Overview

Gumble’s guest-facing experience reimagines how diners interact with restaurants — by putting real-time digital menus and seamless ordering in the hands of every guest. Built for the hospitality industry, it transforms the wait-for-menu moment into a self-paced, modern experience guests can control.

Project Objective

To replace outdated paper menus and disconnected ordering flows with a clean, intuitive guest interface that speeds up decision-making, improves clarity, and enhances guest satisfaction; all with zero app downloads.

Identifying Unique Challenges

Guests often had to wait for staff before seeing the menu

• Outdated paper menus didn’t reflect real-time availability

• No way for guests to track or revisit what they ordered

• Digital menus on the market felt clunky or not mobile-optimized

• Hospitality teams needed something guest-friendly and easy to maintain

My Approach

We focused on building a guest-facing interface that feels effortless, modern, and human. Hospitality is about experience; and that starts with how guests interact with your menu. Our approach was to remove every unnecessary step between sitting down and getting served.

We eliminated the friction of printed menus, long wait times, and manual communication. With a simple scan, guests can explore, decide, and engage; without waiting for staff or needing an app. It’s designed for flow, flexibility, and fast decision-making.

Meeting User Needs

Hospitality guests want a digital menu experience that’s fast, clear, and reliable. We responded by building a system that:

• Opens instantly with a QR code — no downloads required

• Shows only what’s available in real-time

• Allows guests to browse by meal type, preferences, or allergens

• Makes it easy to order and re-order without confusion

Whether it’s a first-time diner or a returning guest, the platform adapts to their pace and preferences.

Design Considerations

One-tap exploration without overwhelming users

• High-contrast UI with large, touch-friendly tap zones

• Designed for both first-time users and repeat diners

• Clear feedback after interactions (e.g., item added to cart, out of stock)

  
  

  
  

• Detailed Pages and Features

Because Gumble is built specifically for hospitality businesses, every screen was intentionally structured to reduce guest frustration and enhance clarity:

• Responsive Landing Page: For businesses to onboard with ease.

• Item Detail View: Full descriptions, pricing, modifiers, and image previews help guests decide faster

  
  

• Live Menu Sync: When something is sold out or updated, it reflects instantly; no more crossed-out items or verbal back-and-forth

• Cart and Order Status: Guests can view their selected items and track ongoing orders in real time

• Category & Tag Filtering: Designed for busy menus, users can filter by meal type (e.g., brunch, drinks), dietary preference, or seasonal offerings

  
  

Accessibility and Optimization

Every guest deserves a smooth experience, no matter their device, ability, or location. Gumble's guest side was optimized with:

• Responsive Mobile-First Design for seamless access on phones and tablets

• Large Tap Zones for easier navigation and selection

• High Contrast & Readable Typography for all lighting conditions

• Lightweight Performance to load instantly even on slower networks

• Text-Based Menus with Images to balance speed and visual clarity

Impact

• Digitized guest interaction for hospitality brands without disrupting service

• Empowered small restaurants to offer a premium, tech-driven dining experience

• Allowed for guest independence without compromising hospitality warmth

• Helped restaurants respond quickly to stock changes, specials, and seasonal updates

  
  

Outcome

• 40% reduction in wait time before ordering

• 95% scan success rate during live test runs in hospitality venues

• Guests rated the experience 4.7/5 in usability testing

• Enabled restaurants to update menus in real-time without reprinting or re-briefing staff

• Increased reorders per table by ~18% in locations using the guest flow

What I Learned

Designing for hospitality guests means designing for simplicity without assumptions. Even tech-savvy users need clarity, speed, and trust; not just pretty interfaces. Through testing and iteration, we learned that:

• Feedback matters: Guests want to see confirmation for every interaction.

• Loading time = trust: Guests equated speed with reliability.

• Don’t overwhelm: Clear hierarchy and calm spacing beats feature stacking.