Frictionless Food
Most everyday, I can be found in Allentown, a neighborhood in the blue collar city of Buffalo, NY. For no reason I can easily discern, I've had a crush on the city for over 50 years.
It's 11AM
Each day around 11AM, I start to think about lunch (yes, I like to eat). I will fixate on one restaurant for a few months, then move on to another. Currently, I've been making my way over to Cafe 59.
Lost Minutes, and a Wait
At this point, if I'm honest, I get a bit frustrated... and I barely have my coat on. I like the people at Cafe 59, so that takes the sting out of this a bit... but as soon as I'm up from my desk, I begin to hear a clock tick in my head... these are unproductive minutes.
I arrive
This is not a failing of Cafe 59, but every restaurant. For the restuarant, it's about the restaurant. I get it. For me, it's about the minutes. I pick up the menu, check the specials, and really, only have 3 items I choose between, everyday. (I should clarify, they have many great options, it's just for lunch, I seem to get in a rut.)
Order
At some point, depending how busy they are, I'll be asked, 'what's it today?' We do this everyday. I'll order, and the food will be out in a reasonable amount of time. But let's say that's 12 minutes (I'm not really sure, I haven't timed it.) But from the time I got up from my desk, to the time I return, it's close to 20 to 25 minutes (it's a short walk).
In a perfect world...less friction
I'd like two things:
- Store and reuse all the repetitive parts (please, no mushrooms)
- Start the process of making my food earlier, don't wait for me to call, or walk in (a 20 minute savings per day gives me back two full work weeks in a year).
What I envision is an automated text, received each morning. It has my three favorite items, and todays specials. Maybe add in the other restaurants I go to, with just the few items I get. Let me choose, one click. Any special things I want with the order have been stored.
Text me when it's done, or if I will walk over to pick it up, a few minutes before it's done. Maybe I just specify the time I'd like to pick it up?
Delivery?
For me, it's not about delivery. I don't mind getting up, and getting out. For some, I could see it being important. But if you're within a short distance, the fee shouldn't be too high, maybe free within a mile? That would be up to the restuarant. (The web page knows where you are, and the restaurant. If you're close, you shouldn't be subsidizing the delivery of the person that's 10 miles away, or paying a delivery service a high fee for a short delivery.)
Why Now?
As an independent IT guy, I have a bunch of projects in a pile. LunchPing has been one near the bottom, but the Corona Virus has put a squeeze on restaurants, and I thought it an appropriate time to pull it from the pile, and get to work. It's free, for now, at some time it may not be, sending the texts costs a little bit, but we'll think about that after the virus goes away (not soon enough).
It's not Pretty
This is a one or two person project, done in a few weeks. Please bear with us while we try to make it more presentable, and work out the kinks.
Maybe you, and your City
I started by saying I had a crush on my city. I imagine most people feel the same way about where they live. There are things that make each of our cities unique. A good part of that are the independent restaurants.
In my neighborhood that's Cafe 59, Fat Bob's, Lovejoy Pizza, Gabriel's Gate, or the Hamlin House (and many others). In Detroit, Chicago, Denver or Cleveland, the names are different, but the food, the unique people that work in them, and the feeling when you walk in the door, are the same. It's what brings us back.
Our restaurants didn't do anything to bring this virus about, but they are sacrificing seating to see that it does as little damage to customers as possible. In turn, we need to minimize the damage the virus does to them. The day will come when the virus will be gone, let's make sure our local restaruants, that define us and our cities, aren't gone with it.
Don't take my word for it...
Forbes, August 1, 2019
"As the connected consumer becomes ever more dominant, restaurants are finding that customers expect faster service, more tech innovations, and a more seamless experience overall."
Aaron Allen - Restaurant Innovation
"Businesses can never make it too easy for consumers to buy from them. Technology has and will continue to make day-to-day interactions more frictionless, and we’ll never want to go back to a less-convenient model."