Overview
Problem
Ordering from a menu is a decision made under uncertainty. Diners commit to dishes they can’t see, taste, or fully understand — and the gap between expectation and reality has measurable costs.
This uncertainty can lead to decision paralysis, avoidance of unfamiliar dishes, and dependence on the server to confirm details diners can't verify themselves.
For restaurants, it can result in lower order value, slower turnover, safer choices, and less menu exploration.
Design Response
MenuMagic replaces the static menu with a spatial interface anchored to the diner's placemat:
Anchor information to the physical placemat — As users rotate it, more details gradually appear, giving them time to explore the menu without feeling overwhelmed at first glance.
Replace UI controls with spatial gestures — Palm-up brings up the menu, grabbing selects an item, and reaching forward confirms an action.
Reveal information gradually — Diners decide how quickly they explore, while the interface guides what appears first and what comes next.
Project Video
Overview
Conceptual Impact
Moved beyond 2D interface patterns
Turning menu interaction from flat overlays into a spatial experience grounded in physical gestures and real-world objects.
Addressed both sides of the dining experience
The design responds to diner pain points and restaurant pain points.
Rapid iteration & execution
Facilitated multiple rounds of feedback and synthesis to refine the spatial UI across three documented iterations.
Research
Customer Research
We interviewed 7 frequent diners recruited from our program. Conversations surfaced pain points spanning the full ordering journey — from initial decision-making to post-meal disappointment.
These insights revealed 3 key patterns:
#1 Decision Paralysis & Disappointment
I spend too much time deciding because I'm afraid the food won't match my expectations —then I feel like I wasted money when it doesn't.
#2 Cultural Cuisine Barriers
I want to try ethnic dishes like 'Char Siu Bao,' but when descriptions don't explain or show what it is, I have no idea what I'm ordering.
#3 Awkward Information Seeking
I hate to ask the server a million questions about menu items—I worry they're getting annoyed, and I feel like I'm being high-maintenance.
Research
User Journey
We mapped our persona's dining experience with traditional menus, tracking actions and thoughts from initial excitement to final disappointment.
The peak friction moments — paralysis at Deciding and regret at Post-Decision — are exactly where the static menu format breaks down. Diners can't see what a dish actually looks like, can't verify what's in it, and can't access answers without interrupting the meal.
Synthesis
User Persona
How might we create informed dining experiences that help diners make confident ordering decisions through spatial menu exploration?
Ideation
User Flow + Information Architecture
Ideation
Developing a Solution
Iteration
Design Decision
After visualizing the concept and gathering feedback, I identified three critical iterations that shaped the final experience. Each iteration prompted me to redefine Augmented Interaction, moving beyond 2D constraints and exploring spatial possibilities.
Final Design
High-Fidelity Concept
To demonstrate how the spatial interface would feel in practice, I translated MenuMagic's interaction design into a 3D-rendered concept. The three moments below — activation, exploring, ordering — show what the full dining experience would look like at production quality.
Lens Studio Prototypes — Proof of Concept
To validate the technical feasibility of the design, I built a functional prototype in Lens Studio. Despite limited coding experience, I used platform resources and AI assistance to implement the core spatial interactions — hand gesture controls, placemat navigation, and button gestures in a real environment.
Hand gesture menu controls
Hand gesture button controls
Placemat Navigation