Parth Chavan - Product Designer | Crafting User-Centric Digital Experiences

HomelyEats

A product design case study - 2025

Summary

This case study explores how I redesigned HomelyEats to tackle key user pain points and build trust in a food delivery app that connects customers with local home chefs.

Responsibilities

Product Designer

User Experience Designer

User Interface Designer

Tools used

Figma

Adobe illustrator

FigJam

The problem

HomelyEats is a Mumbai-based startup focused on connecting users with local home chefs who bring unique, authentic, and comforting meals right to the table. Users can explore chef profiles, browse diverse home-cooked menus, and order meals directly through the app. However, with limited resources and a small fleet of delivery riders, HomelyEats faces the challenge of establishing product-market fit without compromising on quality, reliability, or customer satisfaction. To succeed, the app needs to prioritize trust-building between customers and chefs, emphasizing a personalized, community-focused experience while efficiently managing its delivery operations and maintaining user loyalty.

Let’s Dive into how i solved this

problem – Step by Step

Let’s Dive into how i solved this

problem – Step by Step

Uncovering important

Pain points.

Uncovering important

Pain points.

Long Waiting Times for Delivery.

With limited delivery riders, users may experience extended wait times, especially during peak hours. This can lead to customer dissatisfaction and impatience, as they may not be accustomed to the potential delays associated with smaller-scale delivery operations.

Building trust in home chefs.

Unlike established restaurants, home chefs may be unknown to users, making it harder to build trust in terms of food quality, hygiene, and overall reliability. Users may feel hesitant to try new chefs without strong ratings, reviews, or personal stories to reinforce a sense of security and quality.

Capacity Constraints for Chefs.

Many home chefs operate as solo or small teams, meaning they may not be able to handle large numbers of orders simultaneously. This limitation can impact availability and consistency, particularly during busy times, leading to cancellations or unavailability of popular dishes.

Lack of Real-Time Delivery Updates.

Limited resources can mean a lack of sophisticated tracking and notification systems. Users may not receive real-time updates on their order status, leading to uncertainty about delivery timelines, especially during delays.

Next, I examined what the competition was doing in the food-tech industry, looking for patterns and identifying opportunities through competitive analysis.

After that, I created two

user personas to better understand who would use the app and to ensure the design met their specific needs.

After that, I created two

user personas to better understand who would use the app and to ensure the design met their specific needs.

Once I had a solid understanding of the needs and goals of my target audience, I proceeded to create the user flow to map out how users would navigate through the app.

After finalizing the user flow, I moved on to creating the user journey map, as I believe it’s crucial in revealing all the opportunities and problems across the entire user journey.

Before moving forward with the design, there are some important constraints to keep in mind.

Limited Delivery Riders : The app currently operates with a small fleet of delivery riders, which can lead to longer delivery times and potential delays in food reaching customers. This limitation may affect the overall user experience, especially during peak hours or inclement weather.

Limited Resources : As a startup, HomelyEats has constrained financial and operational resources.

Introducing HomelyEats.

an app designed to build trust between home chefs and customers by providing a transparent, reliable, and seamless platform. The goal is to create a space where chefs can showcase their culinary talents, connect with customers, and offer homemade meals with confidence, while ensuring a trustworthy and enjoyable experience for both parties.

Introducing HomelyEats.

My solution primarily focuses on

building trust.

My solution primarily focuses on

building trust.

As trust is the foundation of a successful community-driven food platform.Unlike established restaurants with a built-in reputation and customer base, home chefs start from scratch, making it crucial to establish credibility. Without these trust-building mechanisms, customers may hesitate to order from independent chefs.

To address this, I have prioritized designing screens that tackle the most significant pain points in the user journey, ensuring a seamless and reassuring experience for both chefs and customers.

However, it is crucial to recognize that implementing strategies to rapidly increase food orders could backfire. With constraints such as insufficient delivery personnel and resources, any surge in orders could lead to significant delays, increased cancellations, and ultimately, a poor user experience. This not only risks customer dissatisfaction but could also harm the brand's reputation and jeopardize customer retention and loyalty.

Let’s go through the UI Design

One by One.

Let’s go through the UI Design

One by One.

A Home Screen Designed for Effortless Ordering and Seamless Navigation.

The home screen is designed to make ordering homemade meals simple and hassle-free.

Quick Address Selection – Easily choose or update your delivery location right at the top.
Instant Account Access – A dedicated button at the top-right to manage your profile and orders.
Smart Search Bar – Find your favorite dishes in seconds with quick search functionality.
Order Scheduling Banner – HomeyEats prioritizes scheduled orders over instant deliveries to ensure a seamless experience. With limited delivery riders, this approach prevents order congestion, gives home chefs enough time to prepare quality meals, and maintains a reliable service for users.
Explore Cuisines in One Tap – Browse through a variety of homemade delicacies with quick-access cuisine filters.
Chef Cards with All the Essentials – Every home chef’s profile displays key details, along with filters and sorting options, so users can make informed choices effortlessly.

The home screen is designed to make ordering homemade meals simple and hassle-free.

Quick Address Selection – Easily choose or update your delivery location right at the top.
Instant Account Access – A dedicated button at the top-right to manage your profile and orders.
Smart Search Bar – Find your favorite dishes in seconds with quick search functionality.
Order Scheduling Banner – HomeyEats prioritizes scheduled orders over instant deliveries to ensure a seamless experience. With limited delivery riders, this approach prevents order congestion, gives home chefs enough time to prepare quality meals, and maintains a reliable service for users.
Explore Cuisines in One Tap – Browse through a variety of homemade delicacies with quick-access cuisine filters.
Chef Cards with All the Essentials – Every home chef’s profile displays key details, along with filters and sorting options, so users can make informed choices effortlessly.

