Introduction This time, I choose to observe the ordering process in BOLOCO, which sits in the first floor of Marino Center. The reason for I am interested about this restaurant is that the restaurant used to being filled with people although there is always a long line at the counter. I have several ordering experience in this restaurant, which impresses me most is the slow ordering speed. On Monday noon, I came to that restaurant, and chose a seat near to the area from door to the counter, which will be convenient for me to investigate.
Observation I sit at the restaurant from noon to three o’clock, the flow of people increased around one o’clock. At that time, the line at the counter would be longer than anytime, and the lonely cashier became difficultly to deal with orders one after the other. Although the customer spend a little time on waiting for ordering, they could get the burritos quickly. Because there were some employees working in pipeline operation in cooking area, in order to speed the food making process. I observe the food menu, there are many food types and with abundant descriptions. And there is an option for customers to build their own favorite concoction. I discovered that some people would choose the favor already in the menu, however most customers would like to create their own burritos by choosing any of ingredients. During this process, the customer would take more time to consider of adding which ingredients, and the cashier also would repeat confirm with the customer about the things s/he wants to add. The time cost of whole process are much more than the person who orders the food exists in the menu. In addition, some customers seems like it is the first time to go to the BOLOCO, they would ask more details to the cashier, such as what the physical size of burritos or bowls look like, what the vegetable ingredients are which are not showed specifically on the menu board. Meanwhile, in the waiting line, some customers are alone and some are two or three together. The customers who wait alone are looking at their phones, instead of a group customers would have some conversation to eliminate the felling of bored in waiting. There is an interesting phenomenon that the customers by one-self would raise their heads sometimes and look at the front line, which expresses that they focus on the speed of line. On the other hand, the customers who are pair or more together, they would focus on their conversations, even are unaware that they are the next in line. Moreover, I noted that the cashier operated the ordering system in no hurry when the line only has three to five customers. But when the line became longer, the cashier turned into rapid action. Once the receipt was printed out, he would pass on it to the Kitchener, and all the next one in the line. From the observation, the artifacts during the ordering process that the cashier worked with are the cash register, ordering pad, and the receipt which is one to the customer, and another copy to the cook. The artifact that the customers held were the receipt, the empty cup for filling drinks, and the food in the end. Interviews I interviewed a customer who came to eat by himself, and asked him about his ordering experience in this restaurant. He told me that he always chooses the BOLOCO as his meal although the restaurant is very crowded when he every time comes in. And the burrito he orders frequently is teriyaki sauce with white meat chicken. He said this creation was recommended by a cashier when he came here for the first time. And he thought it was really delicious when he ate the first bite. And he keeps the custom for a while. He said that the ordering speed is so slow that makes him be irritable sometimes. Even the line is expanded to the door, there is still only on cashier working. In the past, he met a customer who stood in front of him, that customer spent at least five minutes on asking each burritos’ favor, and repeatedly changed her decision. The man I interviewed said that time was his longest waiting time. In the end, he also hopes that the BOLOCO could improve their ordering system, in order to give the customers a better service.
Conclusion From my observation and interviews with a customer, I think that the ordering process also is one of the most important factors in a fast food restaurant. It also can directly affect the customer’s experience in a restaurant. The idea of fast food existing is to make the customers’ life be more convenient and decrease their meal time. For instance, in Macdonald’s, there are many cashier in a line, and the menu board is big and clear to show the set meals with images and numbers. So there is rarely happening the similar occasion that the BOLOCO happens. There are some recommendation as follows: 1. Increase the number of cash registers 2. Develop an App for the customer to order online in a restaurant, in order to speed ordering process and decrease the cost of labor 3. Using the kiosk machine for the customer self-ordering The human and computer interaction is really a big role in the human life.