Starting Friday, Phillies baseball fans who want to order beer or other beverages at Citizens Bank Park will be able to text their orders through the iPhone’s Messages app without leaving their seats.
The move is part of a pilot program that Apple is conducting with Aramark, a food-services company that supplies several stadiums, including the one in Philadelphia. Fans sitting in certain sections will be able to order beverages and have them delivered to their seats.
Other apps have offered a similar service, although they required downloading a special app, which limited their appeal and usage. Under Aramark’s test program, orders placed through Messages will employ the Business Chat feature built into the app.
Orders can be placed by scanning a QR code on the back of the seat, selecting items from a menu through the Messages text screen, and completing the transaction with Apple Pay.
Apple introduced Business Chat at its annual developers conference in 2017, intending it to compete with Facebook Messenger. Both Apple and Facebook are hoping that their messaging apps will become commonplace ways for consumers to interact with businesses when making purchases or customer-service inquiries.
Phillies fans will be able to use the service in sections 142 through 145 in Citizens Bank Park through August 5.