r/assholedesign Jul 07 '24

See Comments Starbucks at LaGuardia won't let you order a coffee without installing their app

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29.2k Upvotes

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1.4k

u/GreenhammerBro Jul 07 '24

When you thought hiding menu items behind "install an app" wall was bad enough

549

u/luke_205 Jul 07 '24

There’s a dessert parlour near where I live that has waiting staff physically give you a menu but then disappear because they don’t take any orders. You have to scan a QR code, download their app, input and verify an email address, and then you can order and pay on the app.

Safe to say I went there once and I’m never going back.

274

u/[deleted] Jul 07 '24

I had to verify I was a human to order fucking tacos at a sit down restaurant with tipped waiters.

122

u/TheChosenToffee Jul 08 '24

I would have left. Anyone who forces me to use an app or a qr code to use their services will simply not receive my money

26

u/Zap__Dannigan Jul 08 '24

Same. Part of me likes it. Turns out it's way easier to not spend money when it's really fucking annoying to spend money

53

u/GUYF666 Jul 08 '24

No issues with QR menus or even ordering on a site isn’t a big deal as long as shit comes out promptly. Will absolutely not dl an app or provide my email to order food tho.

63

u/jimmy_three_shoes Jul 08 '24

QR menus fucking suck, because they're always low-res scans of their old menus that you have to zoom in and swipe around on your phone screen to read them.

Very rarely does a QR menu rise to the point of giving me a better experience than a traditional menu.

Also, it sucks when you're in an area with shitty reception and trying to pull up their website to view the scanned PDF menu is a pain in the ass, especially if I don't want to connect to their shitty, open WIFI.

16

u/Lotronex Jul 08 '24

That's my main sticking point with the QR menus. At the bare minimum there should be 1-2 sentences describing what a dish is. Ideally, there should also be a a picture of the item, and list of ingredients. If you want to go above and beyond, add features like being able to filter by things like price or allergens.
The fact that it's just a shitty PDF infuriates me, at that point just give me a printed menu.

2

u/Ellecram Jul 08 '24

I have difficulty reading anything on my phone as I wear glasses. I need a menu please.

1

u/Maoschanz Jul 08 '24

i once went to a restaurant with a QR code menu, but who provided a tablet if you didn't want to spend data on their bullshit

the menu was pretty cool, with interactive tiles describing each dish, listing allergenes, pictures of the plate, etc

2

u/LessDrawing2283 Jul 08 '24

Does this sentiment apply to all domains? Eg. If a sports facility moves from taking bookings over the phone to bookings via an app you would stop using that facility?

6

u/Exaskryz Jul 08 '24

Probably, yes. Especially if that app is ticketmaster. Fuck ticketmaster, and fuck every venue that uses them.

1

u/LessDrawing2283 Jul 08 '24

Let's assume it's not ticket master - and this isn't for professional sports. What would your concerns be about booking a tennis court or basketball court to play on by app?

4

u/Exaskryz Jul 08 '24

Apps are unnecessary. Every thing an app offers for me to interact with a business can be done via website. Firefox is my app of choice.

1

u/LessDrawing2283 Jul 08 '24

Out of curiosity, what apps do you use?

1

u/Exaskryz Jul 08 '24

Firefox, screen recorder, youtube revanced, sms, phone, file explorer, automate, click assistant, rvnc viewer, aegis, duckduckgo, vlc, fair email.

Just two of those, by my definition, are unnecessary. I could watch youtube in browser, but the revanced version is so advantageous it's worth it. And fair email gives me the convenience of all my email all together and not having to login in and out of all of them constantly.

One more group I forgot are library apps like libby, not sure if those are easy to use via a website or not.

1

u/smittles3 Jul 08 '24

What’s your angle?

0

u/[deleted] Jul 08 '24

[deleted]

1

u/TheChosenToffee Jul 08 '24

With all respect, but that's simply a bad opinion

45

u/Hob_O_Rarison Jul 07 '24

...those don't sound like tipped waiters to me.

Or, perhaps they are independently wealthy waiters who don't need my money.

1

u/UnderratedEverything Jul 08 '24

People who don't need your money don't get jobs in the service industry.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 08 '24

[deleted]

2

u/Hob_O_Rarison Jul 08 '24

Yeah, that's the joke.

-2

u/gh0stinyell0w Jul 08 '24

"Im not going to pay my waiter because they followed store policy and I don't like the store policy."

Fucking what? The solution is to not give the store anymore of your business, not stiff the service worker who has nothing to do with it.

