Café Website Redesign for Enhanced User Experience

Netherlands

The Problem: A Digital Café That Didn’t Feel Like Home A popular café in the Netherlands wanted to update its website, but there was a challenge—their physical space was warm and inviting, but their digital space felt cold and disconnected. Customers found it hard to navigate the site, locate the menu, or even feel the café’s personality online.

One loyal customer said: “I love the café, but their website? I just call instead.”

The Research Process: What Do Café-Goers Really Want? > In-depth interviews—to understand what made the café special to customers > Card sorting & usability testing—to create an intuitive menu structure > Contextual inquiry—watching how people interact with café spaces to reflect the right atmosphere online

Key Insights: What Makes a Café’s Website Feel ‘Warm’? > Navigation Matters – Customers wanted a straightforward menu > High-Quality Visuals – A lack of good photos of the products and artisan goods sold at the cafe made the site feel dull > Product awareness - Customers were not aware of the range of products sold in the cafe or its initiative to promote goods by local artisans, often finding out about it after visiting the cafe

The Impact: What Changed? > A redesigned website with clear navigation & easy access to the menu > Warm-toned photography & branding elements to match the café’s aesthetic > A personalized “Meet the Artisans” section to increase awareness

By blending UX research with branding, this project transformed a functional website into an experience that felt like stepping into the café itself.