1 Introduction

The canteen management system should advance from the manual system to the digital
system of modernization. To solve the problems that canteens and cafeterias in massive
organizations, institutions of higher learning, and commercial enterprises face, a canteen
management system must be put into place. The main goal of such a system is to
increase canteen operations' efficiency, ensuring a simple and convenient experience for
both customers and canteen staff. This introduction gives a general overview of the
project's history while highlighting the urgent need for its existence. It begins by outlining
the problem scenario, backed up by facts and reliable references, and then goes on to
describe the project as a tactical remedy to solve this problem.

1.1 Problem Scenario:

Canteens and cafeterias are essential in today's fast-paced educational institute and
workplaces for offering visitors, staff, and students quick and easy dining options.
However, the administration of these facilities frequently faces several urgent difficulties.

• Time-Consuming Order Processing: In canteens, processing orders is

frequently labor and time-consuming. Long lines of customers wait in line to place
orders and watch food being prepared. This decreases the overall effectiveness of
the canteen's operations and also causes frustration to both customer and canteen
staffs.
• Issues with Order Status Tracking: Customers frequently run into issues with
order status tracking. Customers struggle to predict when their food will be ready
due to the absence of a real-time order tracking system, which adds to their
dissatisfaction.
• Manual Order Processing: The common manual order processing techniques
used in canteens result in mistakes and inefficiency. Billing errors and unsatisfied
customers are frequently the result of human error, misunderstandings, and
inaccurate order recording.

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 • Order Errors: Order errors in canteens frequently involve the wrong food items,
or billing. Customers are not only let down by these mistakes, but they also result
in more administrative work being required to settle disputes and fix errors.

The challenges faced by the Colleges or university as well as the canteen operators and
end-users are included in this complex problem scenario. Collectively, these problems
harm the canteen's effectiveness and reputation, which has an adverse effect on the
wellbeing and satisfaction of customers, staff members, and students.

1.2 The project as a solution

The problem scenario's challenges are completely addressed by the proposed Canteen
Management System (Food Serve). The project seeks to accomplish the following
through the use of digital technology and streamlined procedures:

• Streamline Ordering: This project aims to decrease wait times and billing errors
by creating a user-friendly Web application.
• Enhance Order Tracking: Customers will receive immediate updates on the
status of their orders thanks to the system's order tracking feature.
• Automate Order Processing: With the help of a digital platform that improves
order accuracy and speeds up order fulfillment, manual order processing will be
replaced by the project.
• Eliminate Order Errors: The project aims to significantly reduce order errors and
ensure that customers receive what they order, accurately billed, by automating
order processing and utilizing a digital platform.

In conclusion, this project aims to transform canteen management by making it more

effective, efficient, and user centered. By addressing these significant problems, the
Colleges or organization not only improves the dining experience but also the general
wellbeing and satisfaction of students, staff, and visitors, which enhances the College’s
or organization's success/reputation through the use of 1st digital canteen in Nepal.

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2 Aims and Objectives

2.1 Aims
By streamlining order processing, improving order tracking, automating manual
processes, and reducing order errors, the Food serve’s main goal is to improve efficiency
and the overall dining experience.

2.2 Objectives
The following goals must be met for the project to be completed:

• To learn about Designing Tools,

• To comprehend and use a web application and database together.
• To gain deeper understanding of Front-End and Back-End programming
languages.
• To be Prepared for the final Year Project
•

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3 Expected Outcomes and Deliverables

The project's completion would enable the accomplishment of the following objectives:

• A web application named as “Food Serve” which can be used in the operations of
canteen.
• Food Serve integrated with MySQL database for Analytics and Reporting,
maintaining users’ data, collecting reviews and feedbacks too.
• Web Application for Customer includes:
1. User Registration and Login
2. Account Management
3. Browse Menus for food items.
4. Order Status Tracking
5. Feedback and Reviews
6. Notifications
• Web Application for Canteen Staffs:
1. Staff Login
2. Order Management
3. Food items Management
4. User Management
5. Alerts and Notifications
6. Menu Management

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4 Project risks, threats, and contingency plans

4.1 Risk and Threats

• Technical challenges: Technical problems are possible When developing and

integrating systems like system failure, hardware failure, etc.
• Operational Disruptions: Potential problems like software bugs or server outages
that prevent the canteen from operating normally.
• User Adoption: There is a chance that the system won't be used to its full potential
due to low user adoption rates.
• User Error: Data loss or misuse due to user error on the part of staff or clients.
• Social engineering and phishing: Phishing and Social Engineering attack
attempts to trick users or staff into disclosing private information.

