Foodie Quest

Exploring How People Discover and Remember New Dining Places

What is Foodie Quest?

In an age where dining decisions are driven by endless digital recommendations, people are often overwhelmed by options yet still crave meaningful, memorable experiences. The challenge lies in understanding:

  • How people discover new food places

  • What motivates their choices

  • How those experiences translate into lasting memories

The project seeks to identify opportunities to design better tools, interfaces, or experiences that enhance the joy and memory of food discovery.

Problem Statement

Many people love exploring new restaurants but often forget where they’ve been or lose track of the places they want to try. Current platforms like Google Maps or Yelp help users find popular spots, but they don’t provide a personal or engaging way to document and remember those experiences. Foodie Quest was created to address this gap by making food discovery more intentional and memorable. The problem lies not in finding new places—but in keeping those experiences meaningful and organized for users who enjoy exploring food as a form of connection, adventure, and routine.

What users are saying…

  • "I like to explore new places that offer a variety of food and drink options, so that if I'm going somewhere new with someone or a group, we're more likely to find something to suit everyone's tastes."

  • "I rarely seek out new places because I feel like whatever I want to eat, I already know a good place where I can get it, and because of that, I am much less likely to seek out something new. If I see something that looks delicious online though I normally will save it/screenshot it but then that gets buried in the abyss of my camera roll or other saved photos/videos on media platforms. Would be nice to have one designated cohesive place to store this info."

  • "Too many screen shots! They get lost in the noise"

To ground this project in real behaviors, a survey was conducted to understand people’s dining discovery habits and emotional responses to new food experiences.
22 participants responded to the survey, sharing insights into how they search for, choose, and remember new food places.

Discovery Methods

  • Friends/family recommendations: 45%

  • Social media (Instagram, TikTok, Yelp): 35%

  • Wandering/exploring neighborhoods: 15%

  • Other sources: 5%

Memory & Emotional Connection

  • Memorable food moments were most often tied to people, atmosphere, and emotional context — not just taste.

  • 70% said they take photos or share experiences online as a way to remember.

  • Only 25% consistently revisit places they’ve discovered online — most prioritize novelty over repetition.

Questions;

thoughts toward a solution…

  • How might we create an interface that encourages users to explore beyond their usual choices?

  • What design elements can make discovery feel rewarding rather than overwhelming?

  • How can Foodie Quest balance playful design with practical usability for finding and saving restaurants?

    These guiding questions shape the design decisions moving forward, ensuring that every feature serves both user needs and the brand’s playful spirit.

The Process

The project began with branding development, establishing a clear visual identity aligned with exploration and enjoyment. After defining the logo, color palette, and typography, the focus shifted toward mapping out key user flows to guide app functionality.
The last steps involved creating high-fidelity wireframes and preparing for prototype development, ensuring that the visual system and interface aligned with the brand’s friendly, adventurous tone.

Before sketching logo ideations, I engaged in mind mapping to clarify and sharpen the brand’s voice and presence. This process allowed me to explore core concepts and visual themes, ensuring that each design choice aligns thoughtfully with the brand’s identity and messaging.

I initially had some trouble starting the sketches, as I wanted to ensure the design would stand out. I was aiming to avoid a logo that was overly simple or generic, something that could be easily mistaken for any typical food-related business. It took quite a bit of thoughtful reflection and gathering feedback from others to truly narrow down the specific direction I was going for. Incorporating themes of both food and exploration proved to be an important and rewarding challenge throughout the creative process.

Logo Progress

Branding

Final Logo & Color Palette

App Icon

Fonts

Logo

Wordmarks

Pattern

After finalizing the overall look and feel of the brand, I began brainstorming the user flows for the app in greater detail. I had a rough idea of how I wanted users to navigate through the app and access its various features. Following an initial, rough sketch, I created a more comprehensive and refined user flow diagram. This detailed mapping would serve as a valuable guide as I proceeded with designing the wireframes, ensuring a smoother and more intuitive user experience.

I moved through a process of low to high fidelity wireframes to carefully map out user flows and navigation for the app. My primary focus was on three major flows: searching for places, managing saved lists, and creating journals. Additionally, I worked on other important flows such as login and sign-up, with plans to incorporate quest progress tracking in the near future. This structured approach helped ensure a smooth and intuitive user experience throughout the app.

  • LOGO

  • APP ICON

  • WORDMARK

  • PATTERN

  • FONTS

  • BADGE

Summary

Foodie Quest merges curiosity, design, and social exploration into one cohesive experience. What began as a research-based concept has since evolved into a fully-fledged brand and an upcoming interactive prototype that celebrates the joy of discovering new flavors. As development continues, the focus will remain steadfast on making the process of finding—and remembering—great food experiences both simple and exciting. Ultimately, Foodie Quest aims to redefine how people engage with culinary adventures, fostering a deeper connection to food through innovation and community. This commitment ensures that the journey of flavor discovery is not only memorable but also continuously enriching for everyone involved.

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