USERS’ PERCEPT

IONS

ON

E- M

EN

U S

YS

TE

M

FO

R C

AS

UA

L D

I NN

I NG

RE

ST

AU

RA

NT

Project:

Topic:

Content:

E-menu on iPad for Thai restaurant

Description of research & discussion of outcomes

Users’ perceptions on e-menu application

Created by Traitet Th.

Created Date 16 Aug 2012

Revised Date 7 Sep 2012

Revision No. 1.0

Document Name D03-001

CONTENT

1. Interview Processes

2. Sampling for this case study

3. Primary finding

4. Findings• Benefits• Issues• Features

5. Limitations

6. Appendix

1) INTERVIEW PROCESS

1.1) INTERVIEW PROCESSES

• Prepare the presentation and demonstration of e-menu system

• Prepare the questions for group interviews

• Present video presentation of the e-menu system

• Demonstrate software prototype on iPad and Website

• Test e-menu functionalities with restaurant managers and waiting staffs

• Perform group interviews with restaurant manager, waiting staff and chefs

1.2) SAMPLING FOR THIS CASE STUDY

Interviewees

• Restaurant Manager

• Waiting Staff

• Chefs

Type of sampling: Convenience sampling

Case study at: A Thai casual dinning restaurant in UK

• Total Interviewers: 10 People

(62%)

• Total staff: 16 people

10%

40%

50%

Manager x1

Waiting Staff x4

Chef x5

38%

62%

1. Have you seen an e-menu before? When? How?

2. Have you used an e-menu before? When? How?

3. Can an e-menu help you understand more details of food and drinks?

4. Do you think that an e-menu makes it easier to order extra food and drinks whilst dinning?

5. Do you think that an e-menu makes it easy to request extra services e.g. call waiter, main course and billing?

6. Do you prefer ordering by e-menu or by waiter in this kind of restaurant?

7. Does an e-menu reduce personal contact between customer and restaurant staff?

Interview restaurant staff on 10 Aug 2012 between 18.30 – 23.00

INTERVIEW QUESTIONSSE

MI-

STR

UC

TU

RED

8. What are main benefits of an e-menu in your opinion?

9. What are main issues if implemented in this restaurant?

10.What are the important features that an e-menu that should be provided?

11.Does the demonstrated software have some good points in terms of software features? And if so, what are they?

12.What do you think about the e-menu prototype? Feedback (Easy to return to previous screen) Memorability (Easy to remember how to use it the next time) Learnability (Easy to use and understand without user manual) Efficiency (Easy to perform tasks) Satisfaction (Pleasant to use software)

SE

MI-

STR

UC

TU

RED

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

2) PRIMARY RESULTS

The perception of e-menu system

for Thai Casual dinning restaurants in UK.

DATA ANALYSIS

Data Collectionat a Thai restaurant in

UK

Data Analysis Finding

Identify – Coding - Categorize

Semi-Structure group interviews

Convenience – Attraction - Expensive

Content analysis

Users’ perception on e-menu

The middle image copied from EISING (2010)

3.1) USERS REQUIRE PRESENTATION OF E-MENU

Proportion of staff who have

heard about e-menu

application

Proportion of staff how have

ever used e-menu application

Lack

of

Back

gro

un d

Most restaurant staffs

have no background

in e-menu application.

Dem

onst

ra te Presentation and demonstration are needed to explain the key concept and features of e-menu system.

Gro

up

Inte

rvie

ws

Group interviews with

restaurant manager,

waiting staff and

chefs.

Importance of presentation and demonstrating e-menu system before interviews

60%

40%

Have ever heard about e-menu application x6

Never heard about e-menu application x4

10%

90%

Have ever used e-menu application x1Never used e-menu application x9

3.2) USERS FAMILIAR WITH APPLE DEVICES

Proportion of using Tablet Devices

Proportion of using Mobile Devices

Why iPad was suitable for this case study?

Fam

iliari

ty

Most staff members are

familiar with Apple devices

e.g. iPhone and iPad

Easy

to

learn

It helps them to easily learn

& understand the e-menu

system

40%

10%

50%

Use iPad x4

Use Andriod Tablet x1

No Tablet Device x5

70%

10%

20%

Use iPhone x7

Use Andriod mobile phone x1Use other mobile phones x2

3) FINDINGS

The users’ perceptions of an e-menu system

Benefits of e-menu

application

• Convenience

• Improve customer

services

• Reduce human error

• High attraction

Issues of e-menu

application

• High cost

• Older people

• Technical issues

USERS’ PERCEPTIONS

MA

JOR

ITY M

INO

RIT

Y

MA

JOR

ITY

MIN

OR

ITY

3.1) BENEFITS

The users’ perceptions of an e-menu system

1) CONVENIENCE

1. Easy to order

• Details of food & drinks

• Images

2. Easy to order additional food and

drinks

3. Easy to check order status

1. Easy to revise menu details

• Images

• Description

• Prices

2. Easy to add new promotions

3. Able to sell seasonal dishes

without printing new menus

Customer Restaurant Staff

The above perceptions should be considered when producing

an real e-menu application.

