Eat 'n' Treat

What it does

Eat 'n' Treat streamlines food delivery across large university campuses where canteens are far apart. Students can conveniently order meals from anywhere on campus. It allows students to earn extra money by registering as delivery agent within the campus.

Your inspiration

Eat 'n' Treat was born from real campus life by seeing students skip meals because canteens were too far or time was too tight. At the same time, many were struggling to find flexible part-time work. I wanted to solve both problems with one idea: a student-powered food delivery app that brings meals closer and creates income opportunities within the campus. It’s a simple, self-sustaining system designed to fit the student lifestyle: fast, flexible, and made for our own community.

How it works

Eat 'n' Treat is designed with a student-centric user experience: simple flows, quick access, and minimal taps. The app maps all campus canteens with real-time menus, allowing students to browse, customize, and order with ease. Orders can be scheduled to align with class breaks, or pre-booked as fixed meals for the week, encouraging routine and healthier eating. Once an order is placed, nearby student delivery agents get notified. The one who accepts delivers it to the hostel, classroom, or any campus spot. Payments are seamless via card, crypto, or the in-app wallet. Every delivery agent is a verified student, adding trust and familiarity. The backend is built for admins, they can onboard canteens, edit menus, manage orders and users. Every screen is designed to reduce friction, support fast decision-making, and offer a sense of community: creating a smooth, self-sustaining food experience, made by and for students.

Design process

The idea started with observing pain points students face on campus: long distances between classes and canteens, time crunch, and lack of flexible earning options. I mapped out two core users: student buyers and student delivery agents. I began with hand-drawn journey maps and low-fidelity wireframes, testing flow simplicity and clarity. Early feedback revealed students needed faster order placement, clear canteen visibility, and trust in delivery agents. I refined the flows in Figma, focusing on lightweight interactions, collapsible menus, and familiar gestures. A mid-fidelity prototype was built with interactive paths to test key features: scheduled delivery, live order status, agent verification, and in-app wallet use. Usability tests on campus revealed confusion around meal subscriptions, which led to redesigning that section with timeline cards and smart defaults. I also created an admin dashboard to manage canteens, menus, and user activity. The design evolved through continuous feedback, always prioritizing speed, trust, and a familiar, student-first experience.

How it is different

Eat 'n' Treat is more than a food delivery app, it’s built specifically for campus life. Unlike generic platforms, it understands student routines, class schedules, and limited budgets. It offers features like pre-booked meals, scheduled deliveries between lectures, and peer-to-peer delivery through verified students. This creates a trusted, hyper-local network where students earn by delivering to fellow classmates. The UI is tailored for quick actions, minimal steps, and real-time campus canteen visibility. It’s also self-sustaining, campuses can manage their own menus, agents, and payments via an admin dashboard. No outside delivery services, no extra fees, just a system made by students, for students, something no mainstream food app truly offers.

Future plans

I’ve already pitched Eat 'n' Treat to my graduation university, which has a vast campus and multiple food outlets, making it ideal for piloting. The next step is to develop an MVP, test it live, and improve it through feedback. I aim to expand across campuses and introduce features like meal subscriptions, nutritional insights, and health tracking based on eating habits. This data can support student wellness and medical records, promoting healthier lifestyles. The vision is a student-led, scalable ecosystem tailored to diverse university needs.

Awards

Eat 'n' Treat was showcased at TechExpo 2023, a university-level project exhibition at Parul University. It gained strong interest for addressing real student needs on campus, especially around food access and student employment. The concept was appreciated for its practical impact and design thinking.