A Smart Management System for Optimizing Campus Canteen Operations
Abstract
Traditional campus food services encounter high levels of inefficiency due to lengthy wait times, human error in order taking, and a lack of access to important business data in real-time. This paper introduces a holistic smart food service management system that will offer a complete digital solution to these problems. This web-based system will provide users with the ability to reserve seats electronically, view menus online, order their meals online, manage complaints, and monitor all activities within the dining facility. The solution is designed using MERN (MongoDB, Express.js, React, Node.js) as the underlying technology stack. The system has been built with a focus on developing a secure and scalable website based on a solid database schema and effective user access controls to provide organisations with real-time reporting on business operations. Analysis has shown that the system has decreased service time by 67% while increasing the accuracy of orders by 95%, thereby improving operational transparency and efficiency. This system represents a possible approach to modernising the food service operations at higher education institutions and providing actionable business intelligence to assist administrators in their decision-making regarding their respective businesses.
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