Dive Brief:
- Potbelly is updating its website and app this month, serving up faster checkout, better navigation and more personalized touches, the company said in an email to Restaurant Dive.
- The changes were made based on user insights and customer feedback, the company said. Restaurant Dive checked the app Monday and found the updates were already in effect.
- The updates are part of the chain's digital transformation strategy that aims to streamline and personalize customer experiences. The company is using advanced analytics, better engagement tools and real-time location intelligence to create a better connection with guests.
Dive Insight:
Digital channels represented 42% of Potbelly’s sales during the first quarter making these updates an important part of Potbelly’s strategy to boost sales and traffic. The company reported a same-store sales increase of 0.9% during the quarter.
“We’re making incremental investments in two main areas of digital: consumer-facing digital assets and data and analytics,” Potbelly CEO Bob Wright said during the chain’s Q1 2025 earnings call. “These investments will not only make us more attractive in this competitive space but also more efficient and effective in our digital marketing efforts.”
Potbelly’s digital transformation will include more personalized digital and loyalty experiences, according to the emailed announcement. That will eventually include “tailored menus, relevant offers, and real-time communications based on behavior and location,” the company said.
Upgrades to the website and app include one-click ordering from the home screen, allowing fans to instantly redeem rewards, try new menu items and reorder past orders, Potbelly said.
A refreshed menu layout showcases more items and includes a “Quick Add” option to speedup checkout. Streamlined navigation and infinite scroll functionality “fosters seamless browsing and encourages digital exploration.”
Personalizing orders is simpler in the updated interface, and visual cues will guide guests on each choice and all the options will appear on one page. Checkout was simplified with the addition of “tap-friendly tools to update, repeat or remove items,” Potbelly said.
“Whether customizing a go-to sandwich or trying something new, every step of the journey, from menu browsing to reward redemption, is now more intuitive, streamlined and mobile-friendly,” Yosra Saleh, vice president of digital marketing at Potbelly, said in a statement.
