A new Facebook FoodCourt application created by three UW-Madison students will allow users across the country to access various menus through Facebook and place orders for delivery.
The application, which can be accessed at FBFoodCogurt.com, is one of the first Facebook applications to allow users to purchase something tangible through the site, according to a statement from the student creators.
Food is a very social thing, and Facebook is a social network, so it just makes sense,"" said one of the UW-Madison juniors who created the application.
""Also, online ordering is easy for students. They don't have to go to a third party site. We're making online ordering convenient on a [website] people already know how to use.""
The site's creator said FoodCourt is used by multiple schools around the country, and although the application was created Oct. 1, there are already 500 users at UW-Madison.
After downloading the application, the user enters an address, which generates restaurant choices specific to the location. Since the application only gives options of places that deliver, most restaurants on the site are for pizza and Chinese food.
According to the creator of the application, there was a lot of communication with the restaurants to set up the site. The more tedious process, however, was actually formatting the application.
A programmer had to master the construction code for Facebook Platform, a web device that allows companies and developers to build programs. After the application is created, it is then reviewed by Facebook administrators.
The student creators say the application will target freshman who are not familiar with local restaurants or the ordering process.
UW-Madison freshman Maura Denenberg said she has heard about the application but has not yet installed it.
""I would use it,"" she said. ""I think it could be successful if they advertised it more.""
Facebook has thousands of user-created applications. College students across the country are joining the trend. This semester, Stanford University is offering a Web class where students build Facebook applications.
The FoodCourt creators say they made the application to enter the growing industry of online food ordering on college campuses.
""It's a perfect fit,"" the student creator said.
