Designing an end-to-end table reservation system and visual ecosystem for NYC's premier venue membership platform.
Apollo ID connects users to exclusive perks—expedited entry, complimentary drinks, BOGO deals—across 100+ partner restaurants, bars, and nightclubs in NYC. Users discover and book; venues manage members through the companion Apollo HQ app.
Bar and nightclub partners were drowning in reservation requests arriving through fragmented channels (phone, texts, forms, walk-ins). It was nearly impossible for staff to track availability, while users demanded a unified in-app booking experience.
While platforms like OpenTable and Resy focus strictly on reservations, Apollo ID's differentiator is combining bookings with in-app ordering and exclusive tier-based membership benefits. This required a UX that served both regular diners and VIP nightlife clientele.
Architecting the reservation flow from guest selection to confirmation.
The initial MVP surfaced critical edge cases: handling deposits, tying bookings to member identities, and managing walk-in vs. app reservations. I collaborated closely with engineering to map the backend logic for state changes (Pending → Approved → Confirmed).
Early MVP iterations exploring the core booking logic.
The legacy membership screen suffered from visual noise—an unnecessary map background and bulky cards that required excessive scrolling. I redesigned it into a sleek, "wallet-style" stacked interface. By reducing banner heights, updating iconography, and establishing clear visual hierarchy, members can now instantly access their perks.
Wallet UI Redesign comparison (Before vs. After).
Embracing mobile-first constraints, I broke the reservation process into sequential screens to avoid overwhelming users. From selecting dates and party sizes to handling real-time chat notifications and Apple Pay deposits, every touchpoint is optimized for minimal cognitive load.
The finalized end-to-end consumer reservation journey.
Pay deposit with Apple Pay
Consumer experience is only half the equation. I completely overhauled the venue-facing "Apollo HQ" app. The new Orders dashboard allows staff to instantly parse reservation statuses and manage table assignments with improved typography and intuitive color-coding.
To support venues comprehensively, I translated our native design system to a responsive web platform. This allowed venues to seamlessly accept online orders and reservations directly from their own external websites while maintaining Apollo's backend ecosystem.
Launched strategically ahead of the Seed round, the redesign drove immediate business impact. Within a single quarter, user retention increased by 40%, and the revamped visual ecosystem facilitated $2M in Q4 transaction volume—successfully cementing Apollo’s positioning as a premium lifestyle brand.