🍽️ The Making Of Seneca Eats: The Ultimate Cafeteria Web App for Seneca College

🚀 Try It First, Then Let’s Build It

Before diving into the code, experience what we’re building:

🔗 Live Demo: SenecaEats

💻 Source Code: GitHub Repository

Explore all campus menus, get real-time updates, and enjoy a responsive, mobile-first interface.

🎯 The Problem I Solved

Picture this: walking around campus, hungry, and trying to figure out what’s available in the cafeteria.

Pain points:

• ❌ Menus scattered across multiple locations

• ❌ No real-time updates

• ❌ Hard to access on mobile

• ❌ No clear interface for students and staff

Solution: SenecaEats – a web app that consolidates all dining options, provides live updates, and offers a mobile-friendly experience.

Timeline: 2 months of development
Result: Fully functional Spring Boot application, responsive UI, live deployment

🏗️ Technical Architecture

📱 Frontend: Thymeleaf + HTML/CSS + JavaScript → Mobile-first UI
💻 Backend: Java 17 + Spring Boot 3.2.3 + Spring MVC → RESTful services
🗄️ Database: JPA/Hibernate for persistence
🔒 Authentication: Secure login system for students and staff

📅 Step-by-Step Development

Step 1: Designing the Interface 🎨

• Clean, intuitive, and responsive

• Mobile-first layout for all devices 📱

• Real-time menu updates ⏰

Step 2: Backend Development ⚙️

• REST controllers to manage menus and orders

• Services handling business logic 🛠️

• Repositories for database access 🗄️

Step 3: Authentication & Security 🔒

• Users securely log in to see their cafeteria menus

• Role-based access for students and staff 👥

Step 4: Deployment 🚀

• Hosted on Vercel for seamless access

• Tested for responsiveness and real-time data updates

🧰 Key Features

• 🍔 Food menu management with CRUD operations

• 📝 Order processing for staff efficiency

• 🔑 User authentication & authorization

• 📱 Responsive web interface with Thymeleaf

• ⚡ Real-time menu and schedule updates

💡 Lessons Learned

1. 📱 Mobile-first design matters – Students use their phones most of the time

2. ⚡ Real-time updates improve usability – Instant menu changes are critical

3. 🛠️ Thorough backend planning – Clear separation of controllers, services, and repositories speeds up development

4. 🎨 User-friendly interfaces reduce friction – Clean UI = happy users

5. 🔍 Testing is everything – Real users find issues you can’t predict

So, what’s your next project idea? Let me know in the comments! 🚀