QSRs Tread Fine Line Between Mobile Payments, Security

After hearing about the Checkers / Rally’s data breach, it’s easy to wonder how quick service restaurants (QSRs) are learning from these breaches and putting better security to work to keep customers safe. As it turns out, safety has been front of mind for some time, and a recent examination of the field revealed that, while theft is an ever-present danger, vigilance against it is just as present.

The latest round of the Mobile Order -head Tracker report from PYMNTS took a closer look, and revealed that there are huge gains both in mobile order-ahead use and in fraud connected to mobile order-ahead use.

The study found that the total number of attacks staged via mobile device was up 117 percent over the same time last year. This is likely due to the increased number of venues that accept orders via such platforms, which represents clear opportunity to fraudsters.

Fraud may be up, but so too is use. By 2020, the mobile order-ahead market is expected to be worth about $38 billion, and 86 percent of mobile app operators noted that mobile order-ahead functions increased revenues. Moreover, 93 percent of respondents noted that mobile order-ahead not only improved guest experiences but also encouraged repeat business.

That’s a hefty slug of reasons to put such tools to work, and 59 percent actively believed that those who put mobile order-ahead to work were likely to disrupt the market, and specifically hit those firms who weren’t putting mobile order-ahead to work.

It’s not surprising that customers are concerned about safety here. $38 billion is one fat plum indeed, and that’s likely calling fraudsters like a dinner bell calls a ranch hand. Yet at the same time, it’s obvious that businesses want to keep that plum in their own hands. $38 billion justifies a whole lot of security spending, especially if it’s clear that that number isn’t likely to fall off any time soon. With so many positives connected to mobile order-ahead, businesses are going to want to make it as safe as possible.

As long as service providers realize this and never stop trying to provide a safe experience, the end result should be a good one for everyone…except the fraudsters.