With the chicken sandwich wars now behind them, Chick-Fil-A is free to focus on other things, like letting its in-store diners order meals from their table instead of standing in line. The fast food chain today announced that it is launching “dine-in mobile ordering” as an option for its customers.
Now available at participating locations nationwide, the new dine-in ordering works like this: Customers use the Chick-Fil-A mobile app to place a “dine in” order while at the restaurant. They then tap their phone on the table number, which uses Near Field Communication (NFC) to direct the order so a Chick-Fil-A employee brings the meal to the correct table.
It’s easy to see why this is appealing to both consumers and Chick-Fil-A. For customers, they can avoid standing in line and customize their order without any back and forth with a cashier. For the restaurant, it gets its money faster (because no standing in line), helps prevent customers leaving if lines are too long, and creates faster turnover for tables to seat more customers.
For those old enough to remember, this is like the modern, wireless version of what A&W Root Beer restaurants use offer. Only back then there was a hardwired handset built into the table that you would pick and speak into to place your order.
This feature is also just the natural evolution of mobile-powered delivery everywhere trend we are seeing. From parks to stadiums to state rooms on cruise lines, to inside the restaurant itself, everyone is angling to let you skip long lines and get your grub faster.
Veterans of the chicken sandwich war will now most likely be fighting the mobile ordering war.
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