LOUISVILLE Ky. Papa John’s International Inc. said it has surpassed $1 million in sales from mobile-phone Web orders since launching the technology in July.
Officials from the nation's third-largest pizza chain said Papa John's would continue to add to alternative ordering channels in order "to fit consumers’ evolving purchasing trends." Next up is an iPhone ordering application, which debuts Dec. 1, Papa John's said.
"This latest milestone of reaching $1 million in mobile Web orders in such a short time proves that consumers are increasingly using alternative methods for purchases," said Jim Ensign, vice president of marketing communications for the 3,317-unit Papa John's.
The company said earlier this year that it had passed $1 billion in overall online sales. Since introducing online ordering in 2001, Papa John's has added text message ordering and, more recently, the mobile Web platform for customers with "smart" phones.
The new Papa John's application for the iPhone is tailored to include optimized menus, entry fields and graphics. The restaurant locator has a link to Google Maps, so users can both find the address of a restaurant and click to a map for directions. In addition, the application will have a Papa John’s shortcut icon connected directly to the main mobile Web ordering screen.
Papa John’s said its online sales have grown exponentially since 2001, with online sales on average growing more than 50 percent each year and reaching almost $400 million in 2007 alone. The company said more than 20 percent of all sales come online or through text messaging, digital widgets or handheld devices.
Papa John's said sales via alternative access channels could one day surpass traditional telephone orders.
