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Abstract

The Automated Menu Ordering System solves issues like long wait times, order mistakes, and reliance on waitstaff by allowing customers to select tables, browse menus, and place orders directly from a table screen. Customer can pay for their food. A manager oversees order fulfillment and overall restaurant operations, while an admin manages the menu, promotional deals, accounts, and branches.

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Introduction

Many restaurants struggle with long wait times, order errors due to human intervention, and high labor costs, which can negatively impact customer satisfaction and overall efficiency. The reliance on waitstaff for taking orders can lead to delays and mistakes, affecting the dining experience.

The Automated Menu Ordering System addresses these challenges by providing several advantages. It eliminates the need for waitstaff, allowing customers to sit at a table and start browsing the menu using a screen at their table, where they can place orders directly. Customers can customize their orders, view the status of their orders, and pay for their meals through the system. This automated process reduces wait times, minimizes order errors, and enhances the overall dining experience.

The platform includes various functionalities, such as a comprehensive menu display that allows customers to view food items, read descriptions, and check prices. The system enables customers to customize their orders based on preferences, such as portion sizes or ingredient modifications.

The manager oversees order fulfillment and overall restaurant operations, ensuring smooth kitchen functionality and addressing any service issues. Meanwhile, the admin manages the menu and promotional deals, with the ability to update or modify items as necessary to provide customers with the latest offerings. Both the manager and admin must sign up and log in, ensuring secure access and control over their respective areas.

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Problem Statement

Traditional restaurant ordering systems can cause inefficiencies, delays, and errors. Customers experience long waits, incorrect orders, and limited status updates, while manual processing increases mistakes and slows service.

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Objectives

  1. Enhanced Customer Experience: Allow customers to browse menus, place orders, and pay directly from their table.
  2. Streamlined Order Processing: Automatically send orders to the counter, reducing wait times and minimizing errors.
  3. Order Customization & Tracking: Enable customers to customize orders and receive real-time order status updates.
  4. Customer Feedback: Let customers rate their meals and provide feedback.
  5. Waitstaff Assistance: Allow customers to call a waiter for assistance when needed.
  6. Manager Oversight: Provide managers with the ability to oversee and track customer orders at the counter.
  7. Admin Control: Allow admins to manage food products, deals, accounts, and branches.
  8. User-Friendly Interface: Offer light and dark mode options for customer comfort.

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Tools and Technologies

The Automated Menu Ordering System will be developed using the following tools and technologies

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Core Development Tools

  1. WinUI3: For building modern Windows apps.
  2. XAML: For designing user interfaces.
  3. C#: For backend development.

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Database and Storage

  1. PostgreSQL: For database storage.
  2. Supabase: For database hosting and management.
  3. Azure Data Studio: For database queries and management.

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Version Control and Collaboration

  1. Hackmd: For collaborative writing and sharing.
  2. Online Gannt: For project management and scheduling.
  3. GitHub: For version control and collaboration.
  4. WhatsApp: For communication and updates.

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Design and Prototyping

  1. WinUI3 Gallery: For UI components and controls.
  2. Figma: For wireframing and prototyping.
  3. Exalidraw: For creating rough diagrams and sketches.
  4. Adobe Illustrator: For illustrations and design.

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Development Environments

  1. Visual Studio: For software development.
  2. Visual Studio Code: For code editing and documentation.

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Documentation

  1. Microsoft Office Suite: For documentation.

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Hardware Tools

  1. Tablet or Touch Screen: For customers to browse menus and place orders.
  2. Computer or Laptop: For managers and admins to oversee operations and manage the system.
  3. Internet Connection: To enable communication between devices and the central system.

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Vision

Our vision is to create a seamless and efficient dining experience for customers and restaurant staff by automating the ordering process, reducing wait times, and enhancing customer satisfaction.

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Scope and Features

Our Automated Menu Ordering System aims to simplify the dining experience for customers by allowing them to select a table and browse the menu for ordering and customization options as desired. Customers can conveniently monitor their orders. Settle payments directly via the system while also providing feedback post meal and requesting assistance from staff if necessary. Moreover, managers have access to an overview of all orders to effectively oversee restaurant operations and maintain functionality throughout. Administrators have the ability to modify the menu items and manage offers while also taking care of user accounts and supervising branches all from multiple locations. The interface is designed for convenience, with choices between dark mode[^1] and user friendly navigation to ensure an experience[^2], for both customers and employees.