XCuseMe

An easy and cheap system which allows existing restaurants to supply their ordering process with a digital upgrade.

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Inspiration

Have you ever been annoyed by not being able to find a waiter in the restaurant? And then still having to wait for what you just ordered? That time is over! XCuseMe brings the waiter right to you - digitally and on your device!

What it does

You scan a QR code on the table, quickly confirm you're really here and start browsing the menu! When you found your delight for the taste-buds then go ahead and order it with just a few taps - no need to wait for someone to listen, our system is always at your service. The moment you order something the waiter receives a corresponding notification on their tablet at the counter and they can readily bring it to you. Waiters have the option to easily mark orderings as done and thus ensuring to always have a clear overview.

What makes our idea special

During the development we focused on an aspect which will become especially important when it comes to competition: fake orders. That is someone having access to the QR code while not being physically at the table (by taking a picture for example). To prevent this we introduced an additional user interaction step which involves a small button and screen on the table which are used to transmit a passphrase needed for further orderings.

How we built it

We used a RaspberryPi together with an LCD screen with integrated buttons for triggering the passphrase generation in the backend and subsequent transmission to the user. By scanning a QR code on the table the users are guided to a web app which we built with modern web technologies such as express.js and ejs. The frontend contents are stored on a webserver which is served by node.js. All relevant data is stored in a central database and interactions are handled by a separate RESTful API which has been built using the Django Web framework for Python.

Challenges we ran into

Setting up coherent and clearly arranged interfaces for the interaction between the backend and the two frontend applications was challenging given the narrow time schedule. Because the LCD screen we had access to was not explicitly manufactured for usage with RaspberryPi's it was also not straightforward to set up.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We have managed to cover a great variety of topics ranging from a hardware solution for verifying user presence to a backend for database access culminating in two mobile frontends which allow for intuitive user interactions. While doing so we have always kept in mind the bigger picture with focus on several extension possibilities.

What we learned

Besides strengthen our skills related to several programming techniques and concepts we have learned that communication plays a major role in developing an application which involves as many components.

What's next for XCuseMe

  • Having developed a hardware solution which prevents compromising our system was only part of the work we've done towards this goal. There are plenty of other options available ranging from using microcontrollers to employing touchscreens to using NFC modules for an alternative way of close-by authentication.
  • Providing a web app for placing orders is essential in our opinion because it allows customers to just use the system "out of the box". However customization is a big topic too in this context, thinking of custom themes, distributing digital vouchers or collecting bonus point for frequently visiting a restaurant. For that purpose the development of native apps made it to our list of future prospects.
  • Communicating what one wants to order is only part of what a restaurant visit involves - for both the client and the restaurant. Integrating or connecting with an electronic cash register as well as providing options for digital payment are further possibilities arising in this context.
  • By providing a central system for many users of many restaurants we have the possibility to efficiently analyse what offers are attractive to users and how they are related amongst each other and between restaurants. By doing so we can provide each participating restaurant extensive statistics about how users react to their offers nicely put into graphs and accompanied by suggestions for future menu and offer planning. All this analysis is governed by German law with its strict regulations for private data usage which we think is appealing to both users and restaurants.
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