CASE STUDIES
Habit Driven Personalisation to Boost Engagement.
Deliveroo is an online food delivery platform that connects customers with local restaurants and riders.
My Contribution
This case study is taken from a challenge I was given when applying for a position at a design agency. I was given 6 hours to come up with a solution to the problem.
Client
Deliveroo - Online Delivery Platform
Category
Food Delivery App Design
Team
Me
Timeline
12 hours
The Brief
There’s a strategy session coming up to address how Deliveroo can better engage its existing customer base. While the app excels at converting new users into first-time buyers, retention metrics show a drop-off after 2–3 orders.
You want to take this as an opportunity to pitch a new feature or enhancement that will increase repeat engagement and order frequency among existing users.
Solution
To drive long-term growth, the platform must shift focus from acquisition to engagement, addressing the lack of personalised, habit-forming experiences.
I designed key enhancements to transform Deliveroo into a more habit-forming, user-centric platform, increasing engagement and repeat orders.
RESEARCH
Getting Started
The competition
I reviewed the top competitors revealing interesting insights
- Deliveroo commands roughly a quarter of the market share.
- Competitor interfaces share very similar design and user experience patterns.
- None offered meaningful or deeper levels of personalisation.
- Interfaces were crowded with surface-level promotions, creating noise.
- Just Eat stood out slightly, with a feature hinting at a more personalised interaction.
Approx UK Share ~45 %
Approx UK Share ~25 %
Approx UK Share ~20 %
Approx UK Share ~10 %
User Research
As this was a short challenge with only a few hours to respond, there wasn’t scope for direct user research. Instead, I drew on secondary sources including online reviews, industry reports, blogs, and consumer articles to quickly identify pain points and behaviours that informed the proposed solution.
Age demographics
- Around 60% of users aged 18–24 acknowledged having placed an online food order
- Nearly 52% of users in their twenties or early thirties use these services
- Usage gradually declines with age
Sustainability & ethical food
- 70% say sustainability is important in food choices
- 61% willing to pay more for ethically sourced products
- Many follow plant-based (13.7%) or flexitarian diets.
Healthy eating & convenience
- 58% Gen Z, 59% Millennials in the UK actively try to eat healthily.
- Nutrient-rich, minimally processed foods.
- Food that’s fast and portable is a must-have for Gen Z and Millennials—balancing health with ease.
🧑💼 Millennial – Tom, 32
Tom’s a busy marketing exec who hits the gym before work and follows a mostly high-protein, low-carb diet. He wants post-workout meals and weekend grocery top-ups. He’s all about time-saving, nutritional options, and having his clean-eating faves just a tap away.
👩🎓 Gen Z – Jada, 21
Jada’s a uni student juggling classes, a part-time job, and daily gym sessions. She’s into plant-based eating and wants to grab quick, healthy vegan meals between lectures. She values speed, student discounts, and being able to favourite her go-to smoothie bowl spot.
Key findings
- Deliveroo is saturated with offers, promos, and noise
- Lack of clarity, personal relevance, and routine-building
- Current rewards = transactional, not emotional or habit-forming
- Current personalisation lacks findability
- List of options is disjointed
Banner blindness
Hidden personalisation
SOLUTION
Personalisation Drives Value
The opportunity lies in creating a more seamless, personalised, and rewarding experience that keeps users coming back, whether for everyday meals, last-minute cravings, or weekly grocery top-ups.
Encourage repeat usage and long-term retention by reducing decision fatigue, personalising content, and helping users effortlessly repeat or refine their order habits across food and groceries.
Deliveroo Concierge
Introducing your personalised food & grocery assistant
Progressive onboarding
Helps users learn naturally through usage and improves activation.
Personalised homepage
Boosts relevance and stickiness upping retention when implemented.
MyRoo dashboard
A personalised, habit-aware experience that adapts to each user, making food and grocery ordering feel calm, quick, and intuitive.
Onboarding for Refined Taste
01 More than food
Introduce users to other shopping experiences that Deliveroo provides
Allows personalisation of options
Send offers users actually care about
02 Dietry needs
Gives users control over their dietary requirements
Save the user time, effort, and decision fatigue
03 What Matters
Drives relevance – surfaces what users care about most
Reduces friction – faster, more focused decision-making
Builds loyalty – reflects personal values and habits
Personalised Home Page
- Increases relevance – shows users what they’re most likely to want
- Drives engagement – highlights timely, tailored content up front
- Strengthens connection – makes the experience feel made for them
MyRoo
- Centralises key actions – quick access to favourites, orders, and offers
- Supports habit-building – encourages repeat behaviour with minimal effort
- Feels personal – turns Deliveroo into your space, not just another menu
Personalised Notifications
Notifications that are context aware and relevant
“It’s lunchtime! New vegan items on the menu at your favourite Restaurant! 🥑”
OUTCOME
Predicted Impact
Improving onboarding can increase retention by up to 20–50%
61% of consumers are willing to pay more when they receive a highly personalized experience, according to Medallia research medallia.com.
80% of consumers are more likely to purchase from brands that offer personalized shopping experiences,
per research compiled by Instapage instapage.com+1epsilon.com+1.
77% of customers have said they’d choose, recommend, or pay more for a brand that provides a personalized service experience
contentful.com+9desk365.io+9pwc.com+9.
Takeaways
This was an exciting challenge and my first as part of an interview stage. I got to the final round and was up against one other designer. Unfortunately I lost out getting the role however it was a great learning experience and gave me the chance to practice interviews, meet some great people and also design something new and challenging.
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Got a project in mind?
