Seamlessly Delivering Orders from Kitchen to Table (UI/UX Case Study)

Semicolon Cafe App is a design that allows customers to order their meals on the go, skip the day rush, and utilize their rewards with ease.

UI/UX Designer, Research, Ideation, and Prototyping

Sole Designer, 3 months

Figma, Miro, Procreate, Qualtrics

28 customers expressed that when ordering at the store, 68% actually wait around 10 - 20 minutes for their orders to be ready; however, in terms of how long they expect to wait for their order, 92% expect to wait around 10 minutes or less. This actual wait time can often be just waiting for a drink to be made, but even more so when ordering a sandwich along with a drink. While other customers attempt to beat the rush by ordering online, the issue then becomes the cost of losing the opportunity to utilize or build rewards specific to Semicolon as these orders are placed through delivery apps such as Ubereats, Grubhub, and DoorDash.

As a result, this prompts the question.

From interviewing customers as well as searching through customer reviews on Google of the Semicolon Murray Hill Location, it further validated the assumptions that while customers do enjoy the food and drinks the cafe has to offer, Semicolon must work on improving the overall wait time.

Customer survey results also revealed that even though 81% of those surveyed are returning customers, only 28% use the punch card, with some of the common reasons being unawareness of the rewards system and difficulty managing a physical punch card.

To address the needs of customer insights, the ideal solution must be able to support customer experience from placing the order to receiving the order as well as implement a system that encourages all users to continue to choose Semicolon Cafe as their ideal lunch spot.

Customers have to be incentivized, and transitioning the traditional paper punch card to a digital form alleviates the pain users would have either ordering through delivery service or ensuring the card is always with them.

Maintaining the human aspect of interacting with the people behind the service is extremely valuable as it is one of the key reasons why customers choose to order in-person and what makes local coffee shops so great.

The ordering process needs to be convenient and accessible to accommodate the cafe's diverse customers.

With the persona in mind, a user flow was created to showcase all possible functions that might be necessary throughout the customer ordering experience at Semicolon Cafe.

Based on 5 rounds of moderated tests, the feedback gathered helped to improve iterations on creating a visually thoughtful rewards system and transparency in order preparation.

Users expressed that it was not enough to have a featured menu item on staff recommendations. The connection between baristas and customers, particularly returning customers, is a main reason why many customers would prefer to order in-person.

Adding further details on specific selections by the staff as well as listing personal recommendations by baristas creates a human aspect to the online ordering process.

Feedback expressed that the original visual of semicolons to mark steps towards earning a reward was not very motivating and a bit boring.

Inspired by the many plants living in the cafe, which is a key selling point to visit the store, designing a dynamic visual rewards system that grows each time a customer orders at Semicolon not only motivates users to see the full picture and earn more rewards, but also aligns more closely to the brand's identity.

A simple progress bar did not provide enough information for customers on when their order was ready.

Providing the amount of customers ahead of the user's current order and the estimated wait time until they receive their order gives more clarity and reduces possible negative experiences when waiting for pick up.

Searching through each of the options to add to the customer's bag extends the amount of time it takes to place an order.

By sharing recommendations based on what the customer has in their bag already, it alleviates the decision time on the possibility of adding more items.

Being both a customer and a barista at Semicolon Cafe, I have experienced firsthand how customers enjoy our service. However, I recognize that there are some areas that Semicolon could improve on, particularly wait time on the busiest days. As a result, I wanted to find a solution to alleviate some of what customers experience. When speaking to our regulars about this project, it was great hearing the support for my idea of creating a mobile app for the cafe and listening to some of their suggestions. I cannot wait to see the possibility of this imagined design becoming a reality and integrated into our everyday customer's time with us.