Satisfy Your App-etite

The phrase "there's an app" for that has become downright omnipresent in our vernacular these days. Considering the surfeit of apps at our fingertips, it's actually pretty true. The latest testament to that? A couple new apps from a couple quick service dining and drinking staples: Argo Tea and Chipotle. The former rewards loyal patrons with a myriad of seamless upgrades, while the latter serves to help prospective employees apply for a new job. Whet your app-etite yet? 

(Photo courtesy of Argo Tea)

Coffee shops are a dime a dozen in any city, but tea-focused shops are still a rarity. That's where Argo Tea stands out, representing the same sort of devotion and craft to hot beverages as any solid cafe worth its salt, but with a distinct focus on local and global loose-leaf tea blends. With over 40 outposts worldwide, including a strong presence in Chicago, Argo Tea is ideally equipped to roll out a loyalty app, aptly dubbed LoyalTEA. As the name implies, it rewards brand-loyal customers through various incentives. First, it allows users to pre-order and pay for beverages for immediate pick-up at the bar. Upon downloading the app for iPhone or Android, users get a $5 cafe credit good in Chicago, New York, and Boston. The LoyalTEA app also enables users to redeem various rewards and amass different status levels based on the number of visits, including SpecialTEA, PrioriTEA, CelebriTEA, and RoyalTEA. Users can also scan their app-equipped device at the counter for quicker payment and earn more credits upon inviting friends to download and use the app. More incentives are present and accounted for, with more to coke, such as holiday e-gifting capabilities. 

While Argo offers rewards for loyal customers, Chipotle decided to use app software to facilitate job application processes for potential employees. Now available for smart phones and tablets, Chipotle's new app was developed in tandem with Jibe, equipping users with the capacity to apply for jobs via their handheld devices. It's already become an instant success, with roughly 20% of applicants coming from the app in its initial month. The app allows people to apply for any position at Chipotle, from restaurant to corporate, sorted and categorized by location. In using location search, users discover what positions are available near them. 

What will they think of next? 

- Matt Kirouac