1.4.2008 9:43 AM

Text Messaging the Way of the Future for Food Ordering?

LIft a Thumb or Two and Order a Pie

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Photo: Hillary Fox / Istock

By Karen Berner

Those of us that don't like waiting in line for pizza, coffee, or a panini are now able to order via text messaging on our cellphones and other hand-held devices. Mobile ordering, where Pizza kings such as Papa John's (all 2600+ of them) offer consumers the ability to text in their orders, is a pretty handy feature for many on the go. Other restaurant chains such as Pizza Hut, Quiznos, Subway, and Dunkin'Donuts are following suit and mobile food ordering has picked up globally as well.

Convenience just got more convenient for the time-pressed and those of us of the just plain lazy brigade. And although this way of ordering is good for the fast-food industry, unfortunately it's not necessarily best for the consumer as it encourages many to eat more unhealthy fast foods.

What's next on the menu? Cellphone one-click ordering for pickup or delivery, making the ordering of your "have to have" maple macchiato as easy as ordering a book off of Amazon. Now, if we could only text message orders to our local farmer's market. There's a service we're sure many would be happy to pay for although many of us would miss the whole social aspect of buying local.

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