Tulsa-Area App Developer Helping Local Businesses During State's Coronavirus Outbreak

An app developer from the Tulsa area is helping local restaurants who've had a sudden decrease in business.

"Drive Thru on Demand" is waiving its fee for restaurants and giving them part of the fee it charges customers. Two Tulsa restaurants are launching on the app this week.

It's a sight Ricardo's Owner Thomas J. Hunter still isn't used to: empty seats at the Mexican restaurant that's been a staple om Tulsa for 45 years.

"We have 51 tables in the dining rooms that are empty, two weeks today," Hunter said.

In those two weeks, Hunter has been forced to lay off wait staff and only serve their food to-go.

"We're doing to-go food sales, and ready to launch "Drive Thru on Demand."

Drive thru on Demand is an app, launched last year, which offers a drive-through experience for customers at any restaurant.

Keath Storm is from Collinsville.

He's the president of restaurant relations for Drive Thru on Demand.

He says the app is more useful now than ever before.

"When nobody can dine inside, they order their food on the app," Storm said.

Here's how it works: you pull up the app, it will pull up the restaurants nearby, you pick what you want to eat from the menu, then the restaurant accepts your order, tells you when it's ready, and will deliver it to your car.

Storm said they're waiving their usual 14.5 percent transaction fee they take from restaurants for the rest of the year.

They are also giving half of the $2.25 convenience fee right back to the businesses to help them during COVID-19.

It's something Hunter said means the world for his restaurant.

"We're Tulsans, we're Oklahomans, we'll get through this," Hunter said.

There are already about 100 restaurants in several states connected to the app.

Ricardo's and Cool Greens are the first two Tulsa restaurants on board and say they'll be up and running tomorrow if you want to download it.