Zomato’s latest update - A delight or disappointment?

Dear Zomato,

I’ve been a die-hard fan of yours as it has been my go-to app whenever I crave for some takeaway. I have been using your application for more than 5 years now and at present, I am a Zomato gold and Zomato treat member. I cherish this application as it gives me a chance to look for new eateries, discover new places to hang out and order from.

I didn’t find your new update to be better and intuitive than the old version!

Issues in the latest Zomato update that bother me

Firstly in the new version, you have removed the opportunity to read reviews and food photos from the online order page of a restaurant. For me, this is a major disappointment. Reviews and photos are such important deciding factors when it comes to selecting a restaurant. Have to say these two features were major advantages for Zomato over other food ordering apps.

Secondly, it’s so confusing now to find anything as there is a drastic change in the UI. Indeed, even the menu of the restaurants appears to be so complicated and irritating as you need to scroll down like Lara Croft in order to select the dishes.

Thirdly, as a visual designer, I see loads of visual inconsistencies especially when it comes down to icons and rating tags. I feel the hierarchy is not set properly, which makes it look scattered and overwhelming making it difficult for a user to navigate through the application efficiently.

I strongly believe that once a user gets used to an application, suddenly changing the UX and UI will take him forever to get used to it. As designers, we are dealing with users having specific presumptions. Thus, it’s crucial for us to keep in mind the principle of least astonishment, do our best to satisfy those desires and abstain from overwhelming our users. User experience is entirely about being ardent about users and not making them frustrated.

As a loyal user, I would request your concerned management to take my reviews as a suggestion and try to fix these issues soon. I am looking forward to the next update and a user friendly experience.

Sincerely,

Neha Jattu

Senior Visual Designer, GDD Gaia Digital Design

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