Starbucks Corp. will expand mobile ordering and pay-ahead features to four states in the Pacific Northwest next week, the company said Tuesday.
The Seattle-based operator began offering mobile ordering and pay-ahead service at 150 units in the Portland, Ore., market in late 2014. On March 17, it will expand to 650 company units in Washington, Idaho, Oregon and Alaska.
Starbucks plans to roll out mobile ordering and payment nationwide over the course of the year, and will add delivery in some markets in the second half of the year.
Customers can currently use their smartphones to pay on site, but the new app will allow guests to submit their orders and pay before arrival, so they can simply pick up their order and go.
The app is available for iPhone and is integrated with Starbucks’ loyalty card program. An Android version is scheduled to come later in the roll out, the company said.
Customers can find their nearest Starbucks location based on their smartphone’s GPS functionality. If they choose not to accept location services, they won’t be able to use the ordering and pay-ahead services, but they can still access the mobile menu.
The app lets guests customize their orders and check wait times before choosing their Starbucks location. Once they select “order,” payment is made from the customer’s registered Starbucks card.
Starbucks officials have described the mobile features as game changing, saying the move will increase both speed of service and throughput, and drive incremental transactions.
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