Why MickeyD’s Accepts Apple Pay

McDonald’s wants to give their customers the choice in how they pay for their food and drinks at all their US physical locations, and is accepting all payment services that utilize and leverage the NFC capability.

Anja Carroll, Senior Director, VP of Media and Consumer Connection at McDonald’s, said “At McDonald’s, we are always striving to have relevant experiences for our customers, and mobile payment is one more way to provide greater ease and convenience,” in an NFC World+ interview.

The company was one of the early adopters of Apple Pay and launched their rollout back in October. McDonald’s also then announced their backing of the Softcard at the end of October as well.

While McDonald’s is fully embracing NFC-capable services, rival Burger King is working with Apple Pay’s competitor PayPal to implement the PayPal service within the BK mobile app to allow guests to receive exclusive offers and discounts at BK restaurants, find their closest BK restaurant, and browse the menu and nutritional information. This is set to roll out early next year to more than 13,000 Burger King locations and will be compatible on both iOS and Android devices.

In contrast, McDonald’s has invested in mPOS and other cashless payment capabilities at all of the McDonald’s locations within the United States. The franchise is focused on mobile payment services in order to provide additional payment options and convenience for their customers. The company also sees NFC as part of its ongoing effort to improve and enrich the customer experience.

As the mobile wallets trend starts to catch on, Carroll says customers will find the process of utilizing NFC to pay for food and drinks at their restaurants to be easy and convenient.

Caroll also commented about the rollout of Apple Pay, saying “We have been pleased with the launch and continue to look for ways to enhance the customer experience in our restaurants.”