Sankaran Narayanan’s Post

Zomato just added a new toggle in their app. A small design change… but it might completely shift how people choose food. I tried their Healthy Mode that just launched in Gurugram - here’s what I found 👇 3 Quick Observations: 1. Two toggles, two mindsets. Earlier Zomato only had Veg Mode. Now, Healthy Mode transforms the entire UX into a health-first journey. Users can also combine Healthy + Veg mode. 2. Smart filters. You can search dishes by protein (40g+) or calories (under 200 kcal). This makes nutrition actionable, not hidden. 3. Transparency disclaimers have been adeed. Healthy Scores are estimates (AI + restaurant data). Calories excluded, since they depend on individual goals. Which is responsible design from the get go. From a behavioural lens - there are some smart decisions taken : 1. Choice architecture → The toggle reshapes the default browsing environment. 2. Salience & framing → Protein/calorie data appear right when users decide. 3. Transparency & trust → By admitting scores are estimates, Zomato avoids the “illusion of precision” and builds credibility. It’s not perfect yet - but this is a bold nudge in the right direction. If scaled well, food apps could move from “convenience first” to “health first” by design. Full raw walkthrough & first impressions - link in comments.

Swiggy recently unified its verticals (Swiggy Dineout, Instamart, #swiggyscenes) into a single application. What might seem like a simple interface integration for customer's ease-of-use, is a complete shift in Swiggy's value proposition and market positioning. Swiggy has now moved from a food-and-beverage delivery app -> to a lifestyle optimization assistant, and the future possibilities following this integration are no less than exciting. Here are a few questions I have for all the product peeps who come across this teardown: 1) How has your use-case changed since this integration, if at all? 2) What are some additions you can see swiggy adopting in the near future to facilitate this habit loop? 3) How would engagement metrics move when this integration is compared to #zomato's app-to-app switch? Here's a #productteardown for the new #swiggy #interface: #product #productmanagement #productdesign #ecommerce #quickcommerce

Today I just discovered something really sneaky in the Zomato app 👀 While placing an order, Zomato auto-selects a ₹30 tip for the delivery partner by default. And most users never even notice it. They just hit “PAY” and move on. So unknowingly, you’ve probably been tipping ₹30 on every single order. Now don’t take me wrong, delivery partners absolutely deserve tips. They work hard in all weather conditions to deliver our food. 🙏 But that tip should come from willingness, not not unknowingly. Because this isn’t about ₹30; it’s about DESIGN ETHICS. As a designer, this is what we call a Dark UX pattern, a design that manipulates user behavior for business gain, instead of enabling informed choice. 💡 Good UX builds trust. Dark UX breaks it. 👉 Zomato please make this optional by default. Let tips be a choice, not a TRAP.

🚨 Deepinder Goyal is not keen on Zomato launching another food delivery app, in the context of Swiggy's Toing & Rapido's Ownly targeting lower order value customers. "We are okay being the last mover if, over time, it becomes clear that introducing a new app is the right long-term approach." For context, Swiggy and Eternal both offer quick food delivery applications (10-20 mins) under separate apps called Snacc and Bistro, respectively.

Two apps, same service, but two completely different design languages fighting for your attention. Zomato has turned red into an emotion. The colour dominates every banner, every notification, every in-app element. Even when you scroll fast, that red catches you before the words do. It’s aggressive, loud, unapologetic, and it works. Swiggy plays it differently. Their orange isn’t about aggression, it’s about warmth. The design leans cleaner, more functional, and less cluttered. Their map pin “S” icon is simple, scalable, and easy to spot even at a thumbnail size. Both are design languages. But they build memory in different ways: ➝ Zomato pushes urgency, FOMO, and recall through dominance of colour. ➝ Swiggy builds trust and clarity by keeping the interface lighter and more utilitarian. What’s interesting is how these choices spill into behaviour: ➝ Zomato’s brand feels like a push: “Order now, don’t miss out.” ➝ Swiggy feels like a pull: “We’ll be here when you’re ready.” Neither approach is wrong. Both are deliberate. And both prove that design language isn’t just aesthetics, it’s psychology at scale. 👉 When you think food delivery, which design comes to mind first, Zomato’s red or Swiggy’s orange?

