Dunkin’ Donuts is taking the current mobile ordering trend a step further with curbside pickup for its mobile application users.

The brand is testing a new feature where consumers can order food through the mobile app and have it brought out to their car for them. Curbside pickup is only available for its loyalty rewards members but may expand to all users in the future.

“We have an incredible business through our drive-thrus,” said Sherrill Kaplan, vice president of digital marketing and innovation for Dunkin’ in the United States, noting that the brand wanted to bring that success through to other aspects of its business model.

Curbside pickup
Mobile ordering is already a popular trend among fast casual dining chains such as Dunkin’ Donuts. The brand was one of the first to popularize the trend, letting consumers order their food through an app and simply pick it up from the counter, skipping the line altogether.

Dunkin’ is now taking this trend a step further with its curbside pickup program, which is currently being tested at a few locations before the brand decides if it will be implemented elsewhere.

Dunkin’ cites the popularity of its drive-thru option as inspiration for the new feature.

While drive-thrus are popular where they are allowed, some locations make installing a drive-thru difficult, whether they are on a part of shopping strip or otherwise removed from an area where a drive-thru window could be installed.

To get around this problem, Dunkin’ is offering the ability for consumers to order their food through the Dunkin’ mobile app and have it brought out to them curbside, mimicking the effect of a drive-thru order without the necessary infrastructure to support the traditional drive-thru method.

The feature requires minimal additional internal setup, and so was easy for the brand to implement. If the feature proves a success, Dunkin’ may expand curbside pickups to other areas next year.

Mobile ordering
Dunkin’ Donuts’ use of mobile ordering is one of the standout features of its mobile app.

Curbside pickup will be an extension of that mobile ordering capacity, giving consumers the option of getting their food fast and with minimal fuss.

Dunkin’ has already made significant strides on its mobile end with the inclusion of many features in its mobile app.

Most notably, the brand has recently branched out into the world of mobile messaging, offering its consumers the ability to make purchases and send gift cards through an iMessage app on an Apple iPhone (see story).

If curbside pickup proves to be a success, Dunkin’ could have yet another tool in its formidable mobile arsenal to challenge its competitors, such as Starbucks.

“Guests love the convenience of not having to get out of their cars, but some store formats (and) locations don’t allow for a drive-thru — either the town ordinance doesn’t allow for a drive-thru or the location wouldn’t be conducive,” Ms. Kaplan said.