Considered Features: Details of dishes, ordering extra food & drinks

and checking order status

Perce

ptio

ns

Con

clusio

nH

ow

to

develo

p e

-m

en

u

2) IMPROVING CUSTOMER SERVICE

• Receive their orders faster.

• Ease of calling a waiter.

• Ease of requesting their main dish when they want it.

• Ease of requesting their bill.

• Simple to order extra drinks and food.

• The customers are not disturbed when asking for extra drinks.

Improving customers services is a key factor

of implementing e-menu application.

Considered Features: Order management and calling services

Con

clusio

nH

ow

to

develo

p

e-m

en

u

3) PREVENTING HUMAN ERROR

1. Prevent forgetting orders

• Some extra orders, e.g. drinks, can be ignored during a busy time.

2. Reduce cooking wrong orders

• Poor handwriting by waiting staff

• Taking a wrong order by new part-time staff

• Incorrect communication between waiting staff and chefs, or waiting staff and

customer

E-menu could prevent communication problems and increase customer satisfaction.

Considered Features: Transferring orders to a kitchen and bar

Con

clusio

nH

ow

to

develo

p

e-m

en

u

Perce

ptio

ns

4) HIGH ATTRACTION

1. A new technology for restaurant industry.

2. E-menu have not been used by any Thai restaurant in

the UK.

3. E-menu differentiates a restaurant from competitors.

4. E-menu enhance dining experience for customers.

Perce

ptio

ns

Using e-menu might increase a number of customers and target groups.

Con

clusio

n

Considered Features: Elegant User Interfaces & Easy to use

How

to

develo

p

e-m

en

u

3) ISSUES

1) HIGH COST

Reduce Cost• Labour cost• Printing menu

cost Increase revenue

• More drinks• More customers

Higher cost• Hardware• Software

Maintenance cost Damage Lifetime

Most users concerned about cost of e-menu,

which is much more higher than paper-based menu.

Study “investment feasibility” before making a decision on e-menu and

develop e-menu software, which is compatible with multiple tablet devices.

(to be flexible in selection of tablet devices with a reasonable price)

Perceptions

Con

clusio

n

How

to

develo

p

e-m

en

u

Disa

dvanta

ges

Ad

van

tag

es

2) OLDER PEOPLE

• Some elderly people in UK are familiar with iPads e.g. E-reader.

• Some older people might not want to use e-menus because ordering from waiters is more convenient.

• Some older people might not be familiar with using new technology.

DR

AW

BA

CK

S ELD

ER

LY

PEO

PLE

Elderly people might not be familiar with

ordering on

an electronic device. It could lead them to be

dissatisfied in terms of service quality.

Con

clusio

n

Countermeasure1. Create User’s guide2. Use bigger text size3. Make it easy to call a waiter on e-menu

How

to

Develo

p e

-men

u

3. TECHNICAL ISSUES

1. Installation position

2. Integration with POS (Post of Sales) System

3. Damage of iPad because of liquids

4. Run out of iPad battery during usage

5. Stability of system

6. Speed of application

Above technical issues are needed to

consider

when produce a real e-menu system.

REQUIRED FEATURES

Users’ perceptions and feedback

E-MENU FEATURES SHOULD BE PROVIDED

Details of dishes

• Picture

• Price

• Menu description

Clear description of food &

drinks

Show ordered items

Show total price

Call waiter

Request services

Check order status

Cancel menu

The important features, which should be

provided

by e-menu system.

E-MENU FEATURES COULD BE PROVIDED

Integrate to a Post of Sale (POS) system

Advertise new promotions during meals

Register membership

Add special seasonal menus

Take photos to share on social network

Cancel some menus in case of lacking ingredient

Show an amounts ingredient or nutrition

Show history of particular food or drinks e.g. Wine

Monitor orders by restaurant owners and managers from outside

Report best seller items.

Calculate ingredient requirements

The above additional requirements should be

considered based on particular business

requirements

FUTURE

Modern Thai Dinning Restaurant

FUTURE OF CASTUAL DINING RESTAURANT

Paper-based Menu

E-menu ordered by waiting staff (Pocket PC and smart phones)

E-menu ordered by customers (Tablet e.g. iPad and Android devices)

Future

Now & future

Now

LIMITATIONS

LIMITATIONS OF THIS RESEARCH

1. This research did not interview any end-users, namely,

restaurant customers.

2. This research did not interview older people on their

perceptions of ordering meals using iPad.

3. This research did not analyse investment feasibility of e-

menu system.

The future research can additionally study to

expand knowledge from this research.

With regards to analysis users’ perceptions

REFERENCES

REFERENCES

BRYNE, Michelle (2001). Sampling for qualitative research. AORN Journal, 73, 494.

EISING, Martin (2010). Data Analysis Overview. [online]. Last accessed 6 September 2012 at: http://www.dashboardinsight.com/articles/new-concepts-in-business-intelligence/data-analysis-overview.aspx.