Pizza Express launches UK first online payment app

In an innovative collaboration from high street restaurant Pizza Express and online banking service PayPal, the restaurant chain has this week launched an iPhone app enabling customers to pay for food and drink via their iPhone in a market first for the physical retail industry.

Appealing to our 'app'etites, the user is able to source all the usual information of a good restaurant app inclusive of full menu list, how to book a table, a location based search for nearest restaurant and relevant directions; there’s also the great addition of a storing facility for downloadable voucher codes for all us savvy savers too. The real star attraction of this app however, is that payments can now be made without bank cards or other external equipment in every one of their 370 stores across the country.

Riding on the back of Pizza Express’ WI-FI roll out throughout their stores via The Cloud, payment using the internet looks set to be easy, hassle free, secure and somewhat revolutionary. Here at The Lounge, we have already noted the convergence of the online-offline shopping experience in our Insight into Social Shopping blog post. The development of this app for high street restaurant purposes certainly adds yet another new dimension to the ever changing face of consumer experience.

Whilst the scenarios used in the ‘How the Pizza Express PayPal app works’ promotional video are somewhat contrived and the date scene whereby the young Romeo thrusts his phone to the waiter to indicate he wishes to pay the bill on his iPhone is invariably rude,  the key highlights of the app are nevertheless noted.  The Pizza Express app waves goodbye to living in fear of card carrying forgetfulness, potentially saving the customer from undesired embarrassment. It also boasts greater privacy for those ‘do not disturb’ dinner dates along with the ability to save time when you’re on a working lunch. Even redeeming those many 2 courses for £10 voucher offers you are repeatedly emailed with could not be easier, simply type in the voucher code after the twelve digit code set out at the bottom of your total bill and your transaction is complete.

The simplicity of online transactions made tangible in an offline retail environment is a second to none service; if you’re an iPhone owner that is. For those out there using Blackberry’s, Samsungs, Nokia’s etc, then I’m afraid you’re still going to need to need to remember your bank card when next visiting Pizza Express!