Let’s work together
Say Hello
CASE STUDIES
Habit Driven Personalisation to Boost Engagement.
Deliveroo is an online food delivery platform that connects customers with local restaurants and riders.
My Contribution
This case study is taken from a challenge I was given when applying for a position at a design agency. I was given 6 hours to come up with a solution to the problem.
Client
Deliveroo - Online Delivery Platform
Category
Food Delivery App Design
Team
Me
Timeline
12 hours
The Brief
There’s a strategy session coming up to address how Deliveroo can better engage its existing customer base. While the app excels at converting new users into first-time buyers, retention metrics show a drop-off after 2–3 orders.
You want to take this as an opportunity to pitch a new feature or enhancement that will increase repeat engagement and order frequency among existing users.
Solution
To drive long-term growth, the platform must shift focus from acquisition to engagement, addressing the lack of personalised, habit-forming experiences.
I designed key enhancements to transform Deliveroo into a more habit-forming, user-centric platform, increasing engagement and repeat orders.
RESEARCH
Getting Started
The competition
I reviewed the top competitors revealing interesting insights
- Deliveroo commands roughly a quarter of the market share.
- Competitor interfaces share very similar design and user experience patterns.
- None offered meaningful or deeper levels of personalisation.
- Interfaces were crowded with surface-level promotions, creating noise.
- Just Eat stood out slightly, with a feature hinting at a more personalised interaction.
Approx UK Share ~45 %
Approx UK Share ~25 %
Approx UK Share ~20 %
Approx UK Share ~10 %
User Research
As this was a short challenge with only a few hours to respond, there wasn’t scope for direct user research. Instead, I drew on secondary sources including online reviews, industry reports, blogs, and consumer articles to quickly identify pain points and behaviours that informed the proposed solution.
Age demographics
- Around 60% of users aged 18–24 acknowledged having placed an online food order
- Nearly 52% of users in their twenties or early thirties use these services
- Usage gradually declines with age
Sustainability & ethical food
- 70% say sustainability is important in food choices
- 61% willing to pay more for ethically sourced products
- Many follow plant-based (13.7%) or flexitarian diets.
Healthy eating & convenience
- 58% Gen Z, 59% Millennials in the UK actively try to eat healthily.
- Nutrient-rich, minimally processed foods.
- Food that’s fast and portable is a must-have for Gen Z and Millennials—balancing health with ease.
🧑💼 Millennial – Tom, 32
Tom’s a busy marketing exec who hits the gym before work and follows a mostly high-protein, low-carb diet. He wants post-workout meals and weekend grocery top-ups. He’s all about time-saving, nutritional options, and having his clean-eating faves just a tap away.
👩🎓 Gen Z – Jada, 21
Jada’s a uni student juggling classes, a part-time job, and daily gym sessions. She’s into plant-based eating and wants to grab quick, healthy vegan meals between lectures. She values speed, student discounts, and being able to favourite her go-to smoothie bowl spot.
Key findings
- Deliveroo is saturated with offers, promos, and noise
- Lack of clarity, personal relevance, and routine-building
- Current rewards = transactional, not emotional or habit-forming
- Current personalisation lacks findability
- List of options is disjointed
SOLUTION
Personalisation Drives Value
The opportunity lies in creating a more seamless, personalised, and rewarding experience that keeps users coming back, whether for everyday meals, last-minute cravings, or weekly grocery top-ups.
Encourage repeat usage and long-term retention by reducing decision fatigue, personalising content, and helping users effortlessly repeat or refine their order habits across food and groceries.
Deliveroo Concierge
Introducing your personalised food & grocery assistant
Progressive onboarding
Helps users learn naturally through usage and improves activation.
Personalised homepage
Boosts relevance and stickiness upping retention when implemented.
MyRoo dashboard
A personalised, habit-aware experience that adapts to each user, making food and grocery ordering feel calm, quick, and intuitive.
Onboarding for Refined Taste
01 More than food
Introduce users to other shopping experiences that Deliveroo provides
Allows personalisation of options
Send offers users actually care about
02 Dietry needs
Gives users control over their dietary requirements
Save the user time, effort, and decision fatigue
03 What Matters
Drives relevance – surfaces what users care about most
Reduces friction – faster, more focused decision-making
Builds loyalty – reflects personal values and habits
Personalised Home Page
- Increases relevance – shows users what they’re most likely to want
- Drives engagement – highlights timely, tailored content up front
- Strengthens connection – makes the experience feel made for them
MyRoo
- Centralises key actions – quick access to favourites, orders, and offers
- Supports habit-building – encourages repeat behaviour with minimal effort
- Feels personal – turns Deliveroo into your space, not just another menu
Personalised Notifications
Notifications that are context aware and relevant
“It’s lunchtime! New vegan items on the menu at your favourite Restaurant! 🥑”
OUTCOME
Predicted Impact
Improving onboarding can increase retention by up to 20–50%
61% of consumers are willing to pay more when they receive a highly personalized experience, according to Medallia research medallia.com.
80% of consumers are more likely to purchase from brands that offer personalized shopping experiences,
per research compiled by Instapage instapage.com+1epsilon.com+1.
77% of customers have said they’d choose, recommend, or pay more for a brand that provides a personalized service experience
contentful.com+9desk365.io+9pwc.com+9.
Takeaways
This was an exciting challenge and my first as part of an interview stage. I got to the final round and was up against one other designer. Unfortunately I lost out getting the role however it was a great learning experience and gave me the chance to practice interviews, meet some great people and also design something new and challenging.
Previous Case Study
Next Case Study
Got a project in mind?
Let’s work together
Say Hello