Article

Panera ready for Apple Pay

Panera Bread will be among the first to accept Apple Pay when it rolls out in a few weeks.

September 9, 2014 by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

Apple announced today plans to launch Apple Pay, its new mobile wallet.

On the heels of Apple's news, Panera Bread announced that it will be among the first to accept Apple Pay once the service rolls out in a few weeks. 

"For us, it's a natural extension of Panera 2.0 which brings together digital ordering, multiple payment options and improved operational processes to deliver an enhanced guest experience," said Panera's Chief Technology and Training Officer Blaine Hurst in an announcement from the bakery chain. 

Apple Pay, which is set to launch in the U.S. in October, uses a secure element in the phone to store card information. It eliminates the need for a magstripe, a technology which Cook called "outdated and vulnerable," instead generating a single-use, unique number for each transaction.

Privacy was emphasized. From the Apple live blog: "Apple doesn’t know what you bought, where you bought it, or how much you paid for it...Cashiers don’t see your name, your card number, or your security code." Customers can also transfer their existing payment information already stored in their iTunes account, and the whole payment platform is integrated with Passbook.

Apple CEO Tim Cook demonstrated Apple Pay using two videos: In the first, a woman tries to make a purchase in a store, fumbling with her wallet, watching as the store associate has to swipe the card multiple times, tucking away card and receipt when the transaction is finally complete. A few moments later, he showed a clip that was only a few seconds long – the same customer places her iPhone near an NFC terminal while resting her thumb on the phone's Touch ID reader, a picture of a Bank of America Visa card appears on-screen, a small chirping sound is heard, and the transaction is done. (He actually showed that video twice, "just in case you missed it.")

Apple's Senior Vice President of Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue said that Apple Pay will work with American Express, MasterCard and Visa, and will work at more than 220,000 merchant locations. Partnerships announced included Macy's, McDonald's, Disney, Walgreens, Subway, Whole Foods, and Staples.

About James Bickers

---

None

Connect with James: