Starbucks app will soon let you pre-order your overpriced Frappuccino

By

Starbucks in Passbook on iPhone 5

Imagine a world in which you order your Starbucks drink of choice from your iPhone, pay for it instantly, and then pick it up from a smiling employee minutes later.

That dream will soon be a reality. Starbucks is bringing the ability to place pickup orders in its mobile app later this year.

You’ve already been able to pay at Starbucks by scanning a barcode tied to an account in the Starbucks app, but what’s coming will let you avoid the line altogether and place your order remotely.

In an interview with Re/code, Starbucks Chief Digital Officer Adam Brotman said that the company will start a test rollout in select stores in the coming months with plans to eventually make the feature available everywhere.

“Customers have been requesting the functionality for the past few years, but only recently did Starbucks feel that its technology and in-store operations were strong enough to enter the fray, Brotman said. If executed well, Starbucks believes the feature will make current customers even more loyal to the coffee chain, giving them an option to avoid long waits during busier hours.”

Starbucks already uses Square to process mobile payments in its stores, but implementing its own service could let it control the whole experience. Brotman also mentions that Starbucks is working on making its app a digital wallet for other retailers, so you could potentially be able to pay with its app at other establishments in the near future.

Apple is rumored to be working on its own mobile payments solution that will assumedly tie into existing iTunes accounts and let users pay wirelessly with their iPhones.

Source: Re/code

Newsletters

Daily round-ups or a weekly refresher, straight from Cult of Mac to your inbox.

  • The Weekender

    The week's best Apple news, reviews and how-tos from Cult of Mac, every Saturday morning. Our readers say: "Thank you guys for always posting cool stuff" -- Vaughn Nevins. "Very informative" -- Kenly Xavier.