Free Epic: Frictionless Frappé
Why does buying coffee require four hands and an engineering degree?
"Are you a perks member?" they ask.
This question begins every interaction of the Caribou Coffee drive-thru. It's your standard loyalty program, the more you buy the more points you get. Then you can trade points for "free" drinks. All you have to do is give them your phone number.
Conventional retail wisdom is that you should make it as easy as possible to buy from you. Asking someone for their number at the start of every transaction seems to contradict this. But wait, we're just getting started.
The next step is to order, nothing crazy there. Then you drive around to the window. Here is where things fall apart. They thrust their point of sale (POS) system out to you at the end of a long stick. It hovers between the building and your vehicle, wobbling slightly as the person tries to keep it steady enough for you to use it. It feels like docking a space ship.
There are a couple of problems here.
First, I'm right-handed. I either have to rotate my body to put my card in the slot, or trust my left hand to do the job. I rotate awkwardly.
Next, if I get the card in properly—I'm happy to report I have over a 99% success rate—the worker knows they need to tilt the screen down so that I can read it. It's one of those screens that generates its own glare.
Finally, you press a few buttons. Normally, this isn't a problem for me. I can press buttons. But keep in mind this is hovering in the air, so each press meets no resistance. I would recommend that your buying experience works with gravity, not against it.
This little interaction shouldn't require four hands.
So why is this happening? I already gave you my number and I tip the same amount every time. Why can't I link my credit card to my phone number and have you text me to confirm the purchase? I could do this while I chuckle at people fumbling around with the POS. Even if it means I have to go to a website or install an app, I would do it.
You can keep the "perks points" or whatever you call them. Just make this experience less awkward. I'm begging you.
Here's how serious I am. I've looked up product jobs at Caribou more times than I care to admit. I would work there with the express purpose to see this feature implemented or find out who or what is in the way of it. Show me a feature that deserves to be ahead of this on the roadmap. I dare you.
This cannot be an insurmountable problem for humanity to solve.
🤣🤣🤣 Please go fix that! Hilarious.