CLEARWATER, Fla. – Verifone announced that it is focusing heavily on the foodservice industry at convenience stores across the United States, enhancing its already robust convenience foodservice offering. Among other features, it will enable a drive-thru food ordering service, enabling the customers to customize their order as well as track it from the point of order, to the kitchen, to the final delivery.
Per Verifone, industry data suggests that more than eight in 10 (82%) convenience retailers overall report that they’re investing in their foodservice programs, and nearly nine in 10 (87%) identify foodservice as a strategic priority. C-store foodservice programs are as diverse as the industry itself, ranging from a coffee to a merchandiser filled with grab-and-go sandwiches to full-blown, made-to-order offerings involving salads, burgers, pizza and specialty drinks presented in an environment complete with digital menu boards, seating or a drive-thru window.
Verifone believes that drive-thru food ordering will help c-store retailers grow their business by focusing on speed-of-service, order accuracy, upselling and customization for consumers.
Food configuration will be a part of Verifone’s Commander Site Controller, a single site management software platform that supports all petroleum and card brands both at the gas pump and inside the convenience store, with payment technology. It incorporates the latest Conexxus Mobile standard-based API to streamline fuels and convenience store retailers’ ability to support mobile payment apps, while offering loyalty schemes, improving business processes, reducing costs, and increasing productivity. Commander serves as a local gateway that interfaces with full-service attendant sites, and a combination of full- and self-service sites.
“Convenience store foodservice is one of the fastest growing segments of the c-store industry. With changing customer expectations transforming the retail landscape, merchants are looking for innovative ways to engage with their customers and better manage their business from a single touchpoint” said Dan Yienger, senior vice president and general manager of petroleum for Verifone. “This offering is an example of an advanced solutions that presents an opportunity for c-store retailers to enhance their business and the overall customer experience. For today’s busy consumer, this is an added feature at the gas station, where they not only fill gas but can also drive through to pick their choice of made-to-order food from the comfort of their cars.”
This offering will be rolled out in late 2017. Demonstrations of the of the drive-thru Order Confirmation Board, Customer Order status board and digital menu boards can be seen at next week’s NACS Show at Verifone’s booth (4257) on October 18-20.