Dunkin makes donut runs efficient with new iPhone App

Posted on 22 June 2009 by Justin J. Dean

Dunkin’ Donuts has released a new interactive Website and iPhone App aimed at making your group coffee and donut runs more efficient and automated. Using the App or the Website you can send out an alert to your friends and coworkers letting them know you are going on a run to Dunkin Donuts. They can reply to the request via their iPhone or from the Website and put in an order for what they would like. Everything from frozen latte’s to donut holes is on the interactive menu. Once all the data is collected you can check the App on your iPhone, or print it and present it to the staff at Dunkin to place your order.

From the www.DunkinRun.com Website:

The Dunkin’ Run is the easiest way to grab that delicious pick-me-up for you and your friends. Here’s how it works:

INVITE: Start a run at DunkinRun.com from your computer, mobile device, or our iPhone application . You are now “the runner”, and pick which friends you’d like to invite by providing their email or mobile phone number (no spaces or dashes e.g. 1234567890).
ORDER: Select what you want from the menu, and we’ll contact your friends and tell them to do the same.
RUN: Go get the goods. We’ll compile all orders for you, and you can print it out or have it sent to your mobile device (if you print it, just hand the print out to the Dunkin’ crew member at the shop and they’ll take it from there).
ENJOY! Bring the goodies back, and enjoy the deliciousness, along with the hero worship from your friends.

It also includes tie-ins to Facebook to update your coworkers on the status of your run, as well as let’s you save past runs and favorites.

What would make this even more awesome? If it sent the order directly to Dunkin so that it was waiting for you when you get there. A step further would be to let each individual pay for their order via the App or Website – making collecting money from everyone less of a hassle.

This is a brilliant and very well executed marketing campaign that will last for years. I know I will use it. What we need is something similar for Starbucks.