Tokyo Sushi
Role: Sole Designer
Timeline: 3 months
Tools used: Figma, After Effects
Platform: Android, IOS
Video Case Study:
If you are in a hurry, feel free to check out the video. It's a short version of how I designed Tokyo Sushi. I explain my design thinking process, what problems I faced, and how I solved them.
In the next few paragraphs, I have briefly explained what was my process and the problems solved during this project. The app is not yet live. You can test the prototype in the section below. Since the local sushi vendor is small, yet it's growing fast, the app needed to have a menu, a simple pay option, and a tracking option. The only contact the customers had was through the Facebook page, a phone number, and a physical address. This created a few limitations for the potentional new customers
What is Tokyo Sushi App?
Is a go-to app for Tokyo Sushi - a local sushi vendor. Ordering sushi fast and easy. I designed a mobile food delivery experience for a small local sushi vendor that previously relied entirely on phone orders and a Facebook page menu. The goal was to simplify the ordering process, reduce operational friction for the vendor, and create a faster, more intuitive experience for customers.
You can checkout the prototype below:
Prototype
Problem:
Customers had to use a phone call to order their favorite sushi without having a menu to choose from. The sushi vendor does not want to be available on other food ordering platforms (Wolt, Glovo, etc)
Pain points
The sushi vendor faced several usability and business challenges:
- Customers had to call to place orders, which created delays and miscommunication.
- The menu was only available through Facebook posts, making it difficult to browse, outdated, and not optimized for mobile ordering.
- Customers preferred paying in cash rather than by card, which many modern delivery platforms prioritize.
- During busy hours, the vendor struggled to manage incoming calls and orders efficiently.
Solution:
Making a personalized delivery tracking app for Tokyo Sushi. Simplifying the ordering process and monitoring the delivery through the app. Making it more accessible for new clients and making orders through a menu. Payment can be made either with a card or in cash upon receiving their orders
Research:
Customers were unhappy about having to call the local sushi vendor to place their order. The menu options were unavailable. The only menu was available on a Facebook page - not every customer wants to use or have the platform on their phones. Some of the customers didn’t know the vendor was doing deliveries. If they want to plan to get their food, they have to schedule it with a phone call.
Name: Ivan, 42
bank manager
Goal: Raising his family with his busy schedule
Pain point: Wanting to get freshly-made sushi without queuing and waiting on the spot for his order after/during working hours. He has two children whom he and his wife take turns to take them from school each day.
Name: Vanessa, 28
hairdresser
Goal: She wants to eat healthier; one of her main diets is to eat seafood
Pain point: She is very busy in her salon, and she can't schedule in advance her lunch/dinner because she works until 7:30 pm.
Research insignhts
With the growth of the vendor Tokyo Sushi, the desire to place orders from a distance also became a reality for its customers. While interviewing locals about how they knew about that Sushi vendor, it turned out it was more or less word of mouth, given the small city.
Scheduling their meals is something some of the interviewees had suggested. With most people's busy lives, having an option where they can save time, especially while getting their food from a trusted food vendor is one of the most desired answers from this research. (Definitely a future option for the Tokyo Sushi App)
On the other hand Tokyo Sushi's staff was overwhelmed with incoming orders
UX Strategy shift
Moving from a search-based model to a recommendation-driven one.
Recommended options -> Choose -> Order -> Track -> Recieve
GOALS:
MVP - Simple menu-bsed food delivery app Oder tracking
Constraints
- small sushi vendor - low on staff
- word of mouth - not a big following online
User needs:
◉ Front page menu
◉ Simple steps to follow
◉ Sushi options to choose from
◉ Scheduling option
◉ Cash payment
Design process
The main task was to make this food ordering app as straightforward with as few steps as possible. With this in mind, the home page was going to be the most saturated of the rest. We needed not just to add the menu, but to give easy steps for the user to make
After the first draft, the main menu on the home page is a little too much. It makes the user overwhemed. We want the experience to be enjoyble , instead of the full menu, there are suggested top sellers, after that there are four buttons for lunch, dinner, snacks and treats. They lead the user to explore more withouth overwhelming them
Usability Testing
After a few tests, some of the results showed positive feedback. After all, there was easy menu access right on the customers' phones. The suggested lunch/dinner options did save them time, so this is a planned feature.
Improvements needed:
◉ clear checkout system
◉ less clutter when searching for an item
◉ card-friendly
◉ cash-based option
This helped the vendor:
- Receive clearer order information
- Reduce order mistakes
- Save time during peak hours
- Manage multiple orders more efficiently
Planned features
◉ schedule orders options
◉ tracking updates
◉ menu updates
◉ adding vouchers after limit spent
RESULTS
Faster ordering experience
Easier menu discovery
Reduced dependency on Facebook and phone calls
Better alignment with customer payment preferences
Improved operational efficiency for the vendor
Conclusion
The project demonstrated that good UX is not about adding complexity or trendy features — it’s about adapting the product to real user behavior. Supporting cash payments and simplifying the ordering journey created a more accessible and trustworthy experience for both the sushi vendor and its customers.