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In 2016, grilled-sub franchise <a href="http://www.penn-station.com/franchise/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=penn-station-makes-major-updates-to-mobile-app-2708262" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Penn Station</a> rolled out its first-ever Mobile Application, a major step forward in the brand&rsquo;s efforts to both increase its off-site ordering options and give consumers another touch point to the brand. In the two years since, <a href="https://1851franchise.com/pennstation" target="_blank">Penn Station</a> has released a series of upgrades and new functions to the app, making it one of the brand&rsquo;s most important tools for both franchisees and customers.

According to Sarah Baker, Penn Station&rsquo;s Marketing Coordinator, the first iteration of the app was fairly simplistic, intentionally offering only a loyalty program and little else &mdash; a far cry from the robust, multi-use platform it is today.

&ldquo;When it first came out, it was pretty much designed as a loyalty program where customers could get rewards after a certain number of visits,&rdquo; Baker said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve since added online ordering, mobile payment, gift cards and a number of other features. We&rsquo;re also completely overhauling the loyalty component and adding a couple fun new things to engage consumers, like a photo booth.&rdquo;

The app&rsquo;s current loyalty program awards surprise prizes, but the new version will use a point system, where points can be redeemed for a rotating menu of rewards. Baker says that system not only gives customers more options, it&rsquo;s also a more effective marketing strategy, cluing customers into upcoming deals and menu items.

&ldquo;What&rsquo;s great about the new loyalty program is that it doesn&rsquo;t just offer rewards, it offers a VIP treatment and shows off LTOs, new deals and items, which goes a long way to encourage customers to come back more frequently.&rdquo;

One of the app&rsquo;s most popular features is online ordering. And not just for customers. Baker says franchisees have found a number of benefits from the feature, including streamlined front-of-house operations, bigger average checks and efficiencies in the payment process for guests and employees alike.&nbsp;

&ldquo;Franchisees were a little cautious of online ordering when we first introduced it,&rdquo; Baker said. &ldquo;Once they tried it, they loved it. Now everyone is singing its praises. It&rsquo;s freed up manpower, has taken some of the burden off cashiers, reduced customizations in sandwiches, and because people tend to order more when they are scrolling through a menu on their phone, it&rsquo;s increased the average check size.&rdquo;

Online ordering has also reduced the number of phone orders that come into stores, something Baker says has been a big relief for Penn Station&rsquo;s customer service employees.

&ldquo;The reduction in phone orders is great for our people because it allows them to be face to face with customers without being interrupted by calls, and they don&rsquo;t have to put people on hold during busy periods,&rdquo; she said.

Baker says the mobile app is just a part of the franchise&rsquo;s larger strategy to meet the demand for off-site ordering options.

&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve found that our carry-out ratio is very high, and we&rsquo;re always trying to make ourselves more available to customers,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;Particularly for work lunches, people are looking for easy, accessible options these days, and we&rsquo;re taking strides to make sure that we are the best possible option for our customers.&rdquo;

Increasing and upgrading the brand&rsquo;s off-site ordering options is an ongoing project for Penn Station, one that Baker says requires a lot of work.

&ldquo;This is a daily concern for us,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;Working on our off-site options is one of the most important things we do for our customers, our franchisees and the business at large. Our customers love our product, but it&rsquo;s up to us to make sure it&rsquo;s always quick and easy to get.&rdquo;

Penn Station Makes Major Updates to Mobile App

1851 Franchise

The app is just one way the franchise is boosting off-site sales.

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