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EAGLE Boys Pizza will trial a 'virtual drive-thru' in Townsville, in a bid to take a bite out of Domino's technological stronghold in the market.
The platform allows customers to place an order online or with the app, and have the pizza handed straight to their car when they stop by their local store.
Customers push a button to alert the store of their arrival, allowing team members to know when they should deliver the meal.
The Brisbane-based business will roll out the trial this weekend at Eagle Boys Deeragun, Fairfield Waters, Kirwan and Vincent.
Eagle Boys CEO Nick Vincent says it was an exciting innovation for the company, providing customers added convenience.
"By introducing this technology, we are not only making the pizza ordering experience even more convenient for our customers," Vincent says.
"We are effectively eliminating the need for mums and dads to unload their kids when they arrive at their local Eagle Boys store, or for that matter, customers ever getting wet again on rainy nights just to enjoy our delicious pizzas.
"When ordering the pizzas, customers will be asked to provide some basic details to help our friendly staff identify them upon their arrival."
Vincent says he is expecting a positive response to the door-to-car-door option, with 70 per cent of Eagle Boys' business being pick-up orders.
"We believe this is the first time this technology has been available in the industry so we're very excited to hear our customers' feedback," he says.
"We were the first pizza company to offer a drive-thru option, and now we're using technology to take this concept to the next level of convenience."
Eagle Boys developed the virtual drive-thru with Australian technology company Delivery Command over the past 18 months. If the trial is successful, it will be rolled out across the Eagle Boys network nationwide.
Eagle Boys Townsville franchisee Kathryn Arthurs says she was looking forward to the launch of the trial, particularly because of its timing.
"We're very excited to give pizza lovers a new and improved pizza ordering experience, and what better way to launch it than on a weekend where all of the pizza lovers of Townsville are out voting in the election," Arthurs says.
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