Itsu launches mobile-first delivery app for consumers that want to share
Itsu has launched a new delivery app and service aimed at making healthy food for delivery fun, social and interactive.
The new Itsu [to you] app allows customers to order freshly cooked hot and cold Itsu food, track the order, communicate with the driver and pay either individually or collectively.
Designed for groups, its technology combines MyCheck’s mobile payment and loyalty platform, Google’s Firebase cloud software, and Bringg’s last-mile delivery technology. Itsu said it is the first and only app that allows a team of people such as friends or workmates to collaboratively build a single order, share dishes, and then pay individually, if desired, using a payment method and device of their choice, including Apple Pay.
Customers are also able to communicate with their delivery drivers, who are known as “ninjas”, and track their position on a map within the app.
Itsu [to you], a start-up subsidiary under the Itsu brand, is led by Itsu’s former head of marketing Celeste Tobias-Metcalfe.
Tobias-Metcalfe said: “Everyone is time-poor in the 21st century, especially Itsu customers, and often we’re too busy focusing on so much other stuff that food can take a back seat. That’s where food delivery comes in but too often that means unhealthy options. Itsu [to you] sets out to change all that by making the whole process of ordering food not just healthy and quick but also fun and social.
“I see this as having massive appeal for businesses wanting an inspiring team lunch that’s not going to make everyone feel sluggish in the afternoon as well as groups of friends wanting a break from the usual stodgy delivery options and having a good time while deciding what to share. Everything about Itsu [to you] is designed with the customer at heart.
“We’ve elected to work with the best technology partners rather than use an ‘out of the box’ solution. There’s nowhere that we have compromised on the customer experience.”
Itsu [to you] will initially be available for weekday lunch orders in the London postcodes of SW1, SW8, SE11, SE17 and parts of SE1. From mid-March, the availability will widen to a lunch and evening service and Itsu [to you] has plans to expand across London and other cities over the coming months.
A “refer-a-friend” scheme is in place where the referree receives £5 credit and the referrer, £10 credit.
Gil Hazan, managing director for Europe, MyCheck, said: “Today the impact of mobile is there for all to see and every major chain is implementing a mobile strategy. Now, the issue is differentiation. The market is incredibly competitive as new players add to the vast array of consumer choice. Mobile will soon become a hygiene factor, with forward-thinking players looking at the compelling applications that boost the customer experience and deliver a clear return on investment.”
