Pizza Hut's iPhone app
Pizza Hut has launched an Apple iPhone app that allows users to order pizzas at a discounted price.
The free application is now available from the iPhone App Store and is compatible with all generations of the iPhone and iPod Touch. It can't be used to redeem discount vouchers, but all iPhone orders come with a 30 per cent discount off the menu price.
"There are no plans to include a voucher feature in the app given that customers are already receiving a discount," said Pizza Hut Australia Marketing Director, Valerie Kubizniak.
A range of pizzas, pastas, side dishes and drinks are available to order and the user can also save favourite orders as an 'ifav', minimising order time. Users aren't able to customise their pizzas, but Pizza Hut says this feature will be available in future releases of the app.
Kubizniak explained that the augmented reality function and 'GPS Store Finder' are two key features. The GPS Store Finder feature utilises the iPhone’s location capabilities; the Domino's Pizza iPhone app, released late last year, doesn't include a comparable feature.
It utilises augmented reality technology and works in conjunction with the camera to highlight the direction and distance of nearby Pizza Hut restaurants. The feature can only be used on the iPhone 3GS as it requires a compass to function, but iPhone 3G and iPod Touch users can still locate their nearest store. The app also includes an exclusive game called ‘Hut Racer’ that uses the iPhone’s accelerometer technology.
"Our consumers are always looking for fresh ways to order pizza and we believe that the app will be more engaging for them, especially the GPS feature," said Kubizniak. "It’s just an innovative way to order pizza."
The Pizza Hut app lacks the tracking tool provided by Dominos where customers can see how long until their pizza is ready, but Kubizniak claims this feature is deceptive. "It’s not a genuine tracker as the customer doesn’t receive an accurate status of their order," she said.
Pizza Hut also confirmed that an ordering platform for all 3G mobile phones "will be released in the next few weeks".
