Hearts Pie App: At-Seat Service For Footie Fans

Fans at a Scottish football club are now able to have pies and hot drinks delivered to their seats using their mobile phones in what is believed to be a UK first.

Hearts supporters sitting in certain parts of Tynecastle stadium can make orders on a new smart phone application.

Caterers Saltire Hospitality worked with mobile technology company QikServe to launch the service and it was available to about 3,000 fans sitting in the upper sections of the Wheatfield Stand during Saturday's Scottish Premier League game with Motherwell.

Hearts managing director David Southern said: "We are delighted to be the first football club in Britain to use mobile technology in this way to give our supporters more flexibility in the way they access concessions during a match.

"Our supporters are the best in the country and we do all we can to ensure that they have the best possible match day experience."

The QikServe App is already used by some hotels and allows payment via credit card or Paypal.

Supporters of the Edinburgh club that have downloaded the app can scan barcodes on their seats to see a menu and place orders throughout the game.

The smartphone orders were put on hold during the half-time period.

"The classic pie and Bovril combination is a British football tradition and that will never change, but our goal is to use mobile technology to bring that tradition into the 21st century," said Dan Rodgers, founder of QikServe.

"The convenience of ordering from your seat is a perk normally reserved for the executive boxes but QikServe makes it possible for everyone."