Every Office Needs SparkFun’s Wheel-of-Lunch

We’ve all been there. 12 o’clock comes and we have no idea where to go for lunch. Then somehow, a super simple question is always followed by a lengthy and unnecessary debate.

This too is a common occurrence at SparkFun. Knowing how harrowing the process of choosing a restaurant can be, creative technologist Feldi decided to make the whole process a bit easier on her colleagues. How, you ask? With the Wheel-of-Lunch, an Arduino Pro Mini-controlled randomized lunch picker.

The Wheel-of-Lunch turns on when you hit the momentary push button, triggering a DC motor and an LED strip. After a randomized delay, the motor and LEDs turn off, and the pin attached to the motor stops and points to the chosen restaurant. The enclosure consists of a 4" PVC pipe cap and a translucent acrylic etched with the logos of four different restaurants, which in this case are Chipotle (yum!), Red Robbin, Chili’s, and Taco Bell.

Want one for your office? Check out SparkFun team’s tutorial to get started and finally put an end to the dining deliberation!