Food Delivery App

Streamlining Supper

💡 TL;DR

Problem: A food delivery app was experiencing ordering dropoffs after cuisine selection. Users struggled with key parts of the app’s search, comparison, and post-order experiences.

What I did: Conducted moderated usability testing, affinity diagramming, and synthesized findings into actionable UX recommendations.

What changed: Identified opportunities to enhance filtering, simplify restaurant comparisons, and improve post-order notifications.

Problem

The app sought to provide users with an intuitive experience for food discovery, ordering, and tracking.


However, usability testing revealed friction points across the search, comparison, and post-order journey, potentially impacting satisfaction and retention.

Our goal was to uncover the major pain points users encountered during the critical moments of restaurant selection, ordering, and order tracking.

Research Goals & Methods

Research Goals

  • Identify where users experience confusion, frustration, or inefficiency when using
    the app.

  • Assess ease of filtering, comparing restaurants, placing orders, and tracking deliveries.

  • Surface opportunities for UX improvements based on real user behavior.

Methods

  • Moderated Usability Testing: Conducted ten 1:1 sessions with diverse users.

  • Affinity Diagramming: Synthesized 30+ observations into thematic groupings.

  • Task Analysis: Evaluated friction across core user flows (search → selection → checkout → tracking).

Participants

  • 10 users (ages 25–40), regular users of food delivery apps (Seamless, Uber Eats, DoorDash).

  • Mixture of individual diners and family meal planners.

Tasks Assigned

  • Search for a meal deal under $25.

  • Compare restaurant options based on price, fees, and reviews.

  • Place an order and check the delivery tracking page.

Findings & Insights

"I expected filtering options like price and delivery time to be right at the top — it slowed me down when they were hidden."

— Convenience Seeker

"It’s frustrating that I have to click into each restaurant just to see if there's a family combo deal — I wish there was a way to compare them faster."

— Family Meal Buyer

"Finding a promotion is my top priority, but it’s annoying that I have to dig through each listing to see the delivery fees."

— Deal Hunter

Summary:

1. Search & Filtering

  • Users struggled to locate filters for price, delivery time, and meal type easily.

  • Filtering options were often hidden under secondary menus, slowing down decision-making.

  • Participants requested faster ways to prioritize "best deals" and "delivery speed."

2. Restaurant Comparison & Selection

  • Participants found it difficult to compare promotions and delivery fees across restaurants.

  • Delivery fees were inconsistently surfaced, requiring too many clicks to compare.

  • Reviews and ratings were critical to decision-making, but not always prioritized visually.

3. Ordering & Post-Order Tracking

  • Menu navigation and order customization were generally smooth and intuitive.

  • Users appreciated a clear checkout process, but post-order tracking notifications were lacking.

  • Participants expected real-time push notifications and a more visible help/support option for delivery delays.

Action & Impact

Based on the findings, I recommended the following improvements to enhance user experience:

  • Surface key filters earlier in the user journey.
    Price, delivery time, and fee comparison filters should be made immediately visible on the search results page to reduce user friction during meal discovery.

  • Introduce visual deal and fee comparison indicators.
    Adding badges like “Best Deal” or “Lowest Fee” would streamline restaurant selection and allow users to quickly evaluate promotions without deep-diving into each listing.

  • Enhance real-time tracking and proactive communication.
    Implementing push notifications at key delivery milestones (e.g., order picked up, nearby, delayed) would align with user expectations for real-time updates.

  • Make support options more accessible post-order.
    Adding a prominent help button on the order tracking page would give users immediate access to support if issues arise, improving overall confidence in the service.

Reflection:

This project reinforced the value of combining observational research with affinity mapping to uncover nuanced friction points in the user journey. It also highlighted the importance of balancing positive user behaviors (like seamless checkout flows) with areas of improvement (like surfacing better comparison tools). Next time, I would expand the sample size and conduct A/B prototype testing on potential new designs (e.g., different filter placements) to validate solutions.