Service Safari at Playa Bowls
Most people think of home-cooked food or food from their home countries as their comfort food. However, my definition of it is different. Comfort food is food that provides emotional comfort, which for me is acai bowls. Growing up in tropical countries, I ate acai bowls almost every day and it continues to this day. My favorite store to get this comfort food in NYC is playa bowls. Not only is it by my place, but it also has the best acai bowls. Playa Bowls offers three ways to order: in-store, app, and their website.
Unlike other locations, such as Macdougal and Midtown Playa which have no seating area or limited seating, Fulton St location has an open seating area with plenty of seats on both sides of the store. They always have their doors open, creating a welcoming atmosphere for customers. It has a standing sign outside that adds to the effect of ‘welcoming,’ but also informs the customers about the brand. In addition, their fruit scent always lures me into the store when I am walking by, which is a clever marketing tactic for restaurants.
Despite the limited space inside, the store still has a clear guide to help the customers. The cashier is on the left side of the store, right next to the menu. On the right side of the store is where customers pick up their food/online orders. The ‘Order Here’ and ‘Pick up here’ signs at the top definitely help to understand the store layout, but also the small size of the store makes it easier to comprehend the flow of movements. Unfortunately, the store did not have hours of operation on its door.
Here, we have the main menu of the Playa Bowl app. It contains a QR code that the customer can show to the store to earn points and rewards. I recommend ordering ahead from the app because it takes a while for them to prepare the food since they have to blend the frozen acai, chop up fruits, put coconut flakes, etc. Customers get points on each order. It shows the total points that the customer has earned and this is good because it shows the rewards that the customer qualifies for, but can also work towards.
On the left, we have the application. On the right, we have the website. Unlike the app, the website doesn’t show the distance from the store to the customer. Although their website offers order-ahead options, the location has to be enabled for safari/chrome, or else the user has to enter their location, which can delay the order process.
The app also features articles such as seasonal beverages, and popular drinks. This allows the brand to promote its products but also increase sales. Customers usually don’t expect organic drink brands to feature seasonal drinks such as Pumpkin Smoothie, but Playa Bowls does so which makes them unique.
Adhering to their brand image of vegan, healthy, the cups are made from plants, making them fully compostable. The paper bag is also an sustainable option yet might be inconvenient for weathers like rain, snow, and wind.
Findings:
- Playa has a clear brand identity ex. tropical, vegan, summer
- keeps a close relationship with its customers ex. sending constant updates about new promotions, greeting them with doors open
- Clear store instructions
Potential improvements:
- No bathroom available — not informed unless asked in store
- delays in the app
- No location tracking on website
- No hours of operation written on their doors
Thank you