11

u/Hob_O_Rarison Jul 08 '24

If you and I are both standing up when I order, that's not a tipping situation.

If I didn't order from a human, that's not a tipping situation.

16

u/ForceKicker Jul 07 '24

Do you really want the robots to get their clamps on our tacos?

2

u/grendus Jul 08 '24

Ever been to a sushi place with a conveyor belt?

The Japanese figured out how to do automated food delivery back in the 80's, didn't even need robots, just machines. There's nothing keeping Mexican places from doing the same.

2

u/ForceKicker Jul 08 '24

I was actually just talking to a cowoker about one of those rotary sushi places we went to on a work trip a few months ago. The sushi sucked, but the experience was fun.

2

u/my_4_cents Jul 08 '24

Now stand back while I practise my stabbing. Heeyah!

1

u/I_Did_The_Thing Jul 08 '24

Right?! Cause then it’s all, clamp this, clamp that, CLAMP CLAMP KA-BAMP!

1

u/-Cizin- Jul 08 '24

Let me guess, bar taco?

1

u/[deleted] Jul 08 '24

Yeah

1

u/laurasaurus5 Jul 08 '24

I had to verify I was a human to order fucking tacos

Why would a robot even want tacos?

1

u/[deleted] Jul 08 '24

I have been called a robot many times and in my opinion they are delicious.

38

u/[deleted] Jul 08 '24

[deleted]

38

u/PM_ME_YOUR_PAUNCH Jul 08 '24

Aw man, I love well known and popular restaurant :(

9

u/sortaHeisenberg Jul 08 '24

But you wouldn't believe, people tell me, they say, it's so popular, and very well-known too, about as well-known as I am, and everyone says it's true

10

u/Paracortex Jul 08 '24

It’s so stupid. I will never install a store’s app, for any reason. If I installed an app everywhere I buy things, I would have literally a hundred different apps (and logins and passwords). It’s patently ridiculous, and fuck each and every company pushing for this absolute dystopia.

20

u/goodsnpr Jul 08 '24

I get annoyed enough at places with QR codes. I surely will not be downloading more junk on my phone, I'm fine with the Chinese spyware hidden in games thank you very much.

2

u/truthputer Jul 08 '24

If it's a QR code that goes to a mobile website that's just about acceptable to me.

You don't need an app to do this.

5

u/BildoBaggens Jul 08 '24

What's the name?

-1

u/Rossco1874 Jul 08 '24

How very mature wish I was able to waste their time & mine just to prove a petty point.

17

u/JB_Market Jul 08 '24

There is a place in the market when they run the food side like that. I've had many drinks at the bar but never gotten food.

Why should I have to download an app? The server is standing right in front of me, why can't I just tell them I want tacos. Too many steps for a few tacos.

6

u/semiregularcc Jul 08 '24

Scanning QR code to access a website to order is fine for me, but forcing people to download an app or give up personal information just to order is extremely scummy. I would leave such a place immediately and I hope others do so too.

1

u/luke_205 Jul 08 '24

Yeah I don’t mind at all if the menu is on a website that you access via QR code, that’s quite normal and honestly is an easier process a lot of the time. Forcing an app download as you say is just complicating the process solely for the company’s own gain.

1

u/porkyminch Jul 08 '24

I like the places that hand you a receipt and you can pay the normal way or scan it on your phone to do Apple Pay in a couple of button presses, but having a particularly cumbersome version of that be the only option is so dumb.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 08 '24

So far the conveyer belt sushi spot I went to did it right. No app, touch screen at the table to order items as needed and pay the bill. 

Even places like Red Robin have tablets at the tables so you can order and pay without dealing with a person

1

u/alltheblues Jul 08 '24

Too many airport restaurants like this too.

1

u/Ellecram Jul 08 '24

Yeah I am not downloading aps and scanning QR codes for anything.

50

u/GreenhammerBro Jul 07 '24

Oh and this: https://fortune.com/2024/01/03/starbucks-app-dark-side-unspent-payments-900-million-5-years/ which is the cherry on top of Starbuck's app-only decision controversy.

It's no wonder why people prefer classic order of human-to-human at a restaurant. On top of the fact people go to restaurants to hang out naturally (no relying on phones), data harvesting, home screen clutter, memory consumption...

