Updated Mar 1, 2025
Restaurant Product Design
2023 – 2024
Rethinking the Register
How we built a robust, intuitive, and adaptable mobile register solution for restaurants of all sizes, from fast-casual to full-service dining.
Small size, big features
Refined interfaces, robust features, and streamlined workflows that make sense from day one—the register of the future fits in the palm of your hand.
Over the past year, I led the design of the Snackpass Register, a key part of our restaurant operating system, SnackOS. Our goal? Transform our existing order management tablet into a fully-featured, user-friendly POS built for the evolving needs of modern restaurants.
Workflows that create less work
To expand from a single-purpose OrderHub to a robust operating system, we had to create a register that could handle everything from quick to-go orders to complex dine-in operations.
Initially, app-ordering platform Snackpass provided a standalone tablet for restaurants to handle incoming orders. As our offerings grew—kiosks, mobile app ordering, and a basic countertop Register—it became clear we needed a more comprehensive solution that fit seamlessly into restaurants’ day-to-day workflow, especially for full-service dining.
The previous OrderHub built to accept app orders.
Design for people, not personas
To build Register the right way, we gathered feedback from design partners (industry veterans familiar with the day-to-day problems), studied competitors, and uncovered what truly matters in a fast-paced dining environment.
I worked closely with our researcher to interview restaurant managers and staff who had first-hand knowledge of Toast, Square, and other legacy systems. We discovered that while our current register was sufficient for QSR partners, it fell short for dine-in. Staff wanted a system that was fast, intuitive, and optimized for power users. Toast’s robust feature set and Square’s sleek designs gave us insights into finding a balanced approach that combined power with simplicity.
Talking to food truck partners and researching the competition.
Team
Working with a PM, an engineer, and a researcher, I drove design cycles, testing, and iteration to deliver the MVP quickly and keep learning.
As the sole designer on this project, I partnered with a PM to define requirements, an engineer to validate feasibility, and a researcher to plan and execute user tests. This tight collaboration allowed us to build nimbly, incorporate direct feedback from restaurant staff, and rapidly adjust the product based on new insights.
Team testing out our first register on a handheld format.
First version -> first class experience
We took cues from competitor research, tested a variety of layouts and UX flows, and refined our design with ongoing feedback from real-world users to go from MVP (minimum viable product) to MVP (most valuable product).
We started with a minimal “Square-like” layout, but design partners preferred Toast’s approach for speed and ease of use. Through multiple iterations, we shifted to a grid with denser information architecture for menu navigation, surfaced item modifications in fewer taps, and introduced a persistent order overview. This helped servers add items and edit orders quickly—even on a small handheld device. We also introduced a dark mode for dimly lit dining areas, color-coded statuses for in-progress and completed orders, and swipe gestures like duplicate or void items to speed up frequent actions.
Version one of the handheld register.
A modern design approach
Creating Figma prototypes for real-world testing, leveraging quick video demos to align stakeholders, and using AI to validate flows and usability allowed me to design faster and minimize the cost per learning.
To validate concepts quickly, I wired up dozens of Figma prototypes and tested them on-device with our design partners—actual restaurant staff and managers. We shared short video walkthroughs with the broader team for tighter feedback loops, ensuring everyone aligned on key flows before engineering began. Additionally, as a solo designer, I used ChatGPT and other AI tools to serve as my design team, critiquing early prototypes for flow comprehension and potential usability pitfalls. This multi-pronged approach allowed us to build with velocity and higher confidence.
Order entry, order management, checkout.
Solution
The result was a flexible, powerful, and easy-to-navigate system—offering fast ordering, advanced table management, and a holistic restaurant overview at their fingertips.
To address the shortcomings of our original register, we introduced a dense yet intuitive interface optimized for restaurant staff, ensuring quick order entry with minimal errors. The solution features robust table management (map and list view), simplified menu navigation, and advanced customization options—like item modifiers, discounts, and splitting checks.
We embraced a “mobile-first” mindset for handheld devices, creating finger-friendly tap targets and clear layouts, all while adding dark mode, color-coded statuses, and swipe gestures to boost speed. This redesign gives staff the confidence to handle everything from casual to complex service flows without compromising on efficiency.
Figma prototype — checking out on the Register.
Outcome and impact
We launched an MVP that delighted early power users, boosted front-of-house efficiency, and set us up for a successful foray into dine-in restaurants.
Early feedback suggests our register redesign significantly improved order entry and staff satisfaction. Complex tasks like splitting checks now take fewer taps, and the new color-coded interface helps staff navigate rushes with ease. Looking ahead, we plan to refine table management, continue to build features that help restaurants operate more successfully, and introduce a full-size register option.
A customer checks out with tap to pay on Register.
Designs in detail
Table management
A clear list view and floor map and let staff monitor every table at a glance, track open orders, and quickly perform actions like split checks.
Robust order entry
Fast navigation with category grids, quick item modifications, and status updates so staff never lose track of what’s been ordered or sent to the kitchen.
Unified order management
A centralized hub for viewing all orders (dine-in, delivery, and to-go), complete with filtering, item-level details, payment history, and refund options.
Seamless payments
A customer-friendly confirmation screen with order details in a simplified layout and a fast way to split payments however groups need—a marked improvement over competing POS systems.
Looking forward
Designing for fast-paced restaurant environments reminded me that clarity and depth can—and must—coexist. While simplicity often wins early adoption, staff will quickly outgrow superficial solutions if the system can’t handle complex workflows.
Through continuous user feedback, we designed a register that scales in functionality without losing its intuitive core to help restaurants run smarter and faster. Each new insight pushes us to redefine what a POS can be—and ensure it keeps pace with the evolving needs of modern dining.