Pizza, Chinese, American Cuisine: Most Popular Food Searches in 2011; 300,000 Menus Added to AT&T's YP(SM) App

GLENDALE, Calif., Jan. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Mobile searches for nearby restaurants multiplied by the millions in 2011, doubling year over year(i), according to activity on the YP(SM) app. Not a surprise, restaurants were the most frequently searched item on the free app(ii) this past year and the hunger for everything from sushi to pizza was heard loud and clear. The latest YP(SM) app, part of the YPmobile® suite of products developed by AT&T Interactive, delivers a richer local search experience for foodies, including unprecedented in-app access to menus for over 300,000 restaurants.

At AT&T Interactive, we know that while the quest for food is different for different people, finding what you want efficiently is always appetizing. We also know that for many users, scanning the menu may be more important than wading through reviews, and for others, browsing coupons and discounts or only considering places that are kid-friendly are critical in making a decision.

Not in the mood for fast food but need food fast? New features help users quickly explore what's cooking nearby:

• Menus – Quickly access menus from over 300,000 restaurants across the US before deciding where to go.
• Discover restaurants nearby – Pinpoint your search based on distance, cuisine, price range, ambiance and whether they're offering a coupon or discount in a single view. The app even calls out how many nearby options there are in popular restaurant categories so you know if pickings are slim or if there's a local favorite cuisine you should try. 
• Deals – Buy and redeem Deal of the Day offers for tasty savings on food, drink and other popular goods and services.

Other features to nibble on when deciding where to eat:

• More savings – Browse thousands of coupons and discounts and save them to "My Stuff"; the YP(SM) app alerts users automatically before they expire.
• Gas prices – Need to fill up the tank first? The popular gas prices feature offers a unique and convenient view of the nearest and cheapest gas options.
• Community – Our quick ratings feature makes it easy to add and check other users' opinion about a restaurant without having to read through full reviews.
• My Shortcuts – Always on the lookout for a cup of coffee? Easily configure your home page to tell you where the nearest coffee shop is without having to search.

On average, every second, a call is made to a business using the YP(SM) app(iii).

"AT&T Interactive believes the mobile local search experience needs to extend beyond providing users with a list of business names, addresses and phone numbers. The exciting opportunity in front of us is to continue building apps that actively facilitate decision-making," said David Williams, vice-president of product management at AT&T Interactive. "Consumers need to be able to quickly choose a merchant based on what's most important to them, connect by phone, online or in person and transact. The mobile device is very personal and over time our local apps will increasingly shorten the time and effort needed to get from inspiration to satisfaction. Consumers will find and buy what they need from merchants in their local community within one seamless experience."

The updated YP(SM) app is currently available for free download in select mobile app marketplaces by searching for "YP." Find out more about the app and where to find it at www.yp.com/products.

About AT&T Interactive

AT&T Interactive, a subsidiary of AT&T Inc, is an industry leader in creating local search products that encourage consumers to discover and engage with local businesses across three screens - online, mobile, and TV. YP.com, AT&T Interactive's flagship web property, attracts over 30 million monthly online unique visitors(1). YP.com is also accessed by millions of users each month via the mobile web. AT&T Interactive consumer apps have a pre-activation presence or have been downloaded through digital app stores on over 40 million mobile phones(2).

AT&T Interactive's robust YP(SM) Local Ad Network helps advertisers grow their business and distributes ads to a distinguished list of top publishers whose presence spans online, mobile and TV. AT&T Interactive's wide range of local ad products such as premium listings, performance-based advertising, and search engine marketing provides advertisers an opportunity to increase their presence among consumers who are looking for a local business.

AT&T Interactive products are supported by a sales force of more than 5,000 from AT&T Advertising Solutions and other resellers. To learn more visit www.adsolutions.att.com.

Keep tabs on YP(SM) products by liking "YP" on Facebook: www.facebook.com/YP or following @YP on Twitter.

(1) Source: AT&T Interactive internal data, 2011 YTD average through November

(2) Source: AT&T Mobility and AT&T Interactive internal data

About AT&T

AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is a premier communications holding company and one of the most honored companies in the world. Its subsidiaries and affiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's fastest mobile broadband network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. A leader in mobile broadband and emerging 4G capabilities, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide of any U.S. carrier, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries.  It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse^® and AT&T | DIRECTV brands. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T Advertising Solutions and AT&T Interactive are known for their leadership in local search and advertising. 

Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com.  This AT&T news release and other announcements are available at http://www.att.com/newsroom and as part of an RSS feed at www.att.com/rss. Or follow our news on Twitter at @ATT.

© 2012 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. Mobile broadband not available in all areas. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

(i) AT&T Interactive Internal Data, Dec. 2010 to Dec. 2011

(ii) AT&T Interactive Internal Data, Jan. 1, 2011 to Dec. 2011

(iii) AT&T Interactive Internal Data, Jan. 1, 2011 to Dec. 2011; based on average number of calls from YP(SM) app per second

SOURCE AT&T Inc.