Minipass recently started servicing one of my favorite restaurants. After putting my name and number down, they texted me on behalf of the restaurant with a link that should show me where I am in line. Instead of the link opening up a browser window, it opened up a page prompting me to download their app. I tried to find a way to load a web page to show me my wait time, but I couldn’t, so I finally caved and downloaded their app, thinking that the link would deeplink me into their app. Instead, it routed me to the SAME page to download their app, so I tried to see if I could just view it in their app, and the only way to do so was to give my name, date of birth, email, and phone number to them.
Slimey is the nicest word that I can use to describe this UX pattern. You are supposed to be servicing restaurants, not their customers, and your attempt to disintermediate the relationship between a restaurant and their customer by requiring my identity to get a basic function of your service, which you are providing ON BEHALF of the restaurant, is not in the best interest of your customers. As a product, this is an example of the worst that technology companies have to offer.
