If McDonald’s get its way, the fast food giant will soon enable patrons to order and pay for their food exclusively via mobile application.
The venerable fast food king is now testing a mobile payment application in Salt Lake City, Utah and in Austin, Texas.
Lisa McComb, a spokeswoman for the company, says this effort could be the start of something big.
“We’re always looking at new technologies to make the McDonald’s experience better for our customers,” McComb said. “We are testing some of these technologies in a few markets, so it’s premature to speculate on the decisions we may make after the tests, but we’re excited to bring a cutting-edge experience in the future to our customers.”
After ordering via a mobile phone, customers can pick up food in stores, curbside or at drive-thru windows, according to notes from a June meeting of McDonald’s franchisees and company executives obtained by Bloomberg News. The system will also include special promotions, offers and a loyalty program.
“You have to look at the whole generation that’s coming up and I think we’re moving to a cashless society,” Bob Goldin, executive vice president at restaurant researcher Technomic Inc., tells Bloomberg. “It’s a worthwhile investment,” for McDonald’s, he says.
If McDonald’s mobile efforts go global, it will represent a massive new reach for mobile into the fast food arena, as the chain now has well over 34,000 locations worldwide.
