When Apple Pay was announced, it was actually surprising that Starbucks was not one of the supported retailers. After all Starbucks seems to be pretty well ahead of the technology by introducing the ability to pay using apps and smartphones, so one would think that they would be quick to jump on board with mobile payments like Apple Pay.
That being said if you think so too, you might be pleased to learn that Apple Pay will soon work with Starbucks, KFC, and Chili’s. This was revealed by Apple Pay head Jennifer Bailey who announced it at the Code/Mobile conference. According to Bailey, “[KFC] has a special place in my heart — it was my first job ever. We’re seeing a lot of support for quick-service restaurants with a need for fast payment.”
Now it is possible that the fact that Starbucks was hesitant to incorporate Apple Pay is because it would detract from their own mobile experience. However now that Starbucks’ mobile app lets users order and pay via the app itself ahead of arriving at the store, it will still have plenty of use for users on the go.
Unfortunately Bailey did not comment on whether using Apple Pay at Starbucks would allow customers to earn Starbucks rewards. These rewards would have otherwise been receivable if they used Starbucks’ own app.