Most Of Papa John’s Business Is Now Digital

There are now more indications that mobile purchases are now hitting the “more than 50 percent” tipping point. On Monday (Dec. 8), China mobile payment leader Alipay reported that—for the first time—more than half of its transactions were mobile. On Wednesday (Dec. 10), U.S. pizza chain Papa John’s reported the same percentage, that more than 50 percent of its transactions (both delivery and carryout) were now digital for the first time.

The chain also said on Wednesday that it was going to accept Google Wallet Instant Buy for delivery and carry-out orders placed through the Android app. Google Wallet Instant Buy is an online-only payment mechanism.

“Technology has made it easier for customers to order and we’ve seen this have a significant impact on consumer engagement. Less time answering phones empowers employees to focus on the quality of the pizza and making customers happy,” said John Schnatter, founder and chief executive officer of Papa John’s. “We’ve been taking orders digitally for almost 15 years, perfecting the ordering process.”

In the statement, Bob Kraut, Papa John’s chief marketing officer, indicated that he knew exactly what time of the year it was: “We are constantly being pushed by our visionary founder to track and respond to customer ordering habits.” Yes, there’s no time like mid-December for a little pre-holiday bonus boss brown-nosing.