Softcard Brings NFC Mobile Payments to McDonald’s

McDonald’s and Softcard (formerly Isis Mobile Wallet) have announced a union between the two companies, bringing contactless payment methods to roughly 14,000 McDonald’s restaurants.

“We are pleased to announce this national launch after a successful pilot program that began in 2013. Our work with Softcard further reinforces McDonald’s commitment to customer service and convenience,” said Anja Carroll, Vice President of Media and Consumer Connection for McDonald’s USA.

“By collaborating with top brands in the mobile payments and commerce space, we’re able to deliver a more meaningful experience to our customers that includes greater speed, ease and value.”

Softcard is a free app that allows users to make payments with nothing more than a tap. Softcard is a joint venture between AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon, and is available on over 80 smartphones. In addition to making payments, the app offers loyalty points and rewards to its customers. Now paired with McDonald’s, users can pay quicker and more easily both in-store and at the drive-thru.

“McDonald’s is one of the world’s most iconic and innovative brands,” said Michael Abbott, CEO at Softcard. “The scale and reach of McDonald’s will drive mobile payments further into the mainstream and demonstrate the value Softcard delivers to both merchants and customers.

Last month, Subway announced it was also pairing with Softcard to bring the mobile payment app to its 26,000 U.S. restaurants.

The union between Softcard and the two chain restaurants marks the largest deployment of near-field communication (NFC)-based mobile payment methods. It follows the trend of “quick-serve restaurants” (QSR) wanting to become more technologically advanced, allowing customers a quicker and easier transaction. According to The National Restaurant Association, four in 10 young adults said they would pay for their orders with a mobile device over cash or card if they could.