PayPal announced a world first today, the ability to use PayPal via a smartphone to pay for pizza in restaurants. This is the first time that an online payment method has been made available in an entire chain of retail outlets across the whole country.
Pizza Express have launched a new iPhone app that, amongst other things, gives customers the option to pay their bill automatically via their Smartphone. The new app also enables customers to find and book a restaurant table, view menus, and store special offer codes and receipts, all via the touch of their iPhone.
The launch will be supported by a company-wide roll-out of free WiFi via The Cloud and revolutionary new electronic point of sale facilities that will enable a seamless transition to the new payment system for customers. The only thing you can’t do with the PizzaExpress app is pay via eCheque – You’ll need to have funds in your PayPal account or a funding source such as a credit card.
PizzaExpress’ new payment option is set to take the stress out of waiting to pay the bill. It spells the end of trying to attract a waiter when you’re ready to pay and leave, as once you’ve paid with your smartphone you get an electronic receipt and the restaurant tills are automatically updated with your payment.
Over a million UK PayPal customers have made a payment on their handset so combining our payments experience with PizzaExpress’s ground breaking app should be a perfect combination. The line between the high street and the online world is blurring, and innovative brands like PizzaExpress recognise that payment by mobile makes a great service even better.”
Cameron McLean, General Manager, Merchant Services at PayPal
The new PizzaExpress iPhone app, available from 16th June, is free to download from the Apple app store and can be used in its 370 UK restaurants across the country. The app marks a sea change in payment methods for the retail industry and takes PayPal online payments onto the high street for the first time.
Now online payments have hit the high street the only question that remains is which retailer will be next to adopt PayPal for instore payments. How long will it before before you can pay for your weekly shopping in Tesco with your smartphone?
13 Responses
Paypal provide a list of retailers that accept Paypal:-
https://www.paypal-shopping.co.uk/retailers/
I would be very suprised if Tesco were ever to accept Paypal instore.
Tesco have their own bank.
It would be like saying that Barclays or Lloyds will accept Paypal to pay bank charges! 🙂
However the mobile shopping world is changing fast (according to those who have an interest in the mobile shopping world) so never say never. Changing fast is not the same thing as growing fast. MySpace was BIG 5 years ago and then along came Facebook. Oh to be the inventor of the next fad in 5 years time whatever that will be!
What about Android :'(
It would take more than Paypal to entice me to eat one of those god awful pizzas.
Good idea though, I get annoyed if an online merchant doesn’t take Paypal these days, in fact quite often I even add ‘paypal’ to the search string.
Talking about Tesco and who they accept at the Checkout. I would imagine if you were to turn up with say A Sainsburys Credit Card that as long as it went through the machine and accepted then Tesco will accept the money. After all like most businesses Tesco only want the money they are not that interested about the Credit Card Co/Bank’s name on the Card as long as it goes through and is accepted and they get the money. So I would imagine that if there was a way of Paypal being used to pay for your groceries at the Tesco Checkout then they would be happy to accept the money. After all you do not become a multi £Billion business by picking and choosing your customers. You welcome in everybody who can buy and has the money to pay.
PayPal being the big name in the internet business transactions is tied but by the Pizza Express for their app to enable mobile bill payments. The advantages can be cashed for free by downloading the app at istore and enjoying good time at a pizza eat without having to worry about the mode of payments. It will save a lot of man power and time is saved in the hotel industry thus enabling better customer satisfaction!
If the pizza makes you chuck can you do a chargeback ?
Steve
What happens if, like this afternoon, PayPal is unavailable? Will Pizza Express take an IOU? 😀
Pizza Express App-
Well on first look seems impressive but fails on so many fronts, book your table now try to unbook it or change times, you can’t. Menu is static so can’t view the menu in a classic way. Book as many tables as you like from your phone, you can, it can’t block you!
Can’t pre order or select. No CRM or Loyalty built in. I recently locked out 5 tables in my local for fun, including a table of ten..so if we all do this guess alot of managers will lose their bonus’s as they wait for fictitious customers to arrive at the reserved tables. Go on lets all do this for a laugh…