Fast food meets faster transactions as McDonald’s embraces contactless payments

19 Dec 2012

Adrian Crean, managing director McDonald's Restaurants of Ireland, with Conor Langford, vice-president (Ireland), Visa Europe

McDonald’s has become the latest brand to roll out contactless payments as 83 restaurants across Ireland are equipped with the latest in ‘touch and go’ Visa payment terminals.

Earlier this week, Arnotts became Ireland’s first department store to roll out contactless payment systems, which allow consumers to pay for goods or services amounting to less than €15 by simply tapping their debit cards off a payment terminal.

If the goods or services go over that price they then input their PINs to validate the payments.

In recent months, pharmacy chain Boots rolled out contactless payments at all of its stores in Ireland.

BWG Foods is also in the process of rolling out contactless payment systems at Spar, Eurospar and Mace stores across Ireland.

“We are constantly striving to improve our customers’ restaurant experience and we see the introduction of the new contactless payment system as a natural step forward for our 83 restaurants around the country,” said Adrian Crean, managing director McDonald’s Restaurants of Ireland.

“We are delighted to be working with Visa Europe to offer our customers a faster, more convenient and secure way to pay.”

McDonald’s Ireland recently reported system-wide sales of €209m in 2011, up 3.3pc on 2010.

John Kennedy is a journalist who served as editor of Silicon Republic for 17 years

editorial@siliconrepublic.com