As noted in our June 2016 Retail & Foodservice Technology DataTrac report, Chick-fil-A and Dunkin’ Donuts launched new mobile apps this month. The companies look to join the ranks of Quick Serve Restaurant (QSR) app stalwarts like Starbucks by offering users the ability to effortlessly pre-order and pre-pay for one’s chicken sandwich and donut, thereby skipping long lines filled with the technology disinclined.
Reality proved to be a slightly messier proposition, as often happens when backend challenges rise to the surface, but the rollout has largely been a success for Chick-fil-A. Results for Dunkin’ Donuts were decidedly more mixed.
Spurred on by the promise of free food, the Chick-fil-A One app rang up a million iStore downloads within the first three days of launch to go along with its 450K Google Play downloads. Reviews for the app have been largely positive. Issues that do arise with the app tend to center on an inability to pick up food via the drive thru at some locations.
Dunkin’ Donuts didn’t fare as well out of the gate. Reviews shade towards the negative with long load times and store locations not displaying (thereby making the on-the-go ordering function unusable) being most common.
The following table captures the current state of app offerings for the top US QSR chains.
October 31, 2019
Foodservice • Burger King Worldwide Inc. has now partnered with Uber Eats nationwide for delivery. To stimulate the campaign, Uberhttps://www.chainstoreguide.com.
September 26, 2019
Foodservice • &pizza has partnered with tech company Zume to integrate the company’s ‘Forward Mobile Kitchens’ with the pizza chain’s brand.https://www.chainstoreguide.com.
August 29, 2019
Foodservice • Applebee’s Services Inc. has announced its company-wide partnership with DoorDash for delivery. Applebee’s parent, Dine Brands Global Inc.,https://www.chainstoreguide.com.
