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SnapMeal

Personalized experience where every meal fits your dietary needs.

Whilst convenience often compromises health and sustainability, SnapMeal bridges the gap between conscious eating and effortless ordering. By connecting users with local chefs for customizable, home-cooked meals, it ensures every dish meets personal tastes and requirements —redefining what it means to eat well while doing good.

Problem

Food delivery apps lack personalization, transparency, and sustainability. Users struggle to find meals that fit their dietary needs, with limited ingredient information and no connection with the chefs. This results in a less engaging and untrustworthy experience.

Outcome

Users can seamlessly find meals that align with their preferences and connect with chefs through live preparation streams.

Role

UX/UI Designer

Team

3 Designers

App screens
App screens

What We Learned
from Desk Research

Before diving into the design, we conducted extensive desk research to analyse trends in food delivery and dietary customization.

64%

Prefer choosing and adjusting the ingredients at the time of ordering

2,000 adults in the UK
(Deloitte Consumer Review, 2014)

73%

Portuguese consumers order food

5.11 million digital consumers
(Kantar, 2021)

79%

Value sustainable alternatives in food

5,246 interviewed from 4 countries
(Sodexo, 2024)

What’s Missing in
Current Delivery Apps?

We examined major players like Uber Eats, Glovo, and Bolt to understand their strengths and limitations. Key takeaways included.

01.

Lack of dietary tailoring

Few options to filter meals by allergens, dietary preferences, or sustainability practices.

02.

Low transparency

Minimal details on ingredients, sourcing, or chef backgrounds.

03.

Impersonal experience

No real connection between users and chefs.

List of competitors researched

  • Competitor analysis 1
  • Competitor analysis 2
  • Competitor analysis 3

Interviews & Surveys
Listening to Users

To establish a baseline understanding of our users, we conducted 20 consumer interviews and 2 chef interviews, along with a survey completed by 29 individuals. Here are the key findings.

To establish a baseline understanding of our users, we conducted 20 consumer interviews and 2 chef interviews, along with a survey completed by 29 individuals. Here are the key findings.

To establish a baseline understanding of our users, we conducted 20 consumer interviews and 2 chef interviews, along with a survey completed by 29 individuals. Here are the key findings.

🛒 Clients

Want healthy meals but have little time to prepare them

Desire to find a meal that matches their preferences

Wish to personalise their meals

Are interested in having nutritional information available

👨‍🍳 Chefs

Have the possibility of owning their business and scaling up

Want creative freedom while preparing their own menu

Need flexible working hours so they can have more free time

See personalising a meal as an essential strategy for attracting customers

Understanding
Our Users

To create a meaningful and effective solution, we needed to deeply understand our two primary user groups: customers looking for custom-fit meals and local chefs eager to share their craft.

Persona mariana client
Persona mariana client
Persona joão chef
Persona joão chef

Mapping the
Ideal Experience

We visualized Mariana’s end-to-end experience, from discovering the app to enjoying her first SnapMeal order, ensuring a smooth and engaging journey.

Mariana journey map
Mariana journey map
Mariana journey map

Structuring
the Experience

To create an intuitive and efficient platform, we mapped out a clear navigation structure that prioritizes personalized recommendations.

navigation flow
navigation flow
navigation flow

Value propostition

Providing a unique experience by making it easy to choose meals tailored to individual preferences and needs.

From Ideas to Paper
Bringing SnapMeal to Life

We started with rapid sketches to explore potential layouts and features, focusing on a clean, visual meal selection process, interactive chef profiles and intuitive filtering for dietary preferences.

SnapMeal rapid sketches
SnapMeal rapid sketches

Crafting
the Blueprint

From initial sketches to mid-fidelity screens, we mapped out the key pages for the journey. Structured each screen, defining sections for essential elements before refining the details.

SnapMeal Wireframes

Usability Testing
Refining Based on Feedback

We conducted usability tests with 6 individuals to gather valuable insights.

Using the feedback collected, we perfected the design to bridge the gap between our assumptions and the users actual experiences.

