KFC App
Menu/Ordering Optimization
THE CHALLENGE
With the pandemic accelerating the shift toward contactless ordering and delivery, KFC faced challenges in optimizing its mobile app to meet evolving customer needs.
Many users found the existing app frustrating, citing issues like missing menu items, a lack of customization options, and an unintuitive order flow. The challenge was to make the app’s menu and ordering process more intuitive and enjoyable to boost customer retention and loyalty.
KEY PROBLEM
How can we enhance the KFC app experience to make ordering simple, engaging, and intuitive, while also motivating customers to return through a compelling reward system?
THE NEED
Provide a clear, attractive reward system that encourages repeat use and brand loyalty.
MAIN GOAL
Increase customer retention and loyalty by implementing an intuitive menu and ordering process.
MY ROLE
Putting the user at the center of the design process is fundamental to my approach. As the Lead UX Designer on the project, I took on the challenge of:
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Conducting user research and competitive analysis to understand customer frustrations and opportunities.
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Designing an improved menu and ordering interface, focusing on usability and simplicity.
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Developing a reward system that would encourage customer retention through incentives.
UNDERSTANDING THE USER
Our user research included competitive analysis, customer surveys, and user journey mapping. Key findings included:
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Preference for Convenience: Users wanted a simplified menu layout that was easy to navigate, allowing them to find and customize items with minimal effort.
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Desire for Rewards: A significant number of users expressed interest in a loyalty program that rewarded their purchases, offering incentives like discounts or exclusive deals.
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Importance of Order Tracking: Many users found the lack of clear order status tracking frustrating, contributing to a poor overall experience.
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We identified a target user persona—a busy individual balancing work and family responsibilities—who valued a fast, smooth ordering experience, easy access to deals, and the ability to customize their orders.
DESIGN PROCESS BREAKDOWN
The design process guided us from ideas to final products through key stages: research, ideation, prototyping, and testing. Each phase ensured the final design met user needs, leading to innovative solutions that resonate with our audience.
1. Research and Empathy
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We started by conducting a competitive analysis of other popular fast-food apps like McDonald's and Starbucks. We found that incorporating an effective rewards program and providing a clear, intuitive menu layout were key factors in user satisfaction. Customer feedback also indicated significant pain points in navigating KFC's current app, especially around accessing deals and customizing orders.
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2. Defining the Problem
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Through assumption maps and customer journey mapping, we defined our main problem areas:
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The menu was not intuitive, making it difficult for users to find or customize their orders.
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There was a lack of visible rewards and promotions, limiting customer engagement and loyalty.
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3. Ideation and Sketching
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Our ideation workshops used tools like Crazy 8's to explore potential improvements. We generated ideas such as:
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Reorganizing the menu into more intuitive categories.
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Adding an easy-to-navigate reward overview page.
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Implementing a visible promotions page and tailoring deals based on user history.
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4. Prototyping and User Testing
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We developed low-fidelity prototypes in Figma and conducted usability tests to understand user interactions with the new designs. Testing revealed the following:
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Users preferred scrollable menus over horizontally sliding menus.
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Customizable options at checkout helped users feel in control of their orders.
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A significant number of users struggled to differentiate between similar categories like "Buckets" and "Bucket Meals," leading us to further refine the menu structure for clarity.
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We created high-fidelity prototypes that incorporated these insights and tested them through remote usability sessions using Maze. Findings showed that users rated their experience with the new app design as 9/10 on average. However, some struggled with action buttons and rewards, prompting further refinement.
THESE WERE SOME MAJOR LEARNINGS OR POINTS WE WANTED TO CALL OUT
Customization Increases User Satisfaction
Users highly value the ability to customize their orders both during the selection process and at checkout. Providing flexible customization options can significantly improve their overall experience and satisfaction
Rewards Drive Engagement and Retention
A compelling rewards program is crucial for driving user retention. The introduction of points and tailored deals—such as birthday rewards—proved to motivate users to return to the app more frequently and build brand loyalty​
Simplified Menu Navigation is Key
Users struggled with the distinction between similar categories like "Buckets" and "Bucket Meals." A more intuitive and simplified menu structure helped to reduce confusion, improving navigation and making it easier for users to complete orders​
Visual Hierarchy Affects User Behavior
Users often clicked on images or struggled to find certain actions, emphasizing the importance of a clear visual hierarchy in guiding user behavior​
Iterative Testing is Essential for Refinement
Iterative feedback allowed the design to evolve, ensuring that user needs were met effectively while reducing points of frustration
LESSONS LEARNED
Through the redesign process of the KFC app, we gained valuable insights into what users expect from a seamless ordering experience. The importance of customization, clear navigation, and an engaging reward system became central themes. Usability testing proved crucial in shaping an app that is both functional and enjoyable, directly addressing user pain points with practical design solutions.
One major takeaway was the significance of clear and intuitive customization options. Users showed a strong preference for being able to tailor their orders at multiple points, which improved their sense of control and satisfaction. Furthermore, the introduction of a rewards program that offered tailored incentives and promotions was a powerful motivator for users to continue engaging with the app, fostering loyalty.
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Additionally, visual hierarchy and clarity in interface elements played a pivotal role in user behavior. Many users struggled to find action buttons or navigate between similar menu categories, highlighting the need for prominent, easy-to-identify buttons and simplified menu structures. Iterative usability testing, particularly with heatmaps, allowed us to identify and rectify areas of confusion, ensuring that the final product was user-friendly and addressed key points of friction.