Note: This article was initially published on the restaurant trade site Restaurant Social Media Index on 7/6/16.
Link: https//rsmindex.com/blog/2016/7/6/wingstop-introduces-ordering-food-through-facebook-and-twitter
Popular fast casual restaurant chain Wingstop isn’t chickening out when it comes to social media. A report by Nation’s Restaurant News said Wingstop is now allowing customers to order food through both Twitter and Facebook Messenger.
Users can send either “order” or “#order” to Wingstop’s Facebook page or Twitter handle to begin the process.
This new ordering platform was made possible by the restaurant’s four-month collaboration with Dallas software company Conversable, Inc.
“Conversable is basically a service layer that fits in between the messaging platform, like Twitter and Facebook, and our e-commerce system,” Wingstop Chief Information Officer Stacy Peterson said.
This new feature allows customers to easily order via their smartphone, tablet, or smartwatch, said a report by Globe News Wire.
Peterson said the software will walk the customer through the ordering process, providing them with menu options within the chat itself.
NRN explained that the software automatically provides responses to questions commonly asked by customers, such as the taste of certain flavors and allergy information.
As the chain does not deliver, users will be asked to provide their zip code and will be given a time to pick up their order at their nearest Wingstop location.
Peterson stresses that you do not have to be a past customer to use this software; first-time Wingstop eaters are welcome to order this way.
Wingstop is not the only restaurant chain to provide an ordering system of this nature. According to Computerworld, popular pizza delivery chain Domino’s unveiled the ability for customers to order via Twitter in their tweet-to-eat campaign. However, Domino’s has not yet tackled the Facebook messenger platform.
Although not many chains have attempted to release a system of this nature, this advancement opens the door for new possibilities. If Wingstop is successful in the implementation of Facebook and Twitter ordering, fast casual restaurants may view this as the future of the industry. This perspective will lead to Wingstop becoming a pioneer of a growing community rather than a lone entrepreneur.
Peterson announced plans to eventually expand this ordering system to more platforms, including Slack, text messaging, and Amazon Echo.
“It’s all about the convenience,” she said. “We want to be where our customers are.”Read More