The Grind Cafe App
Designing a menu and ordering app for a specialty cafe in Manhattan — pairing a warm, coffee-forward identity with a fast, one-handed ordering flow.
- Role
- Product Designer
- Client
- Personal project
- Platform
- iOS
- Timeline
- 4 weeks
A neighborhood cafe, translated into a pocket-sized ordering ritual.
The Grind Cafe is a specialty coffee shop in Manhattan with a devoted morning crowd. The goal was to design an ordering experience that felt as considered as the drinks themselves — quick to browse, easy to customize, and unmistakably tied to the cafe's identity.
The app centers on three moments: discovering the daily menu, dialing in a drink with size and modifications, and getting a clear pickup confirmation so regulars can walk straight to the counter.
Who we're designing for.
Studying how the category orders coffee.
A look at how Dutch Bros, Starbucks, Blue Bottle, and Dunkin' each frame their mobile ordering experience — and where the gaps left room to design something calmer and faster.
Three patterns worth designing around.
Busy home screens
Most apps had lots of information making it busy and cluttered.
Start with the menu to allow quick, easy orders.
Botched orders
People are receiving botched orders where key ingredients are missing or substituted without communication.
Update inventory to reflect what's available so users can avoid botched orders and unhappy customers.
Delayed deliveries
Delayed deliveries result in watered-down drinks and soggy food.
Alleviate delivery time and package products effectively to keep them warm or cold.
Three functions the app has to nail.
Push notifications
Allowing push notifications becomes more informative and easily reachable to users.
Saved preferences
Saved preferences helps engage with customers by providing preferred items based on previous orders and likes.
Mobile ordering
Having a mobile ordering experience helps reduce lines, and improves efficiency.
Mapping the path from open to order.
Light and dark, for every surface.
Designed these logos and showcased a light and dark version for accessibility purposes.
A warm palette paired with clean type.
Wireframing the ordering ritual.
What testers told us to fix.
Three moments that make the app feel effortless.
Straightforward Menu
- Easy menu scroll with all drinks/food presented with a click on any option.
- "Picks You Might Like" filters food/drink options based on previous orders and likes.
Store Location
- Accessible flow that enables users to select store for either pickup or delivery.
- Bottom footer that highlights what page users are on.
Streamline Checkout
- Quick checkout process with accessible user flows.
- Directions and timeline when order will be ready (turn notifications on for updates).
The final Grind Cafe experience.
