Wendy's is following in the steps of Burger King and Starbucks and joining the fast food trend of online payment.
According to the Associated Press, the fast food chain has announced a mobile application which will allow customers to pay for their burgers and fries using their smartphones. Wendy's has been trying out the new payment option at select locations over the past year, and the test has reportedly proven to be a success.
"If they want to come in and give us business, we want to allow them to pay the way they want to pay," said Craig Bahner, chief marketing officer for Wendy's, during a phone interview with the AP.
The AP reported that Wendy's will be rolling out the program at their 5,800 restaurants. The "My Wendy's" app will be available for both iOS and Android. The move toward mobile payment is a part of the company's plan to "court younger customers by tapping into the attachment they have to their phones."
Burger King recently announced that starting next month its mobile payment program will go live at all 7,000 locations. The chain will also offer Burger King customers using the application coupons for fries and drinks. Starbucks recently announced that it would allow customers who order their drinks using the Starbucks app the option of tipping their baristas from their iPhone.
According to Chief McDonald's Financial Officer Pete Bensen, the only chain not following the online payment trend is McDonald's. However, several reports suggest that the largest fast food chain is working to catch up to Burger King and Wendy's. The AP reported that Chipotle is conducting its own experiments with this payment method.
"We're going to have to put some things out there that we know are not 100 percent perfect. But if you wait in this space until everything is 100 percent figured out, then you're going to miss the whole opportunity," Bensen said.
Have you tried using your smartphone to pay for your coffee or burger?
