By Noor Eszereen Juferi
Photo by Muhammad Nur Zairi Mohd Nazari
SERDANG, 24 December – Final-year students from the Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) has successfully developed a mobile application, PutraPalate, to help students access nutritious meals at affordable prices on campus.
The application was developed by three Bachelor of Computer Science (Honours) students, Aqil Danish Mohammad Yusof, Nur Syafiqah Baidrol Azmee and Muhammad Syakir Najmi Abu Bakar. Its main focus is to assist students in identifying meal options priced at RM7 and below at campus cafés.
Aqil Danish said PutraPalate compiles menus from cafés within the campus and enables students to make food choices based on their daily budgets. Users can also check available menu information directly through the app.
“Beyond helping students find affordable meals, the app also functions as a financial management tool. Every food and beverage transaction can be recorded, allowing students to assess whether their spending remains within budget,” he said.
He added that the idea for PutraPalate stemmed from their own experiences as students, where they observed a need for balanced meals at reasonable prices on campus.
“We want this app to be used by all students, not just a small group, so that managing food choices within a budget becomes easier and more systematic,” he said.
During its initial phase, PutraPalate underwent a pilot test involving 10 UPM students and received positive feedback, particularly regarding ease of use and clear guidance for users. The app has also begun to be used in several UPM residential colleges.
The app was developed using the no-code platform AppSheet and was completed in approximately one week.
PutraPalate is currently available to all UPM students, as it covers all cafés operating on campus. The developers also plan to expand the app to other universities in the future.
