O2O Experience Redesign
IKEA Food Mobile
Transforming the in-store dining experience by bridging the physical and digital gap.
Role
UX Designer
Timeline
4 Months
Team
2 PMs, 3 Engineers, 1 Researcher
Tools
Figma, Miro, Jira
The Context
The Messy M-Line
IKEA's food court is a beloved destination, but peak hours tell a different story. The physical queue — known internally as the "M-line" — was creating friction, frustration, and lost sales.
"The physical queue was our biggest competitor."
15+
Minutes
Average wait time during peak hours
30%
Walk-aways
Customers who leave without ordering
Low
Satisfaction
Queue anxiety affecting dining experience
The Solution
A New User Journey
We designed an end-to-end mobile experience that transforms waiting into doing, and uncertainty into confidence.
The Digital Queue
Intelligent Ordering
We moved the decision-making process from the physical counter to the user's pocket. The menu UI features smart categorization, Quick Add for popular items, and intelligent combo suggestions based on order history.
- Visual menu with high-quality food imagery
- One-tap Quick Add for Swedish Meatballs, Hot Dogs
- Smart combo builder with savings calculator
"Moving the decision-making process from the physical counter to the user's pocket."
Status & Anxiety
Bridging the Gap
The "Order Status" screen became the heart of the experience. By syncing directly with kitchen preparation times, we transformed uncertainty into transparent communication — reducing the psychological burden of waiting.
- Live order status: Preparing → Cooking → Ready
- Estimated wait time with real-time adjustments
- Push notifications when food is ready
"Transparent wait times reduce psychological anxiety."
Pick-up Experience
The Physical Handoff
The final step bridges the digital back to physical. The "Ready for Pick-up" screen displays a QR code that connects to in-store digital signage, creating a seamless handshake between the app and the bistro counter.
- QR code for quick order verification
- Synced with in-store pickup display boards
- Order number announced on digital signage
"A frictionless handshake between the app and the bistro counter."
Results
From Pilot to Scale
+45%
Conversion Rate
Increase in food court transactions during pilot period
8 min
Time Saved
Average reduction in customer wait time per order
30+
Stores
Scaled from 3-store pilot to national rollout
The biggest learning was that O2O design isn't about replacing physical experiences — it's about enhancing them. Every digital touchpoint should make the real-world moment better.
Reflection on scaling from pilot to 30+ stores
Key Learnings
Physical context matters. Designing for O2O requires deep understanding of the in-store environment — lighting, noise, and customer behavior at the counter.
Status updates build trust. Real-time transparency about wait times reduced customer complaints by 60% during the pilot.
Staff adoption is critical. The system only works if kitchen staff consistently update order status — training was as important as the app design.
Edge cases are the real test. Peak hour congestion, WiFi dead zones, and payment failures taught us to design for worst-case scenarios first.
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