3 hidden tricks in the Chick-fil-A app that most people have no clue exist

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Chick-fil-A has seen incredible digital growth since revamping its mobile app in August 2018.
However, not all customers know all the tricks and Easter eggs in the app, according to Kevin Purcer, Chick-fil-A's director of digital culinary experience.
Customers can make a last-minute location switch if they ordered to the wrong location on mobile, as well as give their rewards to friends once they reach silver status in Chick-fil-A's loyalty program.

Chick-fil-A's app has quickly become a favorite for many chicken lovers.

Almost 20% of the chain's sales are now made via the app or other digital channels, according to Kevin Purcer, Chick-fil-A's director of digital culinary experience. That's a massive increase from the 6% that digital represented at the beginning of 2018.

Chick-fil-A originally rolled out its mobile app in 2016 and debuted a revamped app and new loyalty program in August 2018.

"Ultimately our customers are all about convenience," Purcer said. "So digital across the board, in all aspects of our lives, we're increasingly demanding things be more and more convenient. And that pace is being set by the Amazons, the Netflixes, the Ubers of the world."

Here are three Easter eggs in the app that many people may not know about.

Ability to make last-minute location swaps

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In a recent update, Chick-fil-A added a fix for people who accidentally select the wrong store when deciding where to pick up a mobile order.

When customers arrive at a store, they will be prompted by the app that they may have arrived at the wrong location. However, instead of cancelling the order or having to go to a different store, the app now allows customers to transfer to the correct store.

Purcer says it was used 30,000 times in the three weeks following the feature's rollout.

"It's our responsibility to create a user interface and experience that doesn't put that onus on you," Purcer said. "You're in a rush. You have better things to do ... Inevitably it's going to happen. So we owe it to our customers to provide a solution."

Gifting rewards

Once members of Chick-fil-A's loyalty program reach silver status, they have the option to gift rewards they earn to friends.

"We talk about inspiring, taking good care of one another, and so we certainly want to do that with our guests," Purcer said. "We want to take great care of you as a customer, but can we build platforms where you take care of others?"

All customers have to do is to click the button indicating "gift" instead of "redeem" when they go to cash in reward points after achieving silver status.

Donate to charity

Under the "news" section in rewards, users will sometimes get notifications that Chick-fil-A will donate to charities on their behalf.

For example, when members achieve silver status, Chick-fil-A allows members to "redeem" a donation from Chick-fil-A to a charity. Chick-fil-A similarly offered a "donate now" button under "news" in October, when Hurricane Michael devastated the Southeast. The button enabled users to donate to the American Red Cross.

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