Clementine’s Kitchen

Abe

Abe Treviño

Verified

in October 2025 I sought out to conceptualize a modern restaurant experience for Clementine's Kitchen, a local hotspot for locals in Laredo, Texas, that aimed to elevate its existing guest experience, rewards system, and streamline their menu through a seamless blend of physical and digital interaction. The goal was to create an NFC-powered digital menu system that connects directly with the restaurant’s existing domain and aligns with the design, branding, and UX standards used in the project’s design brief.
The solution integrates the NVIERNO Tactilinx Collection of NFC-enabled assets; a quick-search digital menu, and a lightweight web experience that lives on the restaurant’s existing domain.

Solution 1 - Digital Ecosystem Creation

Clementine’s Kitchen – Website

1. Visual Identity & Brand Language

Warm Color Palette: Dominant oranges, yellows, and earthy tones reinforce homestyle comfort, warmth, and familiarity.
Cultural Elements: The hero section features a mural inside the restaurant, using illustrated artwork aligned with the restaurant’s personality and heritage.
Consistent Iconography: Use of small icons (fire emoji, cart icons, category labels) adds approachability while aiding scannability.
Rounded Card UI: Soft card components reinforce friendliness and accessibility, matching the brand’s “homestyle” aesthetic.

2. Page Structure & Content Hierarchy

Hero Section

Strong headline immediately communicates the restaurant’s core value (“Homestyle Goodness”).
Short supporting copy clarifies location, cuisine, and ethos.
Primary CTA (“View Weekly Specials”) is visually distinct and placed above the fold for immediate action.

Hot Picks

Customer-driven recommendations create social proof.
Two-item layout reduces cognitive load and focuses attention on customer favorites.
Clear pricing + CTA buttons streamline ordering decisions.

Weekly Specials Grid

Category tags (“Lunch Special,” “Sides,” “Entrée,” “Dessert”) visually organize a large menu.
Balanced card layout ensures each dish has space for image, description, ingredients/allergens, and price.
Consistent card structure improves readability and scanning behavior.

3. Interaction & UX Decisions

Persistent CTAs: “Order Online” and “Buy a ClemenCard” appear repeatedly to support task completion.
Ingredient & Allergen transparency: Each item includes detailed breakdowns without overwhelming the user—good trust-building.
Mobile-friendly card layouts: Cards stack cleanly, ensuring clarity on all screen sizes.

4. Photography & Visual Communication

Food photography: Real, unfiltered photos emphasize authenticity over high-gloss marketing images.
Behind-the-scenes photo section: Humanizes the brand by showing the kitchen environment and staff.
Historical images: Reinforce legacy (“Since 1946”), adding emotional and cultural resonance.

5. Narrative Construction

Storytelling block (“Since 1946”) provides heritage and credibility.
Community emphasis: Shows continuity between past and present, linking family legacy to modern digital ordering.

6. Location & Logistics

Interactive Map: Helps users quickly determine proximity and plan a visit.
Clear hours + address in footer: Follows best practices for restaurant UX.

7. Overall UX Strategy

Goals Addressed:

Quick ordering: Fast access to specials and high-demand items.
Menu discovery: Rich item descriptions reduce confusion and hesitation.
Brand trust: Historical narrative and real photography build authenticity.
Local identity: Colors, visuals, and tone reflect cultural roots and community connection.

Outcome:

A site that feels warm, approachable, and rooted in tradition while providing a modern digital ordering experience.
Strong visual hierarchy ensures users never feel lost.
Consistent card-based layout improves scanning, decision-making, and mobile usability.

Solution 2 - Rewards System Integration

Prior to NVIERNO's intervention, the business owner utilized business cards that doubled as 'Rewards' Cards. While a classic method to garner and retain new customers, they would often be misplaced/lost, leading to customer frustration.
This method of utilizing paper cards also created issues:
Costly and time-consuming reprinting cards in bulk.
Poor guest experience when physical cards were lost, leading to resetting of rewards progress with no way to track
No data feedback from guest interactions
No integration with the rest of their ecosystem (Clover POS)

Introducing: The ClemenCard Rewards System — Part of the NVIERNO Tactilinx Collection

Concept Art for ClemenCard - A customers' Token to their Rewards System
Concept Art for ClemenCard - A customers' Token to their Rewards System
The ClemenCard Rewards System is a premium, tech-enhanced loyalty card designed for modern restaurants using the NVIERNO Tactilinx Collection. Each ClemenCard contains an NFC/QR dual-code that instantly connects customers to their personalized rewards profile, enabling quick verification, seamless redemptions, and automated tracking.
Built for high-engagement hospitality environments, ClemenCards replaces Clementine's Kitchen's outdated punch cards with a reusable, secure, and trackable system that ensures every visit counts.
Staff can tap or scan the card to update redemptions, while customers enjoy exclusive offers, annual perks, and a polished branded experience that elevates the restaurant’s digital and physical ecosystem.
With the use of Airtable, NVIERNO created a dependable loyalty system that blends tactile design with smart technology. ClemenCards enable a smoother rewards workflow, reduce fraud or manual errors, and provide a long-term incentive program that feels modern, premium, and unforgettable.
Visit Clementines.kitchen today and see for yourself.
QR Sticker Design: Clementines.kitchen
QR Sticker Design: Clementines.kitchen
Like this project

Posted Nov 19, 2025

Vibrant casual dining restaurant serving up unique takes on comfort food, including tacos, seafood, burgers, and fried chicken.

Likes

0

Views

9

Timeline

Oct 6, 2025 - Oct 8, 2025

Clients

Clementine’s Kitchen