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SMARTER PICKUP
NFC-enabled pickup and payment experience for faster in-store orders
Role
Product Design
Service Design
Duration
Individual Project
2023
Methods
User Scenario, Service Blueprint,
Interaction Flow, Concept Design,
Visual Prototyping
Focus
Pickup Experience
Mobile Payment
Customer-Staff Interaction
SMARTER PICKUP
Smarter Pickup is a service design concept that uses NFC-enabled cards to simplify Starbucks in-store pickup and payment. Instead of relying only on mobile screens or verbal confirmation, the card creates a clear physical touchpoint between customers, staff, and pickup areas. The project explores how NFC interaction can make ordering, payment, and pickup feel more intuitive, visible, and efficient.
Context
In busy Starbucks stores, pickup moments can easily become unclear. Customers may wait near the counter without knowing whether their order is ready, while staff often need to repeat names, check receipts, or manage multiple orders at the same time.
This concept responds to that gap by turning the pickup process into a more visible and guided interaction. With an NFC card, customers can confirm payment, identify their order, and receive pickup guidance through a simple tap-based experience.
Research Goal
“
To understand how users experience Starbucks ordering, seating, payment, and pickup, I created a questionnaire to identify everyday pain points and test whether NFC-based ordering and space reservation could simplify the customer journey.
Surveys
At certain times of the day, users who purchased the product were not able to enjoy the benefits of a proper seat, while some users who did not purchase the product were able to see occupying a seat as a reasonable thing to do, affecting the commercialization of Starbucks
Starbucks store layout is designed around inclusive space, around the “third space” that is to provide a comfortable environment for social groups to enjoy, but in reality, due to the lack of control or regulatory restrictions, resulting in the scarcity of seating is even less to be truly used for business as well as entertainment purposes. Allowed to occupy seats at low cost, impact on “turnover rate”
OPPORTUNITY
The goal of this project is to create a smoother Starbucks pickup experience by connecting payment, order confirmation, and pickup guidance through one NFC-enabled card. The concept turns a small physical touchpoint into a clearer service interaction between customers, staff, and the store environment.
From Research to Solution
Based on the research findings, I translated the main pain points into three design directions: reducing app ordering steps, improving pickup feedback, and connecting seating awareness with the payment journey. The following solutions explore how NFC can become a simple physical touchpoint that links Starbucks' digital ordering system with the in-store experience.
Design Solution
Design Solution 1 — Seat Zoning & Reservation
After placing an order, users can preview seating zones, check availability, select a suitable seat,
and confirm the reservation within one connected flow.
Design Solution 2 — NFC Tap-to-Order & Flavor Discovery
1 Tap NFC
2 View Drink Details
2 Pay Instantly
Tap your phone on the
NFC card or table tag
See the featured drink,
customize if you like
Confirm and pay in one
tap
After placing an order, users can preview seating zones, check availability, select a suitable seat, and confirm the reservation within one connected flow.
Tap NFC
View Drink Details
Pay Instantly
Tap your phone on the NFC card or table tag
See the featured drink,
customize if you like
Confirm and pay in one tap
Drink Card
Table Tag
Seasonal Card
90mm x 54mm
80mm x 80mm
90mm x 54mm
All cards and tags use passive NFC — no battery or pairing required.
Final Solution
The final design focuses on an NFC Tap-to-Order system that simplifies payment, reduces app friction, and supports new drink discovery. It creates a smoother connection between the in-store experience and Starbucks' digital ordering process.
