Mobile ordering has increased exponentially in recent years as younger generations with money use their smartphones for more than simply texting and managing social media accounts. More importantly, to merchants, they’re consumers and their mobile habits are influencing how we order food and other goods.
This new breed of consumer knows what they want, and because technology has brought everything and everyone closer than ever before, they want it fast and with less hassle. As PYMNTS noted in a December article, when it comes to ordering meals, there’s a sense of urgency that outpaces everything else. And that’s where mobile order-ahead service comes in.
Convenience tops the necessity list for younger consumers (primarily Millennials and Gen Z-ers), and it has helped drive fast food chains, cafes, grocery stores, and other businesses to adopt these new systems.
Airports can now be added to the list of places where mobile ordering is poised to take off. For instance, passengers at Dubai International Airport can now schedule meals and drinks to arrive at their boarding gates.
Grocery stores like Kroger are testing mobile ordering as well. Select locations offer mobile grocery shopping and allow customers to place their orders via smartphone, tablet, or desktop and then pick up their goods curbside.
Additionally, Uber Eats allows customers to order food at restaurants that don’t have traditional locations. These “virtual restaurants” operate without dine-in capabilities. Instead, they allow take-out or they deliver meals to hungry customers.
DoorDash is a pioneer of sorts in the mobile ordering world and has really revolutionized the way customers order and receive their meals – and it’s much more than just delivering food. According to Abhay Sukumaran, Product Manager at DoorDash, the company is also changing how customers pay for deliveries. Enhancing the consumer experience and adding convenience, customers can order from their favorite restaurant using any payment method that DoorDash accepts, even if the merchant doesn’t accept that particular payment option.
“We’ve found that there is a shift happening from traditional payment instruments like credit cards to things like Apple Pay. Our rate of Apple Pay penetration is four to five times the overall average across the industry,” said Sukumaran.
Does your restaurant offer a mobile ordering platform? Do you accept mobile payments? National Merchants Association can help you join the shift to mobile. Contact us today for more information or to get started!