Your app doesn’t need 100 features.  It needs 1 feature users can’t live without.    Think about it:    Instagram didn’t start with reels, stories, or shopping it started with photo sharing. That one simple feature hooked millions.    Uber didn’t begin with ride scheduling, food delivery, or subscriptions it gave people a car at their fingertips.    WhatsApp didn’t try to do everything it made messaging simple, fast, and reliable. Zomato Swiggy for food delivery Paytm PhonePe for payment solutions   All the extra features? They came later. But the core, indispensable value is what made people fall in love with the product.    So, when building or scaling your app, ask yourself: What’s the one thing users can’t live without and how do we make it irresistible?    #ProductManagement #StartupTips #GrowthMindset #UserExperience #FounderInsights

𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐇𝐞𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 — 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐬𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝.🎬 Before, I’d just scroll through apps or websites, thinking some were “good-looking” and others “cluttered.” But now, I’ve started to see the logic behind every click, color and call-to-action. Take something as simple as ordering food online. Ever noticed how Swiggy or Zomato keeps you updated with every step — from “𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳”, “𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘥!” 𝘵𝘰 “𝘋𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘶𝘱”? That’s not random; it’s 𝑽𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒃𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝑺𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒎 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒔 in action, smoothly turning wait-time anxiety into anticipation. But it goes deeper. Ever noticed how Zomato’s notifications sound like that one caring friend? “𝘊𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘧𝘢𝘴𝘵 ☕ — 𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨.” Or “𝘋𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘣 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘩 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 🤗.” That’s 𝑴𝒂𝒕𝒄𝒉 𝑩𝒆𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝑺𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒎 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 in action — speaking in a tone and language that feels human. It’s not just a brand talking; it’s a personality connecting. And that’s what good design is really about — making digital interactions feel like real conversations, not commands. These principles aren’t just design checklists; they’re what make digital experiences feel natural and intuitive. Once you learn them, you can’t unsee them — every app suddenly reveals its design decisions like behind-the-scenes secrets. Now, browsing the web feels like studying direction instead of just watching the film. And honestly, that’s the best upgrade any screen-time lover could ask for! #UXDesign #HeuristicPrinciples #CantUnseeIt #NowIAnalyseEverything #DesignBrainActivated #FromUserToObserver #DigitalExperience #LearningJourney

From Discounts to Dark Patterns: The Shift in Food & Delivery Apps Once upon a time, food delivery apps wooed us with discounts and tiny fees. Simple, sweet, manageable. Now? An order worth ₹300 can magically balloon to ₹600 thanks to surcharge, package charge, delivery fee, handling fee, platform fee, “safe & secure delivery” charges, and maybe soon, “chef’s mood adjustment fee.” 😅 Cancel an order? Good luck! Many apps hide the cancel button like a secret treasure, throw guilt trips (“your cancellation may cause wastage”), and bury refunds under 3–4 mysterious clicks. Latest twist: Swiggy now charges your full order if you cancel — basically saying, “Dare to cancel, if you can!” Convenience has become a luxury full of hidden fees. Ironically, the delivery partner didn’t ask to use a bike, yet we pay “fuel charges.” For those unaware, in 2023, the Indian government issued guidelines against “Dark Patterns” in apps — making it mandatory that cancellation options, hidden charges, and misleading UI elements should be clear for consumers. Yet, many apps still find ways around it. Personally, I prefer stepping out, buying directly, supporting local businesses, and staying aware of my surroundings. Saves money, gets fresh air, and I’m in control. Food delivery used to be simple: click, pay, eat. Now? Click, pay, cry, wonder where your money went. 😅🍔📱 👉 Today’s “convenience economy” feels more like a “confusion economy.” Everyone has their POV — take a minute, share your thoughts, and maybe save a friend from a ₹300→₹600 surprise. 😎 #FoodDelivery #DarkPatterns #ConsumerExperience #Startups #Ecommerce #DigitalEconomy #HiddenCharges #UserExperience #CustomerAwareness #AppDesign #ConsumerRights #OnlineOrdering #DeliveryApps

How does Swiggy, Zomato, or Blinkit show your rider’s live location — even when their app is closed? Let’s decode it .... 1️⃣ Rider’s App (Publisher) The rider’s phone collects GPS coordinates every few seconds using the Fused Location Provider — a smart API that combines GPS, Wi-Fi, and mobile data for accuracy. 2️⃣ Foreground Service Even if the rider minimizes or closes the app, a Foreground Service keeps running with a small notification (e.g., “Tracking your delivery…”). This ensures location updates continue in the background. 3️⃣ Backend Server Every few seconds, the app sends the latest location (lat/lng) to the backend via WebSocket or HTTP. The backend updates Redis (or any fast DB) with the new coordinates and broadcasts them to the customer app. 4️⃣ Customer App (Subscriber) The customer app listens for real-time updates and moves the map marker smoothly using Google Maps SDK and sometimes a Kalman filter to avoid “jumping” effects. 5️⃣ Real-Time Communication Technologies like Socket.IO, Firebase Realtime DB, or MQTT keep both apps in sync — ensuring what you see on screen is only seconds old. 6️⃣ Offline & Optimization If the rider goes offline, the app caches the last few locations and syncs later. To save battery, updates are throttled (like every 5–10 sec instead of every second). 💡 So when you track your biryani or grocery order, you’re actually watching: GPS + Foreground Service + WebSocket + Maps SDK + Redis working perfectly in sync. Don’t follow me if you don’t want more articles like this 😉 #softwareEngineers #coders #backend #startups #jobinterview #TechExplained #AndroidDevelopment #SystemDesign #MobileArchitecture #RealTimeSystems