Researching how a nostalgic East Village diner can feel like coming home, from the moment guests walk in.
Overview
CHIX is a breakfast and lunch spot from the chefs behind Charbar, Charcut and Connie & John's Pizza. Its walls are covered in 70s photos of the owners' moms, and the whole place is built on that family, nostalgic feeling. I also worked there as a server, and I set out to research what brings guests back, what keeps others away, and how to grow sales without losing the warmth.
01 · Discover
1
Observation
Watching where guests hesitate and which part of ordering takes longest.
2
Guest interviews
Short, casual questions asked before, during and after the ordering process.
3
Sales data
POS reports: best and worst days, top and bottom sellers, and why.
4
Staff insights
Long-time crew members know the regulars and the recurring complaints.
5
Secret shopper
A first-time visitor maps their journey: menu, staff, food, ordering.
6
Competitive analysis
Who our competitors are, why guests pick them, and what we can learn.
7
A/B tests in the wild
Small menu changes (highlights, renames, combos) for quick validation.
8
Usability testing
Testing each fix after the pain points are identified.
Starting assumptions
Before testing anything, I wrote down what I believe from working the floor. Secondary research covers how UX and guest psychology work across the food industry. Primary research checks each assumption against CHIX itself.
Why guests come
High-quality food is the main reason guests choose CHIX.
Excellent service keeps them coming back.
Hotel guests return several times during their stay.
The location is convenient for East Village residents.
The nostalgic vibe is part of the experience.
Why they don't
Too few gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options. Guests often ask about allergies.
Closing at 3pm loses the after-work crowd looking for a snack or a place to meet up.
Guests don’t realise it’s counter service. They sit down, wait, and leave with a bad impression.
02 · Define
Provisional persona
The 9-to-5 regular
Works nearby, stops in on the way to the office
“I’m running late and I just need a black coffee to go. If ordering is quick, I’ll come back tomorrow. And I’d stay for a sandwich after work if you were open.”
Goals
Fast, simple coffee and food. A familiar, friendly place.
Frustrations
Not knowing where to order. Few dietary options. Closed after work.
How might we
…make ordering at CHIX obvious and inclusive, so every guest feels at home from the moment they walk in?
03 · Ideate
Highlighted: the step where guests most often get stuck during the morning rush.
SWOT analysis
Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, set against the competitors guests choose instead of CHIX.
Interview guide
Short prompts that fit into a real order: “Was there anything you were tempted to get but decided not to?”
Empathy & affinity maps
Grouping observations, interview notes and staff input into themes that point to the main pain points.
04 · Design
Bubblegum
#F6D5E4
Diner mint
#C0E3E2
Halftone
#111111
Vibe & tone
Egg-squisite
Colours taken from the CHIX brand itself: bubblegum pink, diner mint, the black halftone of the moms' portraits, and a yolk orange. Any new sign or menu change has to look like it was always part of the room.
At the counter: make ordering obvious
Clear "Order here" signs at the entrance and a short greeting from staff, so no one sits waiting for table service during the rush.
On the menu: A/B tests in the wild
A “breakfast + drip coffee” combo for guests ordering to go.
Gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian items marked clearly on the menu.
Highlighting or renaming slow-selling dishes, then comparing POS sales.
05 · Test & measure
Each change is tested with real guests and compared against POS data from before. A secret shopper repeats the first-visit journey to check that the counter is now obvious.
3
goals: sales, pain points, engagement
4
success metrics
How many more guests did we attract?
→ 150 Daily guest count
How much did sales increase?
→ % 27 change in POS sales
How long did it take?
→ 5 Weeks to a measurable change
How much did satisfaction rise?
→ % 49 due to interviews and review sentiments