Usability on Food. Why are Burritos more Usable than Cheeseburgers? — November 22nd, 2010

Food, Usability

American Cheeseburgers, Persian Döner Kebabs, Mexican Burritos... Food is the product and we are hungry users. Food design must be enough efficient to satisfy our most primary need. Do you know that Burritos are more usable than Cheeseburgers?

A few preliminary considerations

First things first. Although this article is not based on a scientific method it pretends to do a semiformal correspondence between fundamental usability concepts and particularities that diners have to deal with while eating the desired foodstuff.

Usability (as ISO standard) is defined as "The extent to which a product can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction in a specified context of use". More to the point, usability consultant Jakob Nielsen states that usability can be parametrized in terms of 5 elemental variables:

• Learnability: How easy is it for users to accomplish basic tasks the first time they encounter the design?
• Efficiency: Once users have learned the design, how quickly can they perform tasks?
• Memorability: When users return to the design after a period of not using it, how easily can they re establish proficiency?
• Errors: How many errors do users make, how severe are these errors, and how easily can they recover from the errors?
• Satisfaction: How pleasant is it to use the design?

Then, the relationship begins by considering that food is a product whose users are diners aiming to achieve an essential goal: to eat. And where context can range from Michelin 3-star restaurants to a hot dog van.

The American Cheeseburger

McDonald's Cheeseburger is by far one of the most consumed hamburgers in McDonald's history. The key ingredient of the recipe is the American –yellow– cheese, melted on the top of the hamburger. Onions, ketchup and mustard do the rest.

• Learnability and memorability: The rounded design of the cheeseburger reveals a good affordance. It does not matter where you make the first bite since due to the 360 degree design makes you have always a high probability of success.
• Efficiency and errors: The major error that diner can suffer while eating the Cheeseburger is to lose sandwich filling. Actually, the Cheeseburger "opened" form factor does not help keeping all ingredients between bread buns. Lettuce and pickles are the most vulnerable items to involuntarily throw away.

Cheeseburger usability rating: 1 out of 3

The Persian Kebab

The Persian Kebab, or also referred as Döner –rotating– Kebab in one of its multiple variations, is popularly served folded in pita bread with salad and dressing. One main characteristic of the Kebab is the pita bread itself, which consists on a small bag shaped piece of bread.

• Learnability and memorability: Kebab's rounded pocket bread configures a different approach in the way diner holds this piece of food, making feasible to grasp it with one single hand. Not only that but Kebab's smart design tell us where is the most appropriate place to make the first bite.
• Efficiency and errors: The pita bag is both an error prevention solution and a risky design. Holding the Kebab in a logical orientation assures zero leaks and complete ingredient integrity. But turning it leaving the opened part down leads the inevitable loss of the filling.

Kebab usability rating: 2 out of 3

The Mexican Burrito

The Mexican Burrito is mainly a tortilla wrapped around refried beans, Mexican rice, or meat. However, fillings can include lots of other tasty ingredients such as cheese, lettuce and salsa.

• Learnability and memorability: The tortilla roll with two single apertures in each of its ends makes the burrito so intuitive to eat. We can start it by any of its two sides and even rotate it freely while we eat.
• Efficiency and errors: Because of the mid size diameter of burrito's envelope, bite efficiency is high. Just in case of super long sized burritos, we'll be forced to grab it with both hands taking care to keep the whole cylinder rigid.

Burrito usability rating: 3 out of 3

Satisfaction, or what makes the meal pleasant

Normally, the better learnability, the more efficiency and the less number of errors you have would lead to more user –or diner– satisfaction. So, forgiving taste and chef abilities, seems logical to argue that the most innocuous meal such as the case of burrito will lead to the greatest food experience.

However, eating is much more than achieving a basic human need. Indeed, food is also about dirty hands, greasy fingers and ketchup on the lips. So, eating the least usable of the Cheeseburgers or complicating the task a bit more with the massive Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese can result in a messy pleasant food experience.

Bon appétit ;)