Bringing Home Chefs Closer to Users

Chef Information at a Glance – Displays all essential details about the chef, including a button to access the Chef About Page, which showcases their story, videos, photos, legal info, and operating hours. This helps build trust and engagement.
Prioritizing Order Scheduling – A dedicated option at the top lets users schedule their meal for a preferred date, like in this case 24 March (10:30 to 11 am) ensuring smooth order management.
Exclusive Member Perks – A promotional banner highlights HomelyEats++, showcasing discounts and special offers for premium users.
Effortless Menu Browsing – Filtering and sorting options make it easy to explore dishes and find the perfect meal.
Seamless Add-to-Cart Experience – When a user taps the "Add" button on a dish, it is instantly added to the cart. A modal sheet appears at the bottom with a "View Cart" CTA, allowing quick access to checkout.

Chef Information at a Glance – Displays all essential details about the chef, including a button to access the Chef About Page, which showcases their story, videos, photos, legal info, and operating hours. This helps build trust and engagement.
Prioritizing Order Scheduling – A dedicated option at the top lets users schedule their meal for a preferred date, like in this case 24 March (10:30 to 11 am) ensuring smooth order management.
Exclusive Member Perks – A promotional banner highlights HomelyEats++, showcasing discounts and special offers for premium users.
Effortless Menu Browsing – Filtering and sorting options make it easy to explore dishes and find the perfect meal.
Seamless Add-to-Cart Experience – When a user taps the "Add" button on a dish, it is instantly added to the cart. A modal sheet appears at the bottom with a "View Cart" CTA, allowing quick access to checkout.

Final Steps Before

Ordering

Final Steps Before

Ordering

Review and Modify Your Order – Edit items, add more dishes, and ensure everything looks perfect before checkout.
Customize Your Meal – Add special cooking instructions to personalize your dish just the way you like it.
Adjust Delivery Details – Modify the scheduled delivery time, update your address, change your contact number, or choose from pre-set delivery instructions for convenience.
Unlock Exclusive Discounts – Apply coupons and offers to save on your order.
Choose How You Pay – Select your preferred payment method for a smooth checkout.
Place Your Order with One Tap – Once everything is set, hit the "place order" button at the bottom and let the magic happen.

Review and Modify Your Order – Edit items, add more dishes, and ensure everything looks perfect before checkout.
Customize Your Meal – Add special cooking instructions to personalize your dish just the way you like it.
Adjust Delivery Details – Modify the scheduled delivery time, update your address, change your contact number, or choose from pre-set delivery instructions for convenience.
Unlock Exclusive Discounts – Apply coupons and offers to save on your order.
Choose How You Pay – Select your preferred payment method for a smooth checkout.
Place Your Order with One Tap – Once everything is set, hit the "place order" button at the bottom and let the magic happen.

Stay Updated with Real-Time Order Tracking

Live Order Status with ETA – Users receive real-time updates on their order’s progress, reducing uncertainty and frustration.
Engaging Chef Animations – Playful illustrations mimic the cooking process, keeping users entertained while they wait.
Seamless Communication with Riders – Users can call, text, or tip the delivery rider directly from the screen for better coordination.
Chef’s Card for Deeper Engagement – A chef’s card with options to call, text, or explore their content keeps users engaged. while waiting for their food, users can explore the chef’s content, watch videos, and read their story through a dedicated "About" section. This not only builds trust but also strengthens the connection between home chefs and customers.
Complete Order & Delivery Details – Users can easily view and edit their contact number, delivery address, and scheduling period before the order arrives.
Instant Help & Support – A built-in Help Center ensures users can quickly find answers to any queries about their order.

Live Order Status with ETA – Users receive real-time updates on their order’s progress, reducing uncertainty and frustration.
Engaging Chef Animations – Playful illustrations mimic the cooking process, keeping users entertained while they wait.
Seamless Communication with Riders – Users can call, text, or tip the delivery rider directly from the screen for better coordination.
Chef’s Card for Deeper Engagement – A chef’s card with options to call, text, or explore their content keeps users engaged. while waiting for their food, users can explore the chef’s content, watch videos, and read their story through a dedicated "About" section. This not only builds trust but also strengthens the connection between home chefs and customers.
Complete Order & Delivery Details – Users can easily view and edit their contact number, delivery address, and scheduling period before the order arrives.
Instant Help & Support – A built-in Help Center ensures users can quickly find answers to any queries about their order.

Order Delivered. Now It’s Your Turn to Rate!

Seamless Feedback System – Users can rate both the chef and the delivery rider based on their experience, ensuring quality standards are maintained.
Complete Order Summary – All essential details, including order breakdown, payment summary, and delivery info, are easily accessible.
Accurate Delivery Time – Users are provided with the exact delivery time so they know when they got their meal.

Seamless Feedback System – Users can rate both the chef and the delivery rider based on their experience, ensuring quality standards are maintained.
Complete Order Summary – All essential details, including order breakdown, payment summary, and delivery info, are easily accessible.
Accurate Delivery Time – Users are provided with the exact delivery time so they know when they got their meal.

Conclusion

HomelyEats was designed to build trust between home chefs and customers while ensuring a seamless ordering experience. By prioritizing scheduled orders, chef storytelling, and real-time tracking, the app creates a reliable and engaging food delivery platform. This project reinforced my belief that great design solves real problems with intuitive and user-focused solutions.

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Drop your details below and I’ll take it from here. Quick, easy, and one step closer to getting your project started.

Ready to make moves?

Drop your details below and I’ll take it from here. Quick, easy, and one step closer to getting your project started.

Ready to make moves?

Drop your details below and I’ll take it from here. Quick, easy, and one step closer to getting your project started.

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