Plato

context /

It struck me one day after ordering yet another takeout meal: all this data—what we like to eat, where we order from, and when—could be used for more than just convenience.

As I reviewed my own takeout habits, I saw potential in the data I was leaving behind. It wasn’t just about food—it was about patterns, preferences, and behaviors.

THE problem /

Takeout: The best friend but also the worst enemy

Choosing convenience often means putting our health, budget, and the environment on the back burner.

opportunity /

Could our order history be transformed into a tool that encourages healthier, smarter choices?

All that rich data from all the past orders has the potential to offer users something truly personalized.

my role /

As the sole UX/UI and brand designer, I made every decision while creating this app. But here’s the twist—I wasn’t alone.

AI tools played my design buddies throughout the entire process, from brainstorming sessions, avatar creation to generating photos of the meals.

This taught me how to be both resourceful and efficient—scale my ideas faster, and it improved my creative problem-solving by giving me more ways to test concepts and designs.

AI tools played my design buddies throughout the entire process, from brainstorming sessions, avatar creation to generating photos of the meals.

This taught me how to be both resourceful and efficient—scale my ideas faster, and it improved my creative problem-solving by giving me more ways to test concepts and designs.

UX Research

competitor analysis /

There was no tool leveraging the rich personal data from takeout to create a highly personalized and enhancing experience.

in-person user interviews /

When I talked to habitual orderers a clear pattern emerged: they stuck to the same meals, not out of love, but because it was easy.

Users found comfort in the familiar but were stuck in repetitive ordering cycles without true passion for the ordered food.

100%

consistently ordered the same dishes and/or from the same restaurants.

While takeout was convenient, it wasn’t fulfilling the desire for variety or healthier eating.

Despite wanting change, they continued ordering. Moreover much less healthy meals compared to home cooking.

75%

participants are concerned about the healthiness and quality of ingredients.

100%

tend to order less healthy food then if they cook.

Some users also didn't feel confident enough in their cooking skills, which made them rely on takeout for quick, no-hassle meals.

This perceived difficulty in cooking was a key barrier to even start and try.

50%

are instantly discouraged
to cook and try new recipes.

are instantly discouraged to cook and try new recipes.

See Consolidated Summary

define

searching solution /

It was clear that I could't just focus on cooking inspiration or recipe generator—the issue was rooted much deeper.

Users needed to improve their diet without disrupting familiar habits, balancing their desire for change with existing behaviors for a more fulfilling relationship with food.

key pain points /

01 / Stuck in Repetitive Meal Cycles

Bored by some meals and sought more variety without sacrificing ease.

Bored by some meals and sought more variety without sacrificing convenience.

02 / Health Implications of takeout

Recognized that ordering habits led to less nutritious meals compared to home cooking.

Saw that ordering habits led to less nutritious meals compared to home cooking.

03 / Cooking Intimidation and Avoidance

Users lacked confidence in cooking, so they gave up even trying to make some new dishes.