In-Seat Dining

Designing a location-aware mobile ordering platform that enables customers to browse, order, and pay seamlessly from their phone across restaurants, workplaces, and healthcare environments.

Phone screens for ordering from a conference room, office table, hospital bed or in-seat table

Case Study
Online Ordering
Redesign
Product Design
UX/UI Design
Food
eCommerce

My Role: Product Design Lead
Timeline: 1 Month
Team Members: Design, Product Owner, Senior Engineer, BA
Platform: Mobile, Desktop & App
Industry: eCommerce, Food & Catering
My Tools: Figma, xMind, Google Analytics, Hotjar

Project Overview - Munch In-Seat Dining

The In-Seat Ordering Platform was designed from the back-bone of Munch Online Ordering, to transform traditional ordering experiences by allowing customers to order and pay directly from their current location using a mobile device. Rather than standing in queues, searching for staff, or leaving their location, customers can simply scan a QR code, browse the menu, place an order, and have it delivered directly to them.

Project Goals

Workplace Ordering (WeWork)

Employees can order coffee, food, beverages, and snacks directly from their desk, office, boardroom, or shared workspace and have items delivered from the building café or cafeteria to the table or conference

Restaurant Table Ordering (Wimpy UK)

Dine-in/Sit-Down customers can scan a Tent QR code at their table, browse the menu, place an order, pay through the app, and have food delivered directly to their table without interacting with any for a waiter.

Hospital Bedside Ordering (NetCafe)

Patients can order meals, drinks, reading materials, and convenience items from their hospital bed. Orders are delivered directly to the patient's room, reducing the need for mobility while improving comfort and independence.

Project Challenges

Designing a single, intuitive mobile experience that could support multiple real-world environments without increasing complexity for the user. Whether ordering from a restaurant table, an office desk, a meeting room, or a hospital bed, customers expected a fast, familiar, and reliable experience. The challenge was to simplify the interaction while accommodating different operational workflows, delivery destinations, and business requirements.

My Process

Team Members: Design, Product Owner, Senior Engineer, Business Analyst

Research & Discovery
Journey Mapping
Wireframing & Design
Collaboration
Testing & Iteration

My Process Explained

Research & Discovery
Reviewed business goals, analytics, customer feedback, and competitor experiences to identify usability issues and opportunities for improving the ordering journey.
Journey Mapping
Mapped the end-to-end customer journey to uncover friction points, simplify key interactions, and prioritise high-impact improvements.
Wireframing & Design
Created wireframes and interactive prototypes to validate ideas before designing a scalable, responsive interface using a reusable design system.
Collaboration
Worked closely with product managers, developers, and stakeholders throughout the project to balance user needs, business goals, and technical constraints.
Testing & Iteration
Validated designs through stakeholder reviews and usability testing, refining the experience based on feedback before development.

Focus Points

QR Code Driven Location Awareness

Why it matters: Every desk, office, boardroom, hospital room, ward, and restaurant table contains a unique QR code accompanied by simple instructions. One of the biggest challenges in delivery experiences is accurately identifying where the customer is located.
Design Solution: Scanning a QR code automatically identifies the customer's location, including:
Building
Floor
Office or boardroom
Restaurant table
Hospital ward
Hospital room number
User Benefit: Users do not need to manually enter location information.
Business Impact: Reduces delivery errors, speeds up ordering, and improves fulfilment accuracy.

Restaurant table tent and wall poster with QR codes for ordering

Mobile-First Experience

Why it matters: Although the platform is available on desktop web, mobile web, and native applications, the primary experience was designed for mobile users. Customers naturally interact with QR codes through their mobile devices.
Design Solution: The entire journey was optimised for one-handed mobile interactions with clear navigation, large touch targets, and streamlined checkout flows.
User Benefit: Fast and intuitive ordering from any location.
Business Impact: Higher adoption rates and increased order completion.

Wimpy ordering screen on a phone, selecting an area and table number

Guided Onboarding

Why it matters: A dedicated Help button is available throughout the experience. Many users may be unfamiliar with QR-based ordering systems.
Design Solution: Support and guidance are available without disrupting the ordering journey.
User Benefit: Increased confidence for first-time users.
Business Impact: Reduced abandonment and support requests.

Help screen explaining the three steps to order, with an I Need Help button

Detailed Product Experience

Why it matters: Selecting an item opens a dedicated product screen with comprehensive information. Users require additional context before making purchasing decisions.
User Benefit: Greater confidence and fewer ordering mistakes.
Business Impact: Reduced order amendments and increased satisfaction.

Menu screen showing the delivery location and todays specials

Conversion-Focused Payment Flow

Why it matters: Payment options and the primary "Pay Now" action remain visible above the fold. The ultimate objective of the journey is successful payment completion.
User Benefit: A frictionless checkout experience with minimal effort.
Business Impact: Reduced cart abandonment and improved order completion rates.

Final Results

Qualitative Impact & Learnings

Improved Customer Convenience: Customers could place orders and make payments without waiting for staff, reducing interruptions and providing greater control over their dining experience.
Reduced Friction Throughout the Journey: A simplified ordering flow, intuitive navigation, and clear product customisation made it easier for users to complete orders quickly and confidently.
Increased Operational Efficiency: Digitising the ordering process reduced manual order taking, allowing staff to focus on food preparation and delivery while improving overall service efficiency.
Consistent Experience Across Venues: Whether ordering from a restaurant table, office desk, meeting room, or hospital bed, customers benefited from a familiar and consistent mobile experience.
Increased User Confidence: Real-time order updates and transparent payment flows reassured customers that their orders were being processed accurately and delivered to the correct location.
Scalable Product Foundation: The platform was designed to support multiple venue types, restaurant brands, and future enhancements without requiring significant redesign.
Strengthened Brand Experience: A modern, intuitive interface reinforced the perception of a technology-driven service while maintaining consistency across the entire ordering journey.

Start screens for The Work Kitchen, NetCafe and Wimpy, one product in three brands

This project demonstrates my ability to design scalable digital products, create user-centred experiences, map complex customer journeys, and align business objectives with customer needs. By focusing on reducing friction, improving usability, and increasing conversion opportunities, the solution delivered value for both users and the business.

My Role

My Role: Product Strategy, UX Research, Stakeholder workshops, Journey Mapping, User Flows, Wireframing, UI Design, Prototyping, Design System, Developer handoff, Usability Testing, Analytics & QA
Collaborated with: Product Managers, developers, business analysts, QA and Customer support and users.

Next case studyOnline Ordering