Exit41, a provider of social ordering apps for restaurants, has introduced a Facebook application that allows people to place food orders from a restaurant’s Facebook page and share and “Like” their favorite menu items.

“The restaurant industry is ahead of the curve in embracing social media to engage with and interact with consumers.  Our goal is to support Marketing in enhancing their Facebook initiatives with the ability to drive sales and guest loyalty,” said Joseph Gagnon, chief executive officer, Exit41.

“What we do is enable the restaurant with our ‘Link, Like, Eat’ strategy so they can unlock the full power of Facebook and social media.  We have seen that this results in a new level of consumer understanding because they now know what their guests ‘like’, what they buy, and how they influence others in their social network.”

Key features include:

*Facebook "Likes" are posted to the user’s profile page and into their social stream, which feature a menu item picture and description along with a link back to the restaurant’s site to order that item and additional suggested items.

*An Online Ordering Tab is added to the restaurant’s Facebook page where fans can begin the ordering process by adding featured items to their cart and completing the order on the restaurant brand’s online ordering site.

*An iPhone app customized for the restaurant brand featuring location awareness to find the closest restaurant.