People are able to find apps for just about anything these days, whether it is listening to music, reading books, playing games, or watching movies. Why should ordering food be any different? That is what many major food chains seem to be wondering as they all pursue the industry’s next big market: mobile ordering.
The giants of online ordering have begun to shift their focus from the computer back to the phone. Companies like Domino’s, Taco Bell, Papa John’s, and Chipotle have either launched or are in the process of launching apps that allow customers to order food on-the-go. Mobile ordering offers all the benefits of online ordering, and then some. Similar to ordering through a website, customers using the new takeout and delivery apps are not forced to rush their order, which ultimately leads to a better upsell of add-on items and larger ticket orders. This type of ordering also targets the generation of consumers who refuse to order in person or over the phone, ultimately adding a 20% increase to the amount of people a restaurant is reaching.
Unlike a website, mobile apps have an additional level of convenience for both the consumer and the merchant. The capabilities of today’s smart phones allow for an order to be placed virtually anywhere. Customers, who are out running errands or leaving the office for the day, are able to order a meal with a few taps of a button and pick it up on the way home. College Advertising Solutions, a subsidiary of Hungry Media that operates online and mobile restaurant guides in college towns, has found this to be especially true of students who will order a meal in class or on their way home from the bars.
“Students today are glued to their phones and as a company that markets online products to them, we have to be innovative and create products that our customers want to us,” says CEO & Founder of Hungry Media, David Laiderman. “Mobile ordering and mobile content is where we’re planning to focus our efforts for the foreseeable future. That’s where our consumer is.”
Depending on the application’s software, there are even more potential benefits for restaurants opting to use mobile ordering. Software built by Hungry Media allows merchants to track the frequency of users and set up a rewards program for loyal customers. Franchises looking to establish themselves are able to use loyalty programs to incentivize repeat visits to a specific location. Decisions can be further influenced by local deals promoted with the GPS-based software. The prospect of local deals run by specific locations encourages customers to engage with the mobile platform frequently to find out about new promotions in the area. Hungry Media apps also integrate with the restaurant’s social media and point of sale so that owners do not have to deal with any additional burdens when receiving mobile orders.
The most exciting aspect of mobile ordering is that it is still in an infancy stage for much of the food industry. Since many corporations are just beginning to enter the mobile medium, a singular brand does not dominate the market. Independent shops and franchises have a major opportunity to gain mobile popularity if they launch their own mobile ordering apps. However, with many corporations stating that mobile commerce is their fastest growing segment, this opportunity will not be available for long.
About Hungry Media
Hungry Media is a leading creative digital marketing company and a marketing partner for restaurants nationwide. By using a combination of internal data, industry expertise, social media, and online research, they can coordinate and implement a more efficient digital approach for their restaurant clients.
Hungry Media’s subsidiaries include College Advertising Solutions, Reward Trail, Snack Social, Hungry Web Designs, and MenuDrive. These companies offer services in online ordering, advertising, creative development, reputation management, and digital media, providing restaurants with several options to improve their digital footprint. For additional information, please visit www.hungrymedia.com.
