The company worked with Plastic Mobile to develop the app. The app is available for free download in Apple’s App Store for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad devices.

“Mobile ordering is gaining ground and popularity simply because of its simplicity and convenience,” said Melody Adhami, cofounder/CEO of Plastic Mobile, Toronto, Canada.

“The user is able to order on the go easily and readily, and get exactly what they want, when they want it, from wherever they are,” she said. “It’s also convenience from the perspective of the device itself.

“Meaning, because it’s a personal phone, all of the user’s personal information required to place an order is also literally at their finger tips. The mobile phone just makes the whole ordering process so incredibly convenient and easy.”

Mobile ordering
The Pizza Pizza application lets consumer view the pizza chain’s menu and specials information.

Additionally, promotional offers and discounts are displayed within the application.

Customers who are ready to make an order via the app can customize their pizza with countless toppings and menu choices.

Consumers can use the application for both pick-ups and delivery.

“For 2012 we expect to see a rise in the overall adoption of mobile ordering, and more generally, shopping and commerce,” Ms. Adhami said.

“We anticipate that, instead of users thinking of going to their desktop first for online ordering, they will begin to go to their mobile phones first, and computers as a secondary option,” she said. “We expect that tablets will also increase in popularity for online ordering.

“While they aren’t as ‘in your pocket’ accessible as the smartphone, they do offer the convenience of mobility, as well as proffering applications galore on a larger screen.”

Order to go
Mobile ordering is on the rise.

More companies such as Pizza Hut, Dominos and Subway are using mobile to engage existing customers as well as get new ones.

“The Pizza Pizza app was different from the typical online pizza ordering experience in that it really placed the user experience as paramount to all else,” Ms. Adhami said. “The app took the age-old approach and flipped it on its head – instead of asking the customer to log-in and enter all of their information before they’d even seen the menu, the app focuses on large, bright imagery and brings the menu items to the forefront for the user to explore before entering their order information.

“This enables the pizza ordering experience to be more appealing, as well as streamlined and simplistic for the customer,” she said.

“The app gives the user full end-to-end control of what, where, when and how they place and receive their order.”

Final Take
Rimma Kats is staff reporter on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York