What I’m imagining the users in Southern California (where the Taco Bell Mobile App has been tested) saying:
“Yesss! It remembered what I order, without me even having to tell it to remember.” [the speaker might have added ‘dude’ at some point in that sentence because, similar to ‘cool,’ it seems like people still say ‘dude’]
“Cool! I can name the order anything I want.” [types ‘Crunchwrapper’s Delight’ into mobile phone]
“[utters newish Millennial expression of delight that sounds awkward for a GenX guy to use]! All I got to do is flip the phone sideways and it brings up my usual order and I just hit submit! Now for some more of that vintage Flappy Bird!” [begins tapping and saying “Snap!” or something every 3.5 seconds]
At this point the Taco Bell Mobile Order App begins tracking the user with GPS so the order-assemblers can wait until the customer is almost to the restaurant before assembling the order. So the Crunchwrap (upsold, via the app, to a Crunchwrap combo meal) is hot, and not sitting around waiting.
Once again, I think Taco Bell is living what a lot of people spend their time merely theorizing: if you can blur the line between fun and useful, between well-thought-through and effortlessly up-to-date (doesn’t the design look Instagrammy?) then you can be the one who figures out how to reach the people who set trends—which then makes it seem like no big deal for the people who follow the people who set the trends.
Loco? No. No loco.
