McDonald's Is Testing an App That Lets Customers Order Ahead Can fast food get faster? McDonald's is trying to speed up with tech, testing a new order-ahead and payment app in Georgia.
By Kate Taylor
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Fast food, by its very nature, needs to be fast. But apparently it's not fast enough.
McDonald's is testing an order-ahead mobile payment app in 22 locations in Columbus, Ga. Similar to Starbucks' extremely popular app, McD Ordering links to a credit or debit card to order and pay, cutting out the hassle of waiting in line or even interacting with a cashier.
The burger chain currently offers a McD App, which features coupons and loyalty offers, in multiple test markets. The company has also rolled out mobile ordering and payment apps in foreign markets, including Austria and Thailand.
Related: Domino's Introduces 'Dom,' a Siri-Like Voice Assistant to Process Pizza Orders
Mobile apps offer fast-food chains a new way to speed up their processes. Coffee chains have wholeheartedly adopted the system, with Starbucks CEO claiming that mobile payments account for of the chain's in-store transactions. Pizza chains have also jumped on the mobile bandwagon, with mobile and online ordering accounting for 40 percent of Domino's U.S. sales.
McDonald's and other traditional fast-food chains have taken longer to turn mobile apps into money makers. However, with companies from Chick-fil-A to Chipotle rolling out mobile ordering and payment apps, it may be time for McDonald's to adapt to its smartphone-loving customers.
Related: From Starbucks to Domino's: 6 Tasty Companies With Awesome Mobile Apps
