Will Text for Food
One hungry entrepreneur found his calling making it easier than ever to order takeout.
Americans can’t live without their cell phones--and this dependency will likely get worse now that a simple text message can keep hunger pangs at bay. Noah N. Glass is the 25-year-old mastermind behind Gomobo.com, a service launched in New York City last May that enables customers to order food on the go by sending a one-digit text message to participating restaurants, including select Dunkin’ Donuts and Subways. The service directly integrates with restaurants’ point-of-sale systems and users’ credit cards.
Both restaurant owners and customers applaud Glass’ efforts--he’s fielding calls from restaurants worldwide, and the average Gomobo.com order is 50 percent larger than orders placed at the restaurants. Meanwhile, Glass projects 2007 sales of
$1.8 million and is working on a variety of other mobile applications, including movie-ticket and taxicab ordering. Says Glass, “It’s really [about] turning the phone into a remote control that will allow [users] to make purchases and do things with a new level of access.”