Whataburger app work completed as UX Director while at McGarrah Jessee with many other talented people
The Whataburger App
Hot, Fresh & Made-to-Order
Order Up: An App Befitting the Whataburger Name
When it came time for Whataburger to create their first app, they engaged us, with the benefit of 15+ years of working with them, to bring our in-depth understanding of their customers, brand and products to this new platform to unlock all the delicious goodness that fans crave from Whataburger.
While other quick-serve restaurants were already enjoying the success of their online ordering apps, we were challenged with delivering a competitive experience that would attract, engage, reward and retain fans of the brand in a way that no other burger app could. Our secret weapon? You can order a Whataburger just like you like it.
Cooking Up the Most Customizable Burger App
Though we were initially brought on as the conceptual design team, we quickly recognized that this was first and foremost a UX assignment with four main functions that needed to be architected from the ground up.
Online Ordering on Steroids
At the core of this experience is the online ordering system for which we leveraged our intimate knowledge of their menu and their customers’ desire to personalize their order to deliver a customization-centric user experience. Want that burger on Texas toast? Go for it. Two slices of Monterey Jack cheese and a slice of smoked cheddar cheese, grilled jalapeños, hold the lettuce, grill the onions? You got it!
Mobile Payments As Easy as Fried Apple Pie
Sure, you can pay for your online order in the app with a gift card, credit card, PayPal and Apple Pay. OR, you can load money directly into the app — which has the added benefit of allowing you to pay for dine-in or drive-thru meals as well. This mobile payment system also has an auto-reload feature so that when it’s time to pay all you have to do is tap the QR code from the home screen and you’re all set.
Delicious Rewards
What’s better than a Whataburger? Free Whataburger, of course. So we designed a loyalty program that allows customers with the app to earn and redeem tasty treats. All you have to do is pay with the app and every fifth visit unlocks a reward redeemable for one of eight menu items online or at the restaurant.
More Account Perks
We knew we needed to build a robust account system to support the online ordering system, mobile payment functionality and rewards program. But we didn’t stop there. Inspired by our fans’ desire to get their Whataburger just like they like it, we also allowed customers to personalize the app experience based on their interests and easily save favorite orders to make reordering their go-to that much easier.
Earlier Concepts
We showed four conceptual design directions that ultimately influenced the chosen direction. Here they are:
It Hit the Spot
4.4 stars on Google Play and 4.8 stars on App Store
~25% of the people who open the app convert to place an order
Paved the way for adding Curbside when dining rooms closed for COVID-19
