By CHRIS HUNTER

Salina Journal

Even though Jim's Country Style Chicken, 649 S. Broadway, has been in Salina for 32 years, owner Tricia Weems said she is having to rely more on technology to keep up with other businesses.

"Many nights, I would leave when it was cold outside and we wouldn't have any customers," Weems said. "I would then drive by other competing businesses that would have long lines in the drive-throughs."

Instead of allowing her chicken restaurant to go belly up, Weems came up with a way to keep customers coming to the restaurant, even if they didn't come through the door.

In September, Jim's Chicken started allowing customers to pull up to the restaurant, look at the menu from the parking lot and call in their order with a cell phone.

"Our building used to be an old A&W, so we looked for a different way to compete that would fit the logistics of the building to suit our customers," Weems said. "We looked at using the previous speaker system but determined that wouldn't be cost effective at all. We thought that most people have a cell phone so they could call it in and we would bring it out."

To allow customers to pay with credit and debit cards, Weems said she purchased a wireless credit card machine that uses cell phone tower signals.

Weems said people also can order from home and pick up their food at the restaurant if they do not have a cell phone.

"It has been very effective and helped sales," Weems said. "The colder it is, the busier we are."

Online presence

In another attempt to bring in business, Weems said she uses Facebook to advertise specials, which has prompted many calls.

Other local businesses use websites and phone applications to allow customers to order food.

Greg Huggler, a manager at Chili's, 2255 S. Ninth, said the restaurant has been using online ordering for at least five years.

"It is very popular and a lot of people take advantage of it," Huggler said. "It allows us to be more hands on with our customers in the building and prevents us from having one person to just take orders off the phone and explain the menu to the person. It eliminates the middle man in ordering."

Huggler said people can visit chilis.com to look at a menu, pick and choose food, and pay for the food using a credit card. The order is printed out at the store and prepared, then is ready for pickup by the customer.

"On Friday nights, when there is a half-hour wait up front, the kitchen is busy and everyone is running around like chickens with their heads cut off, many times we don't have time to explain the menu to people on the phone," Huggler said. "They can just point, click and walk right through it."

Kirk Houseman, general manager of Jimmy John's, 1661 S. Ohio, said the sandwich company has been operating an online ordering system for two years.

"It is convenient, and the customer can peruse the menu," Houseman said. "It reduces communication error when they order and keeps our employees off the phones."

Houseman said online ordering makes up more than 10 percent of the shop's business on any given day. Orders are usually delivered within the half hour, or customers can pick up their orders.

Even though many chain restaurants allow customers to order online, Jimmy John's and Pizza Hut are among a few that allow customers to order from applications on Droids or iPhones.

Keeping up

As competition heats up, Weems said the use of Facebook and other technologies could become more important.

Weems said she will continue to adapt to compete against chain restaurants.

"We have been here for 32 years, and sometimes mom-and-pop businesses don't keep up with the times," Weems said. "It might be different since we are younger owners, but people expect it out of chains and newer businesses. We have to do it to compete and keep up."

nReporter Chris Hunter can be reached at 822-1422 or by e-mail at chunter@salina.com.