Design and Implementation of Online Restaurant Food Ordering System
Chapter One
OBJECTIVES OF STUDY
This study lays out a framework for a new system to be developed and brought to the market for maximum use and to create an avenue through the web where users can log on to our server and make a selection of whatever goods or food they like and subsequently pay via the internet. The following are the objectives this would bring:
- The home page of this web interfile provides an avenue where customers will be able to gather more and reliable information about what the fast food industry really
- The products and services offered would provide the customers with all the different categories of available products that they can choose and select from.
- This will provide a user friendly environment between the customer and employee thus increasing the efficiency of the food ordering
- There will also be an online purchase form with which valued customers will be using to get in touch with any of their request whenever the need arises.
- It will also help for easy retrieval of orders made by the customers.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
INTRODUCTION
An ordering system is referred to as a set of detail methods that is being used in handling the ordering process. Food ordering can be computerized or done manually. Thos helps the customer to order their food themselves which is known as the customer self-ordering system.
The customer self-ordering system can be defined as a computerized system that is being used by customers to place their own orders in the restaurant and allow the orders to be tracked, in order to prepare and deliver the food to the computers.
SELF-SERVICE/SELF-ORDERING IN RESTAURANT
Self-service or self-ordering in restaurant industry refers to the restaurant taking orders from customers through applying various types of technologies such as internet and many others. Self-service or self-ordering is successful when it is applied at restaurants in many other countries. The usage of the self-service or self- ordering technology is proven to benefit most of the investors.
Odesser-Torpey(Odesser-Torpey, 2008) reports that most of the Americans hate waiting for an order. Therefore, they prefer self-service technology, which can be in form of text messaging, the internet and kiosk. Usually, the customer prefers self-service because of speed and convenience in making order and transaction while minimize the miscommunication. He also mentioned that self-activated terminals are more likely to serve as ordering innovation in the future. The implementation of alternative ordering can increase check size, free up counter staff that need to serve customers and take money handling out of service equation.
Bhatnagar(Bhatnagar, 2006) mentioned that the innovation of kiosk and computerized table top ordering screen will force restaurant industry re-jigger an often used acronym quick service restaurant to the self-service restaurant. Customers can get information or search for recipes from the kiosk and internet. The kiosk and internet also takes orders and receives credit cards or debit cards payment. As a result, wrong order and long queue can be avoided, order staff can be arranged to somewhere else and focus to speed up on delivery orders. On the other hand, a table-top touch screen order system can take customer orders as well as handle other customer requests such as refill drinks, call a waiter and make payment by credit card and debit card.
Bytes, a restaurant located at Canterbury has been successfully standing apart from the competitors because of applying online self-service ordering and the payment concepts. The system used in Bytes allows the customers make an order through the touch screen, and the order will be directed to bar or kitchen. The system also offers games after a customer placed the orders while internet access will be provided to customers in the future. Touch screen ordering reduces the need of the waiter. The system also provides database for customers’ habits and preferences, generate the management reports, perform analysis as well as allows the menu to be updated instantly. (Brickers, 2006).
Based on study, it is possible for applying the online food ordering system to the fast food restaurants in Nigeria. This is because the system can improve workplace efficiency, increase sales of the restaurant as well as reduce making incorrect order. As a result, it is worth for investing on the system, whereby it can shorten the return on investment.
In addition, the system should be supported by the food origin taste and services to maintain the customers’ loyalty and satisfaction. However, widely implementing the food ordering system may cause the influx of labor due to the elimination of waiters in restaurant industry. Even the system is important to be implemented, yet there is still some risk in other factors such as a direct interaction and restaurant design concept, which need to be considered for ensuring the success of the system.
Gan (Gan, 2002) proposed to develop an online fast food restaurant ordering system that allows customers to place orders anytime at any place. The system helps to manage order from customer as well as advertise promotion. It allows kitchen staff to view ordering information, management to manage fast food raw materials and staff to search customer delivery and profile information. This system helps to reduce queue issues during peak hours, speed up food preparation and increase customer volumes. As a result, market share of fast food restaurant can be boosted up and increases return of investment for the investor.
De Leon (De Leon, 2008) mentioned that there are several aspects that should be included in a good online food ordering system. System should be simple to navigate, not clustered and easy to make an order, (Sharma, 2007,) designed with professionals looking with search engine optimize capability and available 24hours. The system should also have a secure payment gateway to protect their customers’ credit cards information, fast and keep track on orders and sales history easily as well as generate a comprehensive sales report, (Sharma, 2007).
CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY AND SYSTEM ANALYSIS
RESEARCHMETHODOLOGY
Research methodology has many research dimensions and methods. The scope of research methodology is wider than research method. This is mainly adopted by the researcher in undertaking this research. Methodology is the underlying principles and rules that govern a system method, on the other hand it is a systematic procedure for a set of activities. Thus, from these definitions a methodology encompasses the methods used within a study.
A waterfall model under the software development life cycle (SDLC) is the methodology used to produce the online food ordering system and the customer self ordering system. It is used by system developers to produce or alter information systems or software.
It divides the development process into several stages or processes. After the completion of one stage, it will logically move to another stage. Sometimes moving back to the previous stage is necessary due to failure that occurs in current stage.
System design methods are a discipline within the software development industry which seeks to provide a framework for activity and the capture, storage, transformation and dissemination of information so as to enable the economic development of computer systems that are fit for purpose.
METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION
Although there are various methods of data collection, the researcher chose the two main sources of data collection in carrying out their study. They are:
- Primary source
- Secondary source
The primary source refers to the sources of collecting original data in which the researcher made use of empirical approach such as personal interview.
The secondary sources of data for this kind of project cannot be over emphasized. The secondary data were obtained by the researcher from magazines, journals, newspapers and library source.
ORAL INTERVIEW
The interview method of data collection can be defined as a systematic way of collecting data or information from a respondent through asking questions directly from the respondent and also collecting information with the aim of facilitating understanding. The oral interview was done between the researcher and the management of staff of KRISPY FAST FOOD, Awka. Reliable facts were gotten based on the questions posed to the staff by the researcher which help the researcher in starting the work and also helped in the area of solution presentation of the new design.
STUDY OF MANUALS
Manuals and report based on fast food services were obtained and studied and a lot of information concerning the system to be produced was obtained.
EVALUATION OF FORMS
Some forms that are necessary and available were accessed. These includes the restaurant menu fast food order form, payment receipts etc. these forms helped in the design of the new system.
ANALYSIS OF EXISTING SYSTEM
Throughout the system analysis, an in-depth, study of end-user information is conducted, for producing functional requirement of the proposed system. Data about the existing ordering system is collected through several fact-finding techniques such as website visit and document review, at the beginning of this stage. The data collected facilities information required during detailed analysis. A study on the current system is performed based on the collected data. As a result, user requirement of the proposed system are determined. At the end of this stage, requirement specification is produced as deliverable.
CHAPTER FOUR
SYSTEM DESIGN, IMPLEMENTATION AND TESTING
DESIGN STANDARD
The system is designed with several interaction cues on each web page that makes up the web application (krispy). These cues are well-defined such as to make several functionality that the application exposes to collect, process and output data. Access to these functionalities is made possible by the well designed user interface which embodies several technologies such as AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) to process data. The application is built in a modular form where these functionalities are built into modules. Some of the modules are as follows:
- php
- php
- php
- php
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
SUMMARY
At the end of this project work, I was able to design and develop software that can successfully handle online food ordering and product order for Krispy Foods, Awka. In the process of the design, first hand information on fast food businesses was obtained. This work also will serve as a stepping-stone for people who wish to research more on this topic. Other benefits are:
- Provision of facility for handling text electronically using powerful and sophisticated word processors to produce elegant and error free
- In addition to storing the organization’s operational data on disk backing storage, other forms of data used by the organization could also benefit from storage on such
- With the installed software, product ordering and delivery was made easier. The systematic approaches used during each phase of the software development provides a clear road map that would be of immense help to anyone carrying out research work in this
CONCLUSION
The development of online food ordering system involved many phases. The approach used is a top-down one concentrating on what first, then how and moving to successive levels of details.
The first phase started with a detailed study of the problems and prospects of ordering in Krispy Foods, Awka. In the course of this study, many problems were discovered to have hindered the effectiveness of the existing manual system. These problems, information needs and activities were documented and later used as the basis for system design, which immediately followed the first phase. The design phase was concerned primarily with the specification of the system elements in manner that best met the organization’s business needs.
During this phase, strict adherence was made on proven software engineering principles and practices. To implement this design, a computer program was then written and tested in phpMyadmin environment.
It is hoped that effective implementation of this software product would eliminate many problems discovered during systems investigation.
RECOMMENDATIONS
It is known that for any meaningful computer based information management to be integrated into any organization, proper training and orientation has to be given both to the staff and management. Proper training should be given to the data entry staff on how to handle the computer hardware especially during backup processes. In particular, electronic storage media are usually sensitive to change in temperature or pressure and as such, data can be lost very easily. The staff should also be highlighted on the need and advantage of the system and how it will equally assist them in their various field of work. They should also be informed of the cost of maintaining this new system so that they will handle it with all carefulness. Training materials should not be presented in formal way but with procedures like policies and form etc, they should be circulated to the personnel. This will at the end generate appreciation and needed interest to operate the system.
REFERENCES
- Anderson, R.G. (1978), “Data processing and Management Information Systems” McDonald and Evans Ltd.
- Bhatnagar, P. (2006, march 28). Dinning Trends: self service=Quick-service.
- Brickers, J. (2006, July 24). Is Fast Casual Self-Service at the Tripping Ponit?
- De Leon, E. (2008, August 23). Best Online Food Ordering System. Restaurant Checklist.
- Gan, C.C. (2002). Online Fast Food Restaurant Ordering Systems. Hobbs, N. (2004, march 26). Restaurant Customer Ordering.
- Kroc, Ray (1977). Grinding it out: The Making of McDonald’s. Chicago: Contemporary Books.
- Purname, J., & Wibowo, A.Y. (2007). Wireless Application for Ordering Management System in a Restaurant.
- Sharma, I. (2007,June 22). How Online Food Ordering System helps you run more efficiently.