We conducted usability tests with 6 individuals to gather valuable insights.

Using the feedback collected, we refined the design to bridge the gap between our assumptions and the users actual experiences.

We conducted usability tests with 6 individuals to gather valuable insights.

Using the feedback collected, we refined the design to bridge the gap between our assumptions and the users actual experiences.

Before purchase button
Before purchase button
Before purchase button

Before

The price button was often mistaken for an info icon, causing confusion.

After purchase button
After purchase button
After purchase button

After

Redesigned for clarity, making it instantly recognizable by the users.

Before chef card
Before chef card
Before chef card

Before

The homepage layout made it hard to distinguish between meal and chef cards.

After chef card
After chef card
After chef card

After

The chef card was updated to a circular photo, making it easier to differentiate.

Before filter button
Before filter button
Before filter button

Before

The filter button was difficult to locate and didn’t follow common UX patterns.

After filter button
After filter button
After filter button

After

The filter was replaced with a text-labeled button and repositioned to align with familiar UX patterns.

Before onboarding skip option
Before onboarding skip option
Before onboarding skip option

Before

Users felt stuck without a skip option during onboarding.

After onboarding skip option
After onboarding skip option
After onboarding skip option

After

A skip option was added, giving users more flexibility.

Building a
Brand Identity

We crafted SnapMeal’s identity to reflect warmth and authenticity. Drawing inspiration from fresh ingredients and local chefs, we designed a brand that balances modern simplicity with a welcoming feeling.

Logo pieces
Logo pieces
Logo pieces
Logo icon
Logo icon
Logo icon
Logo spacing
Logo spacing
Logo spacing
Logo different sizes
Logo different sizes
Logo different sizes
App icon preview
App icon preview
App icon preview

Design System
Consistency & Scalability

From meal customization to chef interactions, every UI element adapts to the user’s needs. By maintaining a structured yet flexible system, we deliver an experience that feels both personal and reliable—just like a home-cooked meal.

Colors typography iconography avatars cornes and shadows
Colors typography iconography avatars cornes and shadows
Colors typography iconography avatars cornes and shadows
Design System components
Design System components
Design System components

Feature #1
Personalized Meal Preferences

Every person has unique dietary needs and food preferences. Whether for health reasons, ethical choices, or simply personal taste, we wanted users to have full control over their meals.

Feature #2
Snapchoice Toggle

Instantly enable or disable filters to match changing preferences or order for someone else.

Feature #3
Meal Customization

Modify meals by removing ingredients or asking the Chef to swap them before placing an order.

Feature #4
Live Chef Streams

Users can watch their order being prepared in real-time, strengthening their connection with local chefs. If an order includes meals from multiple chefs, they can watch multiple streams simultaneously in a split-screen view, ensuring every dish meets their expectations.

Feature #5
Picture-in-Picture Mode

Since multitasking is second nature, users can continue browsing, checking social media, or chatting while keeping an eye on their meal prep.

Final screens banner
Final screens banner

Reflections

Working on SnapMeal proved the power of user-centered design. Research reshaped our assumptions—users valued dietary needs and personalization as much as convenience. Features like chef profiles and meal customization built trust, showing that great UX fosters connections, not just usability. This case study strengthened my design thinking and ability to turn insights into meaningful experiences.

Key Takeaways from the Process

Key Takeaways
from the Process

Key Takeaways
from the Process

Customization should feel effortless

Personalization adds value but shouldn’t interfere with the experience

Live interactions build trust

Meal prep livestreams increases confidence in orders

People trust people

Seeing a chef’s face, their story, and their process is assuring

User needs over assumptions

Research revealed that dietary preferences, sustainability, and customization drive decision-making more than expected

Next Steps
for SnapMeal

Meal Piggy Bank

Save small change from orders to use later

Rewards System

Earn points to exchange for meals

Chef’s Recommendation

Special recipes curated by chefs

Premium Customer

Unlimited livestream access, exclusive recipes, free deliveries, and MySnap credits