"The Internet is where most customers live today," said Chris Sternberg, Papa John's senior vice president of corporate communications. "Consequently, we want to make it easy for those customers to order out food. There are advantages to the Internet."
The Louisville, Ky.-based company, which has 2,600 stores nationwide, began offering the service in 2001. Since then, the company has taken more than 25 million online pizza orders. Online ordering has increased by at least 50 percent each of the last few years.
"Many customers don't like to be put on hold," Sternberg said. "They want to see the menu and pricing. And they like to move ahead with their order at their own pace. This can be done on the Internet."
Domino's Pizza, with 5,000 stores in the United States, sees online ordering as a staple of its future. Some of its stores have been testing online ordering with success, and officials predict it will eventually be used companywide. Online testing is being done in Michigan and in San Diego, New York City and Gainesville, Fla.
