Elevating Brunch: A Case Study on Web Development for Restaurants
Digital Challenges and Opportunities in the Restaurant Industry
- Team: Carlos Gómez Cartagena, Ashley Morales, Mistral Cedanio, and Carlos Nina
- Timeline: 1 week
- Target audience: 18 to 55 years old
- My Role: UX and UI designer
- Tools: Figma, Photoshop, Illustrator, Google Forms, Otter, and Useberry
The Puerto Rico Restaurant Association (ASORE) has highlighted an increase in technological trends related to cell phone use in the last five years. According to their report, there has been a 76% increase in reservations, a 91% increase in menu viewing, and an 86% increase in food payments through mobile devices.
As technology and trends evolve, it is crucial for any business to have a solid presence both online and physically to offer the best possible experience to their customers. However, what happens when a business lacks both?
Hijos de la Gran Fruta is a family business based in Carolina, Puerto Rico, specializing in breakfast and brunch. Although they attract customers, they face difficulties in increasing their visibility both in the digital and physical world, since they do not have a website and have a limited presence on social networks.
Our task as a team was to develop a website specifically designed for this local company, with the goal of maximizing its productivity and improving its visibility both online and offline.
Before exploring solutions beyond the creation of a website, we decided to start an ideation process using the CSD matrix for this project.
Certainties
The restaurant uses social networks to promote its popular dishes.
Suppositions
Do they offer additional services such as online ordering platforms, in addition to electronic payments on the premises?
Doubts
What is the usual method of communication between customers and the establishment? Where can they find information about their location and available products? What specific technologies do they need to improve their productivity?
To enrich the strategy of Hijos de la Gran Fruta, we conducted a competitor analysis, a SWOT analysis, and a MOSCOW Method. We observed:
Competitors in Carolina, PR:
Café Serrano Inc
Coffee subscription service and digital store. High presence, low interaction on networks.
The Sandwich Lab
Orders through multiple online platforms, medium presence, and low interaction on networks.
Agape Kafé
Loyalty programs, barista courses, and online menu. Low presence on networks and lack of visually attractive content.
Al Fresco Bistro Café
Detailed content on networks and orders via Clover app. Medium presence on networks, no website, and low interaction.
MOSCOW Method of Hijos de la Gran Fruta:
Must haves
Development of an adaptive website with menu access and ordering functionalities. CRM system for personalized customer relationship management. Mechanisms to collect customer feedback and retain them with a loyalty program.
Should haves
Online interactive menu, tools to customize breakfast, virtual cooking classes, and virtual tours of the premises. Functionality for online reservations.
Could haves
Enrichment of the loyalty program and more customization options in the ordering system.
Won’t haves for now
Virtual tours of the premises, integration of an AI chatbot for inquiries.
SWOT Analysis of Hijos de la Gran Fruta:
Strengths
Distinctive name, strong presence on networks with visual content, location on Google Maps, and efficient order management with Clover.
Weaknesses
Not having their own website that limits visibility, dependence on the Clover app, and lack of follow-up on networks.
Opportunities
Creating a website, partnerships with more ordering platforms, and developing a mobile app.
Threats
Dependence on social media algorithms, need for rapid adaptation to changes in preferences, and absence of promotions.
User Research
Although we have a detailed market analysis and potential solutions, we chose to launch a survey to the public and interview the owner of the establishment. The goal is to gain a deeper understanding of the customer profile, the current business challenges, expectations for the brunch experience, and direct feedback on their experiences.
After posting the survey on social networks and sharing it with acquaintances, we obtained 23 responses in two days, a number lower than expected due to the brevity of the questions.
The findings revealed:
- The majority of participants between 25 and 34 years old (65%).
- 78% prefer to enjoy brunch with friends.
- Decisive factors for choosing a restaurant include the menu, price, ambiance, and location.
- The most notable challenges are long waits and lack of attention from staff in large groups.
- Most users prefer to arrive at brunch without a reservation.
From the interview with the owner, it stands out: “The challenges every business owner faces include being relevant in the consumer’s mind through good service, a good experience, and connecting with the brand.”
Understanding Our User
Our user, José Rivera, is a marketing expert looking to escape the routine on weekends with his friends. Charmed by a restaurant he found on Instagram due to its aesthetics and eye-catching content, he becomes frustrated at not finding additional information online. José seeks a smooth and memorable brunch experience, from online discovery to its conclusion, to then share it on his social networks.
We identified opportunities for improvement in the customer journey, such as a collaborative space, virtual tours prior to the visit, a platform for selecting tables when booking, photographic challenges with prizes, and a digital service to manage group orders and payments. Additionally, we will offer loyalty rewards and exclusive events.
Ideation Phase
In the ideation phase, we decided to further develop the digital service system that facilitates table service and payment, along with an interactive menu.
We discarded the digital management of reservations and waitlists, as well as specific menu reviews and virtual reality for previewing the experience, as future options.
To have a clearer idea of implementing the virtual system on the website, we implemented a user story about how to access the system.
“As a Brunch-goer, I want to select dishes in advance and easily manage payment and share feedback about the service received, all with the aim of enjoying a hassle-free brunch with my friends.”
Having clarified how the navigation flow will facilitate access to the portal’s tools, we decided to create the mid-fi prototypes.
After having the mid-fi wireframes, we created a moodboard. We chose a color palette inspired by the mountains of Puerto Rico and local products. We opted for minimalist user interface designs for greater clarity and simplicity without distractions. We chose attractive photographs of brunch dishes to showcase the quality of the restaurant.
For the typography, we chose Helvetica Neue and its different font options for their minimalism and readability.
User Testing
For our testing process, we used Useberry. More than half of the users found the website information simple and achieved their search goals as expected. We received feedback from users appreciating the virtual waiter service for its convenience, and other users suggested clearer button identification.
Hi-Fi Wireframing
Finally, here’s the high-fi prototype.
Key Learnings
For future design projects, I want to simplify the navigation flow to facilitate access to the portal’s features. Additionally, I want to add more valuable features for the user that can be used before and after leaving the restaurant for continuous use of the platform.
Would you consider using a digital service system for your brunch?