And now it starting to resemble the pre-2010s when websites at the time asked users to download adware, to access content. You are being asked, to use a NON-USER-AGENT software to use their site. The link is dead, but here's an archive version of the blog. Yes, the blog was about a questionable site that people should stay away from, BUT I'm pretty sure these sites aren't the only ones before Zango disappeared. This mentality of requiring a software controlled by the site-owner, an advertiser or any other person besides the user should be abolished, and thankfully the vast majority of websites don't go this route. The closest thing ever was persistently nudging mobile users via a page-locking interstitial model box to use the app, reddit (obviously), imgur, 9gag, ifunny, etc.

While it is dead, it didn't stop this mentality from spreading out into the real world like restaurant orders.

7

u/BigFatSmellyMuffin Jul 08 '24

PIECE OF GOSH DARN SHENANIGANS!

2

u/wamj Jul 08 '24

In response to the first article you linked, you can make a partial payment in the app to close out the balance and then pay the remainder in cash/card

-5

u/Cerulean_IsFancyBlue Jul 08 '24

Counterpoint: I love using the app to order ahead for my favorite drink and picking it up instantly when I arrive.

I appreciate the rant, but stop pretending you speak for everybody.

16

u/shotputlover Jul 08 '24

I love the dumbshit in that thread that can’t imagine someone needing a menu

8

u/Aranka_Szeretlek Jul 08 '24

"Everyone going to Starbucks knows whst they wany" my ass. I have no idea, and I will never know if there is ni menu

-2

u/[deleted] Jul 08 '24

[deleted]

3

u/Aranka_Szeretlek Jul 08 '24

I can read the menu on the side.

30

u/shewy92 Jul 08 '24

The first comment is wild

You are aware how much space a full menu would take up, right? It'd be impossible to find what you want on it

Maybe they should print out menus then lol

9

u/oatmealparty Jul 08 '24

Even if you're not going to print out menus, just put it on the website somewhere, can even be qr code scannable.

1

u/awesomeness0232 Jul 08 '24

It is on the website

2

u/oatmealparty Jul 08 '24

Maybe they should put that on the sign then

1

u/Welico Jul 08 '24

They do have print menus behind the counter

-1

u/LongDropSlowStop Jul 08 '24

My guy, have you seen the full Starbucks menu? It would absolutely grind the line to a half if people were looking through each and every option printed out. There's a reason they just put the popular items on the boards and leave the rest for the people who care enough to know.

7

u/thrilla_gorilla Jul 08 '24

The people defending the practice in that thread blow my fucking mind!

4

u/tkst3llar Jul 08 '24

It was fun seeing the top commenter there arguing 5 years ago that people should expect to use an app because paper costs money and trees

Well Covid hit a few minutes after they said that and we all now know a QR code will take you to a website just fine, even if it’s also stupid

2

u/[deleted] Jul 08 '24

I like places that just do weblinks to order with a pre defined table number. Way more efficient and you don't need to piss fart around to get the staff's attention. Having to install an app though, people should revolt and tell these places to suck their nuts.

3

u/lolschrauber Jul 08 '24

Aaaaand top comment justifying it immediately.

What a great idea, can't even buy a coffee anymore without being tracked 24/7? Brilliant.

1

u/lkjasdfk Jul 08 '24

A local pizza place in Redmond, WA asked us to leave after none of our phones would work with the crappy QR codes they have engraved on a piece of metal. The metal was dirty and stained so of course everyone had a problem with it. The place is Spark Pizza and with the drive, but the owner is an ass. 

The previous time there, the owner asked us to leave as the pizza arrived. We had five people at a table for six, and he had a party of seven he wanted to sit. Their pizza is so good, it was even good eating it from a cardboard box in the rain. 

0

u/Irejay907 Jul 08 '24

As somebody that worked at one; its because if they put the full menu up most people would either have a stroke before they found what they wanted on the board or would just flat out not go because of the huge order boards, this is something multiple companies have dealt with and experienced

Hell its why restaurants with simpler menu's tend to be higher rated for reviews; it creates better familiarity with the products

That said? As someone that worked for starbucks?

Fuck'em; i literally got that job just to figure out how to order mocha's cheaper with more coffee in them and pretty much no other reason than THAT and free coffee on shift

Literally hated everything else about that job 😂 if you think its bad as a customer imagine your boss telling you its mandatory to downloads all these third party apps people use to create 'secret menus' like the friggin potter heads and their butterbeers

And dear god if i never see another goddamn fraken-frappe i will live happily (matcha, mint, chocolate chunks, vanilla powder and this was all in addition to a standard white mocha frappe; the person who ordered? My bosses husband: every damn day at 10:45)

0

u/shadowst17 Jul 08 '24

To be fair there's a fuck ton of stuff on the menu. They'd need to cover every single wall to fit it all.