• August 5, 2011

The Subway restaurant brand is making its first major investment in a global mobile e-commerce and marketing, reports ClickZ.

Subway plans to launch location-aware mobile Web sites that enable customers to order and pay for meals to pick up from their closest Subway restaurant, using mobile marketing platform provider Velti. The goal is to get those rolled out in the chain's 24,000 U.S. units by early 2012, and do a global roll-out later in the year (non-U.S. units total about 10,000).

The mobile app platforms used will include iOS and Android, but core use of HTLM5 will enable the restaurant brand to hedge its bets between apps and mobile Web sites, ClickZ reports.

Msrketing for the mobile capabilities is likely to include mobile ads, mobile sponsorships, in-store promotions and perhaps TV, according to Subway director of digital marketing Joost Zimmerman.