About The Project
To improve service flow and reduce counter crowding at the NIFT Panchkula canteen, we replaced the old, unreadable whiteboard menu with a clear printed banner and a responsive digital menu website. QR codes were placed on each table, allowing students to access the menu instantly from their seats—enhancing convenience, clarity, and overall dining experience.
Dining Area
Previous Menu
Crowd At Counter
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Problem Statement
The daily menu at the NIFT Panchkula canteen was displayed on an old whiteboard with faint, unreadable marker writing. This led to confusion, overcrowding at the counter, and inefficiencies in the serving process—especially during peak hours. Students had to physically approach the counter just to view the menu, which disrupted the service flow and created unnecessary delays.
There was a need for a clear, accessible, and user-friendly solution that could inform students about the menu in advance and reduce congestion at the serving point.
Primary Research
INTERVIEWS
Staff of NIFT, Panchkula IIT, Guwahati Govt. Polytechnic College, Panchkula Govt. Post Graduate College, Panchkula
SURVEYS
Students in Colleges, Google Forms
OBSERVATION
College Canteen Dining hall, Kitchen, Food Counters
How Might We
How might we redesign the canteen Menu to improve the overall student dining experience?
Ideations
To address poor menu visibility and long queues, we implemented a dual solution:
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QR-based digital menu – Accessible from every table, letting students explore the full menu anytime.
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Large wall-mounted flex banner – A bold, readable menu design placed on the canteen wall to increase offline visibility.
The solution aimed to:
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Reduce queue formation at the counter
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Improve accessibility and readability of the menu
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Enhance the overall dining experience through a modern, user-friendly interface
Empathy Mapping
Menu Board
The menu is styled in a chalkboard aesthetic, which is both minimal and expressive—perfect for a design-savvy audience like NIFT students. The blackboard background symbolizes a creative workspace, much like a studio or classroom board, evoking familiarity and warmth.
Why it works:
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It reflects a handmade, artistic vibe.
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It subtly aligns with the fashion and design environment of NIFT.
Menu Website
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Aesthetic Sensibility:
As a design college, NIFT students are exposed to visual culture constantly. This website respects that by offering a visually pleasing, cohesive brand identity for the canteen. -
Fast and Functional:
While being stylish, the site doesn’t ignore functionality. Quick readability, image-based cues, and grouped pricing suit the fast-paced lifestyle of students. -
Modern Café Vibe:
Instead of feeling like a traditional mess, the canteen now feels like a cool, student-friendly café — through just a website. This builds a positive impression and increases footfall.
Mobile Adaptations
