Order Ahead for Table Service
Design a mobile ordering flow that lets diners schedule food to be ready when they arrive at a restaurant.
The brief
Understand the problem
Background
Ordering before arrival can reduce waiting, but preparation time, table readiness, menu availability, and a changing arrival time make the promise difficult to coordinate.
User context
Darius has a forty-minute lunch break. He wants to order from a nearby cafe, arrive at 12:25 p.m., and eat at a table without spending most of the break waiting.
Product problem
The restaurant needs enough notice to prepare food, while the diner needs confidence that the order will not sit too long or be started before arrival is certain.
Objective
Create the menu, scheduled-order checkout, and arrival coordination experience.
What to design
Define the experience
Required experience
- Choose dine-in or pickup before browsing
- Select an arrival time based on current preparation capacity
- Customize items and review allergens
- Update arrival status and collect the completed order
Screens and states
- Service choice
- Menu
- Item customization
- Scheduled checkout
- Order status
Core user flow
Follow the critical path
- 01
Darius selects dine-in and a proposed arrival time
- 02
He builds an order and reviews preparation timing
- 03
He pays and receives an arrival check-in reminder
- 04
A transit delay causes him to update his arrival time
Product rules
Requirements and constraints
Requirements
- Keep price, preparation time, and unavailable options visible
- Prevent selection of an arrival window the kitchen cannot meet
- Explain when payment is captured
- Allow the restaurant to confirm or propose a revised time
Constraints
- Inventory can change during checkout
- Some dishes do not hold well after preparation
- The restaurant may have limited seating even when the kitchen has capacity
Reality check
States worth considering
Finish line
What to deliver
- Five polished mobile screens plus one timing-related recovery state
- A brief note describing how the design protects both diner and restaurant expectations
Optional direction
Visual resources
Use these as a starting constraint if you want one. They are not part of the required solution.