guest
The Guest and Server apps are poised to enhance the dining experience by effectively bridging guests' dietary needs with servers' capabilities. Moving forward, we’ll begin with user testing to fine-tune the app, ensure smooth integration into restaurant systems, and launch it with a targeted strategy. Ongoing improvements will be driven by user feedback and performance data, while future plans include exploring how the app can be adapted for other industries. This will leverage the app’s successful design to address new challenges and opportunities.