Seuprato: uma proposta para otimizar a experiência de compra direta entre consumidores e pequenos estabelecimentos alimentícios

Abstract

The Brazilian food service sector, with over 1.6 million establishments and revenues of R$ 257 billion in 2024, underwent accelerated digital transformation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although small and medium establishments adopted digital channels such as WhatsApp and delivery apps, this adoption was superficial and unstructured, resulting in fragmented experiences for consumers. This research investigates the gap between the convenience of delivery apps and the benefits of restaurants’ direct channels, proposing a hybrid solution that preserves humanized service while addressing operational deficiencies. The methodology adopted followed the Double Diamond framework combined with Design Thinking, including quantitative research with 81 respondents and 13 qualitative interviews with consumers and establishment owners. The results revealed that consumers value direct communication and lower prices from direct channels, but face inconsistencies in response times, poor menu quality, and absence of order tracking. In parallel, owners recognize the importance of automation but encounter technical and financial limitations. As a solution, the "SeuPrato"concept was developed, a hybrid digital platform that integrates establishment discovery through a natural language assistant, structured menus, payment processing, and order tracking, natively connected to WhatsApp. The alidation through usability testing with 6 participants demonstrated conceptual viability of the proposal, with 100% of tasks completed successfully. “SeuPrato” proposes an approach that balances automation and personalization, offering an economically viable alternative for both establishments and consumers, eliminating high commissions while maintaining competitive experience.