In addition to the new Android app, Delivery.com has also made updates to its iPhone app for faster search and navigation. The Delivery.com Android app is available for free via Google Play.

“Currently we are seeing nearly 10 percent of our orders coming from mobile devices – that’s a significant number, especially considering we are just now entering the Android market,” said Jonathan Mark, vice president of marketing at Delivery.com, New York.

“It is also a number that we expect to grow rapidly as we expand even further into mobile and as our users become more and more comfortable ordering on their phones,” he said.

Dine on mobile
In order to place an order, users must create a Delivery.com username and password.

Users can search through more than 10,000 restaurants in 50 cities.

The app uses GPS to help consumers find nearby restaurants that offer delivery and take-out options.

Users can then choose if they want to either pick-up their order or have it delivered.

To help consumers find what they are looking for, the app can be filtered by distance, rating, name or price.

Users can then browse menus in addition to contact information for each restaurant. When placing an order, consumers can type in any special requests, including cooking or delivery instructions.

Consumers can also store their favorite restaurants and dishes to speed up future orders.

For each delivery order, consumers can earn points that can be used towards gift cards and prizes.

“The success of our iPhone app and the increasing number of mobile orders being placed on Delivery.com made the Android app a natural progression for us,” Mr. Mark said.

“We want to offer all of our users the best and most convenient online ordering experience. In order to do that, we know that we need to have a presence on all mobile platforms,” he said.

Delivery.com’s iPhone app, which was launched in May 2011, has been tweaked to include faster load times and a simpler check-out process.

Users can search for nearby restaurants

On-the-go diners
The online dining industry is crowded with multiple companies clamoring to get into mobile.

Not only are consumers becoming more comfortable buying things with their devices, they are buying small items such as meals.

And according to recent research from Seamless, one of Delivery.com’s competitors, mobile is not just for after-hour orders.

Seamless claims that 20 percent of peak-day orders are placed on mobile (see story).

As consumers continually use their mobile devices instead of desktops to place orders, companies such as Delivery.com need to be thinking about a mobile-first strategy.

Delivery.com also plans to roll out iPad and BlackBerry apps in the near future.

“Our service is all about offering convenience to our users, and being able to order delivery or takeout from your mobile device makes that process even more convenient,” Mr.  Mark said.

“Plus, our apps not only enable mobile ordering, but they also serve as tools for location-based discovery by giving users the ability to search restaurants, stores, menus and inventories near their current locations,” he said.

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is editorial assistant on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York