4.2 Contingency plans

• Creating a user-friendly interface, train users, and aggressively publicize the

system inside the canteen.
• A disaster recovery plan should be in place, critical system components should
have redundancy, and technical support should be available at all times.
• Updating of the system frequently to reflect evolving regulations, carry out
compliance audits, and hire legal counsel to handle any arising legal issues.
• Implementing email filters and anti-phishing tools, promote of strong authentication
techniques, and inform staff and users of the dangers of phishing and social
engineering.
• Use load balancing, backup systems, and redundancy to reduce downtime in the
event of system failures.
• Implement of data backup and recovery processes, provide user education, and
impose access restrictions on sensitive features.

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 5 Methodology

To build this system, I have Rational Unified Process (RUP) Methodology which has got
four phases. During these phases, a variety of tasks are completed, including modeling,
analysis and design, implementation, testing, and application (Janse, 2022).

The four stages and the way I have used them in my project are explained bellow:

i. Inception
This is the first phase/steps of the methodology. During this phase, the primary goal
is to understand the project's scope, feasibility, and establish a clear understanding
of what needs to be accomplished (Kanjilal, 2022).
This phase consists of dealing with:
• Finalizing the project
• Gathering information about the system
• Determining the feasibility of system
• Determining the scopes and boundaries of the project
ii. Elaboration
In the second phase, the requirements were refined, going deeper into the project's
specifics, and laying the groundwork for the Canteen Management System's
architecture during this phase. The project starts to take shape at this point (Kanjilal,
2022).
This phase consists of dealing with:
• Gathering Detailed requirements
• Evaluation of the risk of possible disasters during development
• Develop detailed use cases to describe system functionality.
• Development of ER Diagrams.
• Documentation of Proposal

iii. Construction
In the Third phase, focusing on the implementation of the system based on the
detailed design specifications from the Elaboration phase (Kanjilal, 2022).

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 This phase consists of dealing with:
• Doing the code and working on the different parts of the system.
• Examining each component separately to make sure it operates as intended.
• Examining how well components are integrated to make sure they function
as a unit.
• Verifying the functionality of the entire system by conducting thorough testing.
• Finding and fixing errors discovered during testing.

iv. Transition
In the last phase of Rational Unified Process, it focuses on deploying the Food Serve
(Canteen Management System) and ensuring a smooth and positive transition to its
operational use (Kanjilal, 2022).
This phase consists of dealing with:
• Engaging users in testing to make sure the system satisfies their needs.
• Arrange for the system's introduction into the operational environment.
• Training both canteen employees and end users.
• Taking feedbacks from the employees and end users.
• Providing supports materials and updating of documentation to reflect any
changes in the future.

Hence For a project like this, the Rational Unified Process (RUP) methodology is best /
advantageous because of its systematic approach, precise requirements gathering, risk
management, iterative development, quality assurance, and emphasis on
documentation. It promotes user participation, is flexible enough to adjust to the
requirements of the project and offers comprehensive project management guidelines.
RUP's track record of success in software development adds credence to its suitability in
facilitating the effective design, development, and implementation of a dependable and
efficient Food Serve (canteen management system).

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6 Resource Requirements

A canteen management system project will require a variety of materials and inputs in
order to successfully plan, develop, deploy, and use the system.

• Hardware: Local machine-like computer, laptop, etc. to develop the Web

application
• Database: To store the data of the system database is required like MySQL.
• Internet Connectivity: Reliable high-speed internet connections.
• Project Timeline: Timelines and milestones for the project are clearly defined.
• IDE Software: for gaining a coding environment IDE software is needed like Vs
Code which will make us easier, faster, and efficient to do code.
• Software Requirements:
❖ For Web Application:
▪ React JS (Front-End)
▪ Node JS (Back-End)
▪ MySQL (Database)

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7 Work breakdown structure

Figure 1 Work Breakdown Structure

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8 Milestones

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9 Project Gantt chart

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10 Conclusion

The Canteen Management System (Food Serve) project was designed to deal with issues
that canteen operations face, like labor-intensive order processing, manual errors, and
order tracking challenges. It significantly increased the ordering process and operational
effectiveness by introducing a user-friendly web app for customers and a specialized
platform for staff. Our efforts to improve order processing, menu management, and data-
driven decision-making were guided by well-defined objectives.

Real-time information access was made possible by the MySQL database, which played
a crucial part in data management. Innovating canteen management, this project will
provide a more effective and customer-focused dining experience.

In conclusion, the Canteen Management System project promises to transform

conventional practices through technology and adaptability, having a long-lasting positive
impact on canteen operations. We are still dedicated to keeping the system updated and
improving it to meet the changing demands of our users.

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11 References

Janse, B., 2022. The Rational Unified Proces Methodology (RUP). [Online]
Available at: https://www.toolshero.com/information-technology/rational-unified-process-
rup/
[Accessed 28 October 2023].

Kanjilal, J., 2022. Introduction to Rational Unified Process (RUP). [Online]

Available at: https://www.developer.com/project-management/rational-unified-process-
rup/
[Accessed 28 October 2023].

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