NEW YORK -- With Super Bowl Sunday approaching, along with game day snacking on wings, nachos and more, hungry consumers are turning to smartphones and tablets to place online orders for pickup or delivery, with more than two-thirds (69%) of those polled saying they have placed food orders via mobile devices, according to a new report.
The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and its Mobile Marketing Center of Excellence, in partnership with Viggle, have released "Mealtime Goes Mobile: Mobile Screens' Impact on Ordering Takeout & Delivery," exclusive research looking at mobile's impact on ordering food.
It said that 50% of media savvy mobile users are so committed to their favorite destination for fast eats that they have downloaded at least one restaurant-specific app, such as Chili's, McDonald's or Pizza Hut. In addition, 55% of those polled have at least one "multi-restaurant" app, with Yelp the most popular at 37%, followed by Urbanspoon (24%) and Zagat (9%).
When it comes to the Big Game itself, 26% are already planning to order takeout or delivery to complement their Super Bowl viewing. While the survey did not ask about specific Super Bowl mobile dining plans, respondents were clear in their general mobile internet ordering preferences, with pizza taking the top snacking spot at 72%, followed by a tie between sandwiches/burgers and Chinese food (31%). wings (24%) and Mexican food rounded out the list (15%).
"This research highlights the fact that the mobile internet is increasingly becoming a vital tool to help consumers navigate their everyday lives--even when it comes to simple tasks such as ordering a pizza," said Anna Bager, vice president and general manager of the Mobile Marketing Center of Excellence for IAB. "Restaurant and fast-food chain marketers should pay close attention to this trend and take advantage of the opportunities that mobile offers, making it a key part of their ad-buying strategy."
A great number of those surveyed also use their mobile devices to research restaurants for delivery or takeout: 44% of those surveyed use smartphones or tablets regularly to find restaurant phone numbers; 39% do so to see the menu; and 38% use their mobile devices to find a restaurant location
The research also unveiled that financial or other rewards are the most likely path to driving short-term adoption of mobile online ordering. Most respondents (78%) said discounts would make them more likely to order, and nearly two-thirds (64%) said loyalty points would have this impact.
"Restaurant marketers should consider these insights when planning for future mobile campaigns," said Greg Consiglio, president and COO of Viggle. "Mobile users are clearly looking for benefits to motivate them into transitioning their food ordering experience onto their smartphone or tablet. Dining establishments and fast-food giants continue to leverage new incentive-based platforms for ordering via mobile devices, providing their customers with the easiest possible way to place an order."
The IAB-Viggle "Ordering Food Goes Mobile" survey was fielded Jan. 7-9, 2013. To get the sample, Viggle emailed invites to a random sample of Viggle's nearly two million registered users. These users completed the survey online (on either desktop, smartphone, or tablet); 573 completed the questionnaire.
IAB is comprised of more than 500 media and technology companies responsible for selling 86% of online advertising in the United States.
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