Parker's Sees App Usage Rise 40% During COVID-19 Pandemic

SAVANNAH, Ga. — Parker's customers turned to contactless options driven by the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the convenience store retailer, customers in Georgia and South Carolina are using the Parker's Rewards app at the pump in record numbers, averaging nearly 800 secure contactless transactions daily.

In all, the retailer saw a 40-percent increase in contactless mobile payment during the health crisis.

"Our industry-leading Parker's Rewards app and Mobile Pay technology combines the safety of contactless payment with the elevated level of convenience our customers have come to expect from Parker's," said Parker's founder and CEO Greg Parker. "We're determined to stay on the cutting-edge of this technology to make life easier and safer for our customers."

Savannah-based Parker's launched its proprietary Pay at Pump app technology in 2016. Through the app, customers can select "pay at the pump," enter their PIN code, confirm their location and begin fueling, without touching a keypad or interacting with team members and other customers inside the store.

The secure transactions are managed by Zipline (now PDI). All personal data is encrypted in real time, and every transaction is PIN protected, according to Parker's.

App users can also order Parker's Kitchen menu items, select a pick-up time, and bypass the in-store line.

The Parker's Rewards loyalty program, which includes more than 228,000 members in Georgia and South Carolina, has saved customers more than $15 million to date, according to the convenience retailer.

Parker's operates 68 stores in coastal Georgia and South Carolina.