Domino's recently updated its mobile app to include a dinner bell function that aims to help people disconnect from their devices and spend quality time with one another during meals. As Dennis Maloney, Domino's chief digital officer, describes "Domino's virtual dinner bell ... rings right on everyone's phones, no matter where they are, so that everyone is ready to enjoy their piping-hot pizza together."
To make the most of this new feature on the Domino's app, users must update their downloaded application and have a Pizza Profile. From there, app users are able to invite their friends and family members to join a dinner bell group so that when a group order is placed, everyone will be aware when the order goes out for delivery, as well as when it's time to gather around the table and eat.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Mobile App Dinner Bell
- The concept of a mobile app dinner bell feature can be adapted by other restaurant chains or meal delivery apps to encourage customers to disconnect from their devices and spend quality time with their loved ones during mealtime.
- Virtual Mealtime Gathering
- Creating a virtual mealtime gathering feature in mobile apps can disrupt the traditional concept of mealtime by enabling users to connect with people across various locations and share meals together.
- Social Media Detox Trend
- The rise of the social media detox trend suggests an opportunity to incorporate features in mobile apps, like the dinner bell, that prompt users to actively spend less time on their devices and more time connecting with people in real life.
Where This Applies
- Restaurant Chains
- Restaurant chains can adopt a similar mobile app feature to encourage more customers to dine-in with others and increase their foot traffic.
- Meal Delivery Services
- Meal delivery services can create virtual group meals feature to encourage their users to stay connected with others during mealtime, this can differentiate their brand from competitors and attract more customers.
- Mobile App Development
- Mobile app developers can offer an innovative solution to combat social media addiction by creating features, algorithms, and notifications that encourage users to disconnect while promoting real-life connections instead.
