{"id":6829,"date":"2015-07-07T15:49:49","date_gmt":"2015-07-07T22:49:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/proxystudio.uxpin.com\/?p=6829"},"modified":"2024-06-10T21:11:26","modified_gmt":"2024-06-11T04:11:26","slug":"super-size-uxui-design-lessons-fast-food-sites","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/blog\/super-size-uxui-design-lessons-fast-food-sites\/","title":{"rendered":"Supersize Your UX\/UI: Design Lessons From Fast-Food Sites"},"content":{"rendered":"

Photo Credit: George<\/a>, Creative Commons 2.0<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Fast-food websites are an interesting mix of user experiences. They aren\u2019t hard to land upon since fast-food joints register every domain name imaginable that relates to their name and menu items. This assures you\u2019ll be enticed \u2014 brainwashed to run right out for a meal. A perfect mix of UI and UX, images are bold and navigation is obvious to the user.<\/p>\n

In this piece, we\u2019ll discuss how you can look at fast-food sites to supersize your UX and UI.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Build Trust With Consistency and Familiarity<\/b><\/h2>\n

McDonald\u2019s<\/a> has been serving up hamburgers longer than they\u2019ve been serving up a website. However, the fast-food chain\u2019s website is a powerhouse of UX and UI design.<\/p>\n

\"image03\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Photo Credit: McDonald\u2019s<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

The site may always be changing \u2014 depending on campaigns, etc. \u2014 but the UI is always consistent. Same look, same place, same function. This consistency helps to build trust and familiarity. That consistency is carried throughout Mickey Dee\u2019s site as you delve deeper into it.<\/p>\n

The interior food pages continue to sell the product as well as tease with other products available. At the same time, they maintain a similar look and feel to the main landing page.<\/p>\n

\"image02\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Photo Credit: McDonald\u2019s<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

With familiarity, users are more likely to come back. According to ZURB\u2019s Design Triggers entry on \u201cfamiliarity<\/a>,\u201d research shows that the more times users are exposed to something, they more they\u2019ll like and trust it.<\/p>\n

Meet a User\u2019s Desired Need <\/b><\/h2>\n

But maintaining visual consistency isn\u2019t all that\u2019s happening here. McDonald\u2019s demonstrates that it understands its users and their needs, baking that into the user experience.<\/p>\n

At the click of a button, a user can call up the nutritional information on any McDonald\u2019s menu item.<\/p>\n

\"image01\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Photo Credit: McDonald\u2019s<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Being transparent about their nutritional information also mimics the experience in McDonald\u2019s brick-and-mortar restaurants<\/a>. A user can then add any item into a \u201cmeal builder,\u201d which will tally the nutritional numbers so that he or she can know what exactly how many calories, salt, etc. they are about to down.<\/p>\n

\"image00\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Photo Credit: Chipotle<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Anticipating user needs starts with having an understanding of who will actually come to the site. McDonald\u2019s isn\u2019t the only fast-food chain to grasp this. Chipotle also presents nutritional information to users. However, they take it a step further and use storytelling<\/a> and clever copywriting to showcase how their food is actually made, from marinade to grill. If a user wanted more information on the quality of Chipotle\u2019s food, there\u2019s a link that\u2019ll whisk them away to another page, which future satiates a user\u2019s desire to understand what it is they\u2019re putting in their mouths.<\/p>\n

You can anticipate your user needs in a few ways:<\/p>\n