Steven Shay
International House of Pancakes (IHOP)
How I led an app and website redesign to boost guest engagement and launch a new digital loyalty program
I guided the client-facing UX and Strategy team, overseeing two UX designers, a Strategist, and a Business Analyst.
ROLE
Sr. Director, UX
YEARS
2022
TYPE
App & Website
2x
Loyalty Signup goal
+35%
Site Sessions
+65%
Screens Views Per Session
3
Teams Aligned
SITUATION
Coming out of the pandemic, IHOP had fallen behind
IHOP’s dated website and app frustrated loyal and new guests alike. The lack of order customization and real-time notifications drove them to order from the competition.
Store franchisees and IHOP lacked critical data needed to grow guest relationships and inform internal decisions.
Additionally, IHOP wanted to launch a new loyalty program that wasn’t yet approved. We had to solve all these problems in a tight six-month timeframe.
Before: The IHOP App
LEADING TEAMS
Streamlining process to meet a tight 6-month deadline
I introduced and led a new, collaborative process of sharing work-in-progress deliverables, from insights to rough Figma files, two days each week with IHOP stakeholders and their development team. This process allowed real-time feedback and early development starts.
The new way of working ensured team alignment, facilitated quick decision-making, and minimized the need for ad-hoc meetings, ultimately enhancing communication and efficiency.
RESEARCH & INSIGHTS
Improving the group ordering experience became our #1 goal
I led the research, conducting customer surveys and interviews, a competitive and trend analysis, and reviewed site analytics to understand user needs and behaviors.
Insights from research showed us that the experience needed to center around highly customized group ordering as they complete an order by passing around a phone or laptop. Also, people tend to re-order the same items and had the desire to save their favorite meals and items for later.
Our other users, IHOP Franchisees, wanted better data about their customers and more efficient digital order processing to reduce complaints.
Our research unveiled diner’s evolving expectations and guided our design solutions
“Why isn't there a ‘Create Your Own’ version? I want to customize the meals I choose.”
Customer Interview Response
“You’ve gotta get customization right and we’ll win them back. We just need one more visit per year to meet goals.”
Franchisee Interview Response
“IHOP needs to be a memory-maker. It’s not big things—it’s the many little moments during a meal that add up.”
Stakeholder Interview Response
Our customers are groups of people who want easy and convenient meal solutions that cater to their unique and evolving expectations, right now.
Persona Research Takeaway
Reduce friction, focus on simplicity, and build an inclusive ordering experience that serves diverse customer groups with varied diets.
Customer Journey Insight
Feed that IHOP Feeling by making their mouths water, adding considerate customization, and serving sweet surprises along the way.
Experience Strategy Statement
CUSTOMER JOURNEY MAPPING
Our a journey-led approach revealed how families order meals online and at the table.
Leveraging insights from our research, I partnered with the Strategy Director to define 4 Customer Personas, which turned about to be Groups, not individuals.
After getting sign off on the Personas, I led two Customer Journey workshops in Miro with 10+ stakeholders to define three customer journeys, the experience vision and feature roadmap.
We combined information from each Customer Journey Map into one "mega map" in Miro for everyone to work from.
IHOP's Personas turned out to be groups, not individuals
EXPERIENCE STRATEGY
Make them feel like they’re ordering from the restaurant
We learned customers expect the ordering online to mirror the dine-in experience, so we added key meal customization options that were missing. I led prototype testing with franchisees and customers to ensure we struck the right balance of customization without overwhelming users.
UX DESIGN
No more “check please”
To speed table turnover and another diner issue, waiting for the check, we added dine-in payment features via the app or website. reducing the time for diners and servers to finish meals. Scan the receipt, pay, and then leave. Easy!
UX DESIGN
From order to pickup: Making the ordering experience effortless
A great ordering experience also lets you know when to pick up your order. I spearheaded the strategy and UX design to enhance the order status experience, helping busy families know when to leave home and for IHOP servers to meet customers in the parking lot with their order.
LOYALTY DESIGN
The fun, new loyalty program doubled IHOP’s sign-up goal
We created an engaging, bank/crypto-themed loyalty program that makes it easy and fun to sign up, earn, and use pancoins (points). The dashboard provides guests with a quick view of their "account" and clear paths to common actions.
To redeem pancoins for food or gear, I led the creation of the "Stack Market" where guests can explore redeemable items.
For dine-in guests, our new UX lets them to scan a code on their receipts to earn pancoins, ensuring they never miss out on rewards they’ve earned.
2x
Loyalty Signup goal
+35%
Site Sessions
+65%
Screens Views Per Session
3
Teams Aligned