KFC has a click and collect trial in its early stages at the moment – testing in Woking. Subject to results, it will move on to technical trial in a second restaurant before extended testing in a further eight restaurants. Only when and if it proves successful through these trials will it be rolled out nationally.
The click and collect service will enable customers to pre-order and collect on arrival at the store but, obviously, timing is critical: customers will not want to wait too long when they arrive to collect, or for their order to have been waiting too long for them!
The system is currently offered through an iPhone app, but a website application is also being developed.
KFC has over 800 stores in the UK, so a 10% take up would represent substantial business – and perhaps much could be new business. It is understood that Pizza Hut already uses a mobile service that now accounts for over 20% of its delivery sales – so the potential exists.