Arzu Oran

FlavorHunt

A mobile app for discovering lunch specials recommended by friends or neighbors.
RoleUser Research
UX/UI Design
PrototypingToolsFigma
MiroTimelineJan - April 2024


How might we reimagine the experience of finding lunch specials?



PROBLEM

College students need improved access to information regarding lunch specials in their neighborhood because we found that they seek:

  • affordable options for lunch
  • feel tired from cooking at home 
  • want to try dishes they cannot easily prepare themselves

SOLUTION 
A mobile app that recommends various restaurants with lunch specials at lunchtime, selected from a pool of spots recommended by the user's friends or neighbors.



What makes a lunch special special?

Price


Variety of courses are available at a discounted price


Convenience

A complete meal is provided with shorter wait times


Loyalty


Encouraging repeat business which fosters customer loyalty



Research


SURVEYS


70% of students weren't familiar with lunch specials


80%
think convenience and price are the most important factors


90%prefer map-based apps to discover new restaurants

INTERVIEWS

“The only way I hear about lunch specials is if I’m walking down the street and there’s a sign”


“It’s never lunchtime when I find out about lunch specials”


“Recommendations from friends encourage me to try new places and I think it’s the most effective way of spreading information”





Key Features










Get Started With 
Personalized Dining Preferences


Set your neighborhood, travel distance, lunch budget, and privacy preferences to get tailored lunch recommendations.









Countdown to Lunch 


Choose a cuisine to start your lunch countdown, or grab a quick recommendation anytime.











Lunch Picks from Friends


Get three curated recommendations from friends’ food albums and bookmark favorites for later.










Invite Friends & 

Share Recommendations


Notify friends to join you and add recommended spots to your food album.










Tried and To-try 
Restaurant Lists


Keep track of your favorite spots and ones you’re want to visit.



Prototype




Research


COMPETITIVE RESEARCH

PERSONA

STRESS CASE

What if the user doesn’t have any friends on the app?


Recommendations can not only be drawn from friends' food albums but also from other locals in their neighborhood who have decided to keep their 'Food Album' public to everyone.


POSSIBLE ANALYTICS TO TRACK
  • How many times per week do students take advantage of lunch specials?
  • How many restaurants have they discovered through the new app?
  • How often do users end up going to recommendations from friends?
  • What cuisines are the most popular options?



NEXT STEPSHere are some of the features that I think could be worked on:
  • Special discounts offered by restaurants for students
  • Repeated going as automatic recommendations for friends
  • 'Saved for Later' restaurants pinned on Google Maps
  • Other options to pick from besides cuisine on the home page

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