Aesthetic & Minimalist Design (Chick Fil A App)
One of the very first things I learned as a designer was, it’s easier to spot a bad design product to a good one. I can’t count the number of times I’ve said “this is so horrible ” while using a product. But rarely do I ever applaud a product for good design. More recently since I became a designer I can recognize good design more and today I would be talking about one. Last Thursday, I was ordering lunch for my coworkers cause we all wanted CFA and I wanted to get some reward points. I opened the app a few minutes before 10:30 I saw a message saying “breakfast ends in 2 minutes”. This was my first time ever seeing that message and although neither of my coworkers nor I had intentions of ordering a breakfast meal. Although I had used the app a couple of times earlier, this was my first time ever seeing that message. This message met well with me because it notifies users they can get breakfast and what time stops. This is one of the features that make the chick-fil-a app very good.
It reminds me of a time I ordered a for pickup and I saw a similar message. The message notified me the location would be closing early in a subtle and effective manner. These messages confirm three of Nielsen’s 10 heuristics.
1. Aesthetic and Minimalist Design: the message features a nice design and communicating the point.
2. Visibility of System Status: It notifies users breakfast is about to stop serving.
3. Match between System and Real World: It makes users know they have an option for breakfast and lunch.
Another feature on the CFA app I find inspiring is the pickup feature. The pandemic has shown me how much the CFA design trumps a lot of other fast-food chains. First, the curbside pickup eliminates physical contact. Users can also input their vehicle type so the employees can identify them without delay. I remember ordering a meal from a different spot which I did online and they had to call me to get then make of my car. I wasn’t able to pick up because I was driving, I got there and had to wait for them to call again to get my information. Although the total wait time wasn’t long, it wasn’t as easy or seamless as the CFA app.
Another interesting feature is users can notify the restaurant when they get there. This makes them able to get their meals ready without being on the counter for a couple of Allutes. All these features, subtle as they make this app so immaculate. That explains why the app is rated 4.9 stars on the AppStore and number 4 in the restaurant category. And for that, I had to say a job well done to the CFA team. The app is innovative, aesthetic, efficient, and intuitive. It isn’t just good design it is an epitome of a great design.
