Papa John’s Post-Delivery Tip and Curbside Pickup

How might we improve the tipping process for Papa John’s customers to ensure fair compensation for drivers and increase customer satisfaction?

How might we design an efficient and user-friendly curbside pickup experience to enhance convenience and minimize customer frustration?

The Birth of Two Ideas: Post-Delivery Tip & Curbside Pickup

Around the same time, we also saw a sharp rise in demand for Curbside Pickup. People were reluctant to enter stores, and they needed a safer way to pick up their food without getting out of their cars. But many quick-service restaurants had implemented curbside pickup poorly  leaving customers confused about where to park or how to notify the store that they had arrived. We didn’t want to make the same mistakes, so we saw an opportunity to create a frictionless, user-friendly experience that was convenient and clear.

We saw an opportunity to solve both at the intersection of these two problems: tips and curbside pickup. We began with two key features:

1. Post-Delivery Tip: A new way for customers to tip their delivery drivers after receiving their food.
2. Curbside Pickup: A streamlined process for customers to pick up their orders without leaving their cars.

The first step was figuring out how we could implement these features in a way that felt natural and easy for customers, all while enhancing the overall experience.

Solving the Post-Delivery Tip Problem

In our research, we found that some customers were simply more comfortable tipping after their delivery. Maybe they wanted to see the quality of service before rewarding it, or maybe they just weren’t in the habit of tipping upfront. Regardless, the existing pre-delivery tipping system wasn’t cutting it. With No-Contact Delivery in place, we didn’t have a mechanism that allowed customers to easily tip after receiving their food.

To address this, we introduced the Post-Delivery Tip feature.

We designed it to be simple and effective:

• Once the delivery was completed, the app would notify the customer that their order had arrived and gently prompt them to leave a tip for their driver.
• Customers could choose a predetermined tip amount (e.g., 10%, 15%, 20%) or enter a custom amount.
• We also gave customers the option to write a thank you message to their driver, adding a personal touch.
• Finally, we integrated the tip directly into the app’s payment system, so customers could use their stored payment methods to quickly complete the transaction.

Predetermined tip percentages, custom tip amounts and thank you messages.

The Impact of Post-Delivery Tip

As soon as we launched the feature, we began to see results. Customers who skipped tipping during No-Contact Delivery were now tipping their drivers at a higher rate. The number of tips and the amount tipped per order increased. We also received positive feedback from customers who appreciated the ability to tip after the fact without the pressure to do so upfront.

But beyond the statistics, something more important happened: our drivers felt more appreciated. The introduction of this feature reinforced the idea that we valued their hard work, even in a contactless world. And the customers? They felt they had more control over their experience, which contributed to a higher overall satisfaction.

Curbside Pickup

While we were focused on solving the tipping issue, we also knew we had to rethink how we approached Curbside Pickup. People were ordering food online more than ever, and the need for a smooth, quick curbside process was clear. But we didn’t just want to replicate what other companies were doing. We wanted to create something intuitive and seamless.

From the start, we knew we could learn from others’ mistakes in curbside pickup. We observed our competitors and saw where they went wrong:

• Some didn’t have clear instructions about where to park.
• Others didn’t provide a reliable way for customers to notify staff when they had arrived.
• Some made the process more complicated than it needed to be.

So, we set out to build a better, frictionless experience for our customers.

The Curbside Pickup Journey

Our approach to curbside pickup was simple and focused on convenience. Here’s how it worked:

1. During Checkout: When customers selected Drive-Up Pickup, we asked them to provide their car’s make and model. This helped our team easily identify them when they arrived, reducing confusion and wait times.
2. Clear Instructions: After placing their order, customers received an email with step-by-step instructions on how to pick up their food. This included:
   • A map of designated curbside pickup spots.
   • A phone number and an easy-to-follow notification system for when they arrived.
3. Real-Time Updates: Customers could track the status of their order in real-time through the app, so they knew exactly when their food was ready for pickup.
4. Effortless Communication: Upon arrival, customers simply had to notify the store (via a push notification or call), and our staff would bring the food directly to their car.

The Results of Curbside Pickup

After we launched the curbside pickup feature, we saw an immediate improvement in customer satisfaction. Customers no longer had to circle the parking lot, wondering where to go or how to notify the store of their arrival. The streamlined process reduced wait times, and customers could get in and out quickly, all while staying safely in their cars.

The ability to track their order in real time added transparency and helped customers feel more in control of the process. And for us, the clear communication system helped our staff stay organized and ensured that no orders were missed.

Reflecting on the Journey

The Post-Delivery Tip and Curbside Pickup features were born out of necessity during a crisis. But looking back, it’s clear that these changes weren’t just reactions to a pandemic. They were opportunities to innovate and improve how we serve our customers.

In the case of Post-Delivery Tip, we found a way to empower customers by giving them the choice to tip after their delivery. This led to more tips for drivers and created a more positive, satisfying experience for customers.

Meanwhile, the Curbside Pickup feature gave customers the convenience and safety they craved during uncertain times. We developed a streamlined, efficient process that worked for everyone involved by learning from competitors and iterating based on customer feedback.

Through these features, Papa John’s didn’t just adapt to a changing world; we created better experiences for our customers and employees.

In the end, we learned that by listening to our customers’ needs and embracing new ways of thinking, we could rise to the occasion and deliver on our promises and our pizzas. 🍕

BACK TO WORK