Restaurant takeout and delivery service Food.com said it is working closely with WebTV Networks Inc. to enable consumers to
order restaurant food directly through their television sets while connected
to the Internet.
During a two-month pilot program that will feature commerce-enabled
interactive TV ads, Food.com will provide Microsoft WebTV Network service
subscribers in Chicago and the San Francisco Bay area with a selection of
menus and restaurants from which to order.
Food.com’s interactive ads will run through the month of September in
Chicago, and through October in San Francisco.
“Just as consumers today reach for the TV Guide to plan their evening
entertainment, WebTV viewers can now look to Food.com’s site to plan and
order meals with just a few ‘clicks’ of the remote control,” said Karen
Orton, vice president of business development at Food.com.
To access Food.com’s page from the WebTV service, subscribers may click on
the ‘Let’s Eat’ banner on its home page, or on spots which appear while they
transition between Web domains.
“Our pilot program targets consumers in Chicago and San Francisco where
Internet interest is high, great restaurants abound and a growing audience of
WebTV viewers are constantly seeking out convenient access to information and
entertainment resources,” said Joe Poletto, vice president of Network Media
Group at WebTV Networks.