In less than two years, the establishment located in the heart of Marseille has become a symbol of the Mediterranean culinary scene. It must be said that there are no less than 11 restaurants, or rather "échoppes" as they are called here, as well as 4 beverage profit centres, enough to cater for all desires and appetites. But more than just a food court, the Grandes Halles du Vieux Port is above all a vibrant hub for exchange and sharing, where families and friends meet to “drink, eat and chat”.

The absolute priority here is the client experience: regardless of the crowd size, it must be seamless, enjoyable, and unhindered. Bearing this in mind, the three co-founders and friends have decided to introduce digital solutions. Les Grandes Halles is indeed a hybrid concept where clients can choose to order directly at the counter or online through a dedicated marketplace developed by DOOD and connected via HubRise to Kezia II and Jalia, the EPOS solutions used by the stalls.

We spoke with Louis Cuntz - Development Manager at Les Grandes Halles - to find out more about the implementation of this tripartite technological partnership between DOOD, JDC, and HubRise.

What motivated you to introduce a table ordering and a click & collect solution?

The main objective was clearly to limit customer flow in our halls. Depending on the weather and events such as during the Rugby World Cup for example, we can have over 1,000 clients per day. By offering the possibility to order and pay at the table with the client smartphone, we reduce the back and forth between tables and stalls, which results in more comfort for clients as by easing flows at the counters.

What client share use this ordering service and what is the typical profile of those who favour it?

The primary users of our webapp are families with children and international customers. For families, table service is a great help t as parents can browse menus and place orders while comfortably seated, avoiding the need to move from stall to stall throughout Les Halles. International clients, more accustomed to digital solutions, are also frequent users. It should be noted that the webapp provides access to all menus and information in English. We also notice increased usage during major events, which tends to coincide with high attendance. However, our clients continue to order at the counter, and currently, the adoption rate for this service is less than 50%... And this suits us well! Indeed, we are committed to retaining our clients within Les Halles. It is truly a vibrant space and even a strolling spot for some, for those who appreciate the design and aesthetic appeal of the area and enjoy the lively atmosphere it offers. Digital is not the heart of our concept; rather, it acts as an enhancement to the client experience, and this approach has proven very successful!

From the user's perspective, how does the process of placing a table order works?

They simply scan the QR code provided on each table to access the marketplace where you can browse the menus of all 11 stalls to create their own desired basket, place the order, and make a single payment, even if multiple stalls are involved. The interface is intuitive and the process is extremely straightforward; it's also quite engaging, as in addition to the menus, clients can access various tabs, including one dedicated to younger guests featuring PacMan, which is perfect for keeping children entertained. Once the order is ready, the client receives a notification and goes to collect their order from the counter.

And from the perspective of the stall managers?

Once the order is placed by the client, it is sent into the restaurateur's Kezia II or Jalia EPOS, where it is validated and accepted for processing. The client then receives a notification that his order has been taken care of. This is the first status. Once the order is prepared and ready for pickup, the restaurateur clicks on "order ready" in their EPOS. The client then receives a new notification informing them of the new status of their order, which they can come and collect at the counter. A crucial aspect of this process is that when an order involves multiple stalls, DOOD and the EPOS intelligently communicate to distribute the order and payment across the various restaurants.

How was this communication made possible?

To achieve this, an integration is needed. DOOD and Kezia are two independent software editors, their solutions are not designed to communicate with each other, let alone exchange data. This is where HubRise comes into play. It acts as a middleware to help connect DOOD's marketplace and JDC EPOS solutions, Kezia and Jalia.

Why did you choose DOOD for the development and deployment of your marketplace?

First, for their experience with other food courts, which is truly a unique dining concept. DOOD also offers a feature that was essential for us: the multi-basket, meaning the ability for the client to order from different stalls in a single order and make one payment. They also had the ability to build a fully customised user interface that reflects our brand, which is intuitive and available in multiple languages, which was also a decisive factor in our decision. Ultimately, the solution provided by DOOD met all our needs and addressed our challenges and objectives, namely managing constant visitor flows, enhancing the customer experience, and optimising our team's daily operations.

How does this webapp help to streamline the daily operations of Les Halles restaurateurs?

This streamlines the ordering process in every way. Clients who choose to order at the table are autonomous, which reduces queues at the counters and therefore unclogs the interior of the halls, especially during peak periods. This frees up the stall staff's time, allowing them to focus more on preparing orders. Clients are served more rapidly, which helps improve their level of satisfaction. Not to mention that this has a positive impact on client turnover rates freeing space for new visitors... even if we encourage clients to stay as long as possible to continuously enjoy the atmosphere and explore all our services and amenities. After all, our promise is still “Drink, eat, chat! At any time of the day!

Felix, a client charmed by the HALLES!

"Eating, drinking, chatting" is the promise of the Grandes Halles du Vieux Port and that's exactly what Felix and his 2 childhood friends came to do on this Sunday afternoon. It's a beautiful winter day, the kind only Provence can offer, and the old port of Marseille buzzes with life. The Halles are crowded but easy to navigate and the relaxed atmosphere quickly puts the three friends at ease. After ordering a drink at the Bar Central counter, they take a seat on the large sun-drenched terrace, alongside a cosmopolitan clientele. While chatting and sipping their drink, they browse through the digital menus of the 11 stalls thanks to the QR code they had fun scanning. One of them orders a seafood platter from Coquillages Claude directly in his smartphone. For Felix and his friend, it will be a pizza and a burger, ordered directly at the counters of the Grill des Halles and the 500 Degrés Pizza "because it's delightful to wander and explore this enchanting place: a real micro neighborhood within the neighborhood!" Felix specifies. If Les Halles invites them to relax and share, it is also a real show in itself, as lively and animated as the city of Marseille can be. Happy to have chosen Les Halles for their joyful reunion, the three friends also promise to return soon... Perhaps an opportunity to try new culinary flavours and enjoy one of the many festive events organised at Les Grandes Halles du Vieux Port!