Image Up Advertising & Design

12 FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | NOVEMBER 2019 THERE'S AN APP FOR THAT! Apps For Around Town - Part Two By Steve Benoff Two more apps for local enterprises are up for review. I admit to being only a casual coffee drinker. Since I only drink decaf with a little non-fat milk and a packet of Equal, I'm far from a connoisseur. I'm sure my daughter, who can't survive without a cup of full-strength coffee in the morning, can tell the difference between dark roast and blonde roast, but I can't. So, when I want a cup of coffee, I make it myself at home. All of this is my way of telling you that I'm the guy who doesn't go to Starbucks for coffee. They do, however, make some pretty nice sandwiches. (Make is an interesting word since I'm sure their food gets delivered by truck after being prepared in some distant factory.) Nonetheless, Martha and I wanted to pick up a couple of cheese and fruit protein boxes on our way to LA, so I thought I'd use the Starbucks app to place my order. I downloaded the app and began the set-up process. This was where I found my first problem. It seems I have only two payment choices. I can pay in the store, which, of course, greatly slows the pickup process. Or I can buy a Starbucks Card. There appears to be no option to register a credit card for automatic payment on an order-by-order basis. Once I set up my app, I began to order. Selecting the protein boxes was easy. Since I wanted to fully test the whole process, I ordered two coffees. I was presented with 64 choices under the Hot Coffee label. I found decaf and ordered two. Actually, I ordered one twice. Each order gave me many choices – size (among four), add-ins (18, yes 18), cup options (there appear to be none), flavors (14), and toppings (10). I ordered one black and one with milk and sweetener. After making my selections, I placed the order. It was at this time - that is, after the order was finalized - that I was given a pickup time frame. There were no pickup choices like at Chipotle. So, if I got there a half hour after placing the order, I'd be greeted with lukewarm coffee. As it was, when I got there the coffees were not labeled as to which had the milk and sweetener. It turned out that neither did. So, I took off the lid and added milk and Equal. As luck would have it, the unmarked other cup had sweetener added. This was a far cry from what I expected. They did manage to give us two protein boxes without a problem. Of course, I now have $10 left on my card which I'll use who knows when. For the forced card payment option, for the inability to select a pickup time, for their failure to distinguish between the two coffees, I give Starbucks a B-. This month's second app is Subway. Being a Subway regular, my first reaction to the idea of ordering on an app was to wonder how it could handle the myriad options available. But I had to look no farther than Starbucks to realize it was likely possible. Of course, I first had to complete the setup process which was no more daunting than any other app. I was pleased to see I had three payment options – credit card, gift card, or PayPal. Pressing Start Order does the obvious. You can choose from all sandwiches, signature wraps, fresh fit, breakfast, kids, salads, sides, and drinks. I chose all sandwiches. I was presented with four featured sandwiches and 23 regular choices. I usually get ham, turkey, or tuna. This time I chose ham and selected between 6-inch and footlong. I could have ordered it with the specified options of lettuce, tomatoes, and so on. I pressed Customize. This allowed me to select each of the standard ingredients individually and choose the regular amount, half, twice, or remove. By pressing the + button, I could add additional veggies, sauces, seasonings, and extras like bacon or guacamole, or cheese. Once I was through with my choices I pressed Add to Bag. I was presented with a review of my order including a "Ready today at" time. By pressing the time displayed, I was given individual pickup times at five-minute intervals stretching for 11 and a half hours ahead. This is a well-designed, easy-to-use app. I give it an A. I've decided to reserve an A+ for a really special app. If you use an app you'd like to share with others, let me know at steve.benoff@verizon.net.

• Cover