Square Mobile Payments Headed To Your Local Starbucks In Early November

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Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz (left) and Square guru Jack Dorsey (right) are helping shape the future of mobile payments.
Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz (left) and Square guru Jack Dorsey (right) are helping shape the future of mobile payments.

Back in August, Square announced a huge partnership with Starbucks. The coffee chain giant will be integrating Square’s mobile payment system into many of its U.S. stores this fall, and Starbucks has also invested $25 million in Square.

While we knew that Square was coming to Starbucks sometime later this year, it’s now been revealed that the partnership is launching in early November. Instead of having to use your credit card or cash, you’ll be able to use the free Square app to pay for your skinny vanilla latte.

Starbucks announced the “early November” timeframe today:

In a joint presentation today, Schultz and Dorsey announced that Starbucks customers will be able to begin using Square’s mobile payment application, Square Wallet, in early November at Starbucks approximately 7,000 U.S. company-operated locations. Starbucks also announced that it will enable digital tipping at its U.S. company-operated stores through both the Square and Starbucks mobile payment applications in the summer of 2013.

“Starbucks and Square share a passion for constantly improving the customer experience,” said Dorsey. “This partnership gives millions of Starbucks customers a quick, seamless payment experience and introduces them to hundreds of thousands of small businesses in the Square directory.”

The Starbucks loyalty program won’t be integrated in Square off the bat, but it’s coming later this year. Digital tipping is apparently coming in 2013 as well. To use your Starbucks card, you’ll need either the iPhone app or Passbook pass in iOS 6. Square will be the only mobile payment solution that allows you to pay with your bank… for now.

Source: Starbucks

Via: TechCrunch

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