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FoodLocker: Streamlining the way users collect restaurant loyalty rewards
UX Research | UI Design | Academic Case Study
Case Study • 11min read
TIMELINE
Jan – Apr, 2024
TOOLS
Figma, Google Suite, Zoom
TEAM
Luka Si, Yennifer Liang, Joanna Zhou
CPSC 444 – Advanced Methods in Human-Computer Interaction
COURSE PROJECT
Never miss a deal with FoodLocker
As more restaurants switch from paper loyalty cards to digital platforms, FoodLocker gives users a platform to organize and track their loyalty points all in one place, making it easy to compare offers and choose where to dine.
This project was created for my Human-Computer Interaction course during my time as an undergrad at UBC.
PAGE SECTIONS
OVERVIEW
PROBLEM However, a survey found that customers actively use less than half of their downloaded loyalty apps as they begin to experience "loyalty fatigue" due to an overload of loyalty apps.
GOAL Develop a solution that helps users organize their loyalty points to avoid missing out on deals and offers.
A quick recap first…
PROBLEM Restaurant-goers aged 18–50 who enjoy collecting perks.
BACKGROUND During the pandemic, restaurants saw a significant rise in mobile orders, with a reported [insert percentage or statistic] surge in mobile orders. To capitalize on this shift, many restaurants developed their own digital loyalty platforms, aiming to enhance customer retention through convenience and rewards.
SOLUTION
FoodLocker
To address the growing issue of loyalty fatigue, our team developed FoodLocker—a centralized platform designed to streamline and simplify the management of multiple restaurant loyalty programs. FoodLocker allows users to easily organize, track, and access their digital loyalty points in one place, ensuring they never miss out on deals and offers from their favorite restaurants. With an intuitive interface and smart notifications, FoodLocker aims to enhance the user experience by reducing the hassle of juggling numerous loyalty apps.
The home page has a simple UI to provide a clear overview of all the restaurant points and special deals/offers. Making it easy for users to track their progress and never miss out on a free side dish or dessert! Yum!
Special offers are presented on a personalized feed
NEVER FORGET TO STAMP WHEN YOU DINE
We bring you…
ALL-IN-ONE PLATFORM
EASILY COMPARE OFFERS
SAVE & SHARE
What did the road to FoodLocker look like?
Discover
User Interviews
Thematic Analysis
Design Process
Define
User Personas
User Journey
Ideate
Task Requirements
Competitive Analysis
Feature Brainstorming
Design
Wireframing
Low-fidelity prototypes
DISCOVER
“I kept losing my paper ones”
“I’ve collected around 5 cards for the same restaurant now”
“An app made it easier to scan for points because I always have my phone with me”
“There’s always a new app I have to download everywhere I go, my phone doesn’t have anymore space”
“I hate it when I’m at the checkout and I can’t find the QR code or barcode to scan and there’s a long line behind me. It stresses me out”
“I have so many loyalty cards my wallet can’t fit them anymore so I just started leaving them at home and they always end up missing”
“I don’t want to download a new app just to use it once or twice a year”
“I have about 15 loyalty apps downloaded and I probably only really use about 4 of them”
“If the sign up process takes more than a minute, I won’t download their app”
“I wish there were some way to have all my apps in one place so I don’t have to download and sign up all the time”
“If more restaurants would have digital cards I could put in my Apple wallet, that would be so much easier”
“Each app has their own point system, spending time to learn them takes time”
UNCOVERING A COMMON PROBLEM
The problem first emerged from my own experience when I realized I had 4 stamp cards from Vancouver’s Ramen Danbo restaurant, each with only 2-3 stamps (5 were needed to redeem a free order of Gyoza), accumulated, I could have redeemed 2 free orders of Gyoza’s. Frustrated, I sought to find out if this was a shared problem among other diners.
With this problem in mind, I brought it to my team where we designed an in-depth questions for user interviews to gauge the problem space and understand other users day-to-day behaviour with loyalty programs.
We interviewed 10 participants, ranging from age 20-56 and interviews took place either in-person or over zoom.
The main focus of our interviews were:
Current space: How do users feel about their current experiences with loyalty programs? What do they like/dislike?
Evaluating pain points: What problems do people encounter with loyalty programs?
Exploring Solutions: What would solve these pain points?
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Understanding User Behavior
How often do you dine out at restaurants that offer loyalty programs (e.g., stamp cards, digital rewards)?
How do you currently keep track of the loyalty cards or programs you are part of (physical cards, apps, etc.)?
Have you ever missed out on redeeming a reward because you forgot about a loyalty card or didn't have it with you? Can you describe the experience?
How do you feel about managing multiple loyalty cards or apps? Is it easy or challenging for you?
How often do you find yourself with partially completed loyalty cards or unused points? What do you usually do with them?
Evaluating Pain Points
Can you recall a specific instance where you realized you could have redeemed a reward but missed the opportunity? How did that make you feel?
What are the main frustrations you experience when trying to keep track of and use loyalty programs?
How do you organize your loyalty cards or rewards? Do you have any strategies to make sure you use them effectively?
What would you say is the biggest obstacle that prevents you from fully utilizing your loyalty points or rewards?
Exploring Solutions
If you could change one thing about the way loyalty programs work, what would it be?
Would you find it helpful to have all your loyalty cards and points consolidated in one app? Why or why not?
What features would you want in an app designed to help you manage and maximize your loyalty rewards (e.g., reminders, consolidation of points, digital storage)?
How important is it for you to receive notifications about your loyalty points or when you’re close to redeeming a reward?
Assessing Interest
Would you be interested in using an app that tracks your loyalty cards and helps you avoid missing out on rewards? Why or why not?
How do you think an app that consolidates all your loyalty programs could improve your dining or shopping experience?
📝 Through thematic analysis of our interview transcripts, we identified 4 main themes
WHAT WE FOUND
Digital apps are preferred over physical loyalty cards
Users experience loyalty fatigue
Ease of use is a priority
💡 Uncovering the issue with loyalty programs
Desire for a centralized platform
“If there was something like UberEats so I can see all the available offers near me that would be great, instead of having open and close each app”
Our user interviews revealed to us that as more restaurants begin to move towards digital platforms, users have begun to experience loyalty fatigue – where they feel overwhelmed with the number of apps they are required to download for each restaurant – where users feel it’s a waste of space or a tedious learning process. Our interviews revealed that there is a common interest for a centralized platform for restaurant loyalty programs that resemble the unified structure of UberEats of Apple Wallet but for keeping track of their points and comparing across restaurants.
NEXT: DEFINING User Personas & User Journeys
⬇️📈👤
💭 Starting from self-reflection
👥 Learning from diverse perspectives through user interviews