If you’re out for a run with nothing but your phone and need that morning coffee fix, you may ask yourself: Does Starbucks take Apple Pay? Whether you are grabbing an espresso or caffe latte, the first place that comes to mind is Starbucks. But can you pay for your coffee without a card?
Starbucks is one of the most prominent franchises in the US. Through its innovative strategies, it has become a pioneer in the industry in the US and worldwide. At its core, it’s focused on improving the customer experience. And one of the ways it accomplished this is by introducing faster payment methods via mobile payment.
The company leverages various cardless and cashless payment methods. The combination of tasty coffee and its mobile payment options has made it progressively better than its competitors.
While other retailers strive to provide the most straightforward mobile payment solutions possible, this coffee giant is taking it a step further. This brings us to the question of wheater Starbucks accepts Apple Pay or not.
This article will answer this question and help you get started with using Apple Pay at Starbucks.
Does Starbucks Take Apple Pay?
There’s nothing like paying using your phone instead of carrying cash or a credit card with you all day. And a super convenient way to do so is by using Apple Pay. Apple Pay has been getting a great deal of attention, and it’s no wonder companies have started to use it.
If you’ve left your card at home, the good news is that Starbucks does accept Apple Pay. You can pay for your coffee while on the go, all from your iPhone or Apple Watch.
This is great if you’re in a hurry and need to grab your morning coffee before work. Plus, you won’t be charged additional fees if you pay with Apple Pay in-store or via the Starbucks app.
Starbucks has a more advanced and successful Apple Pay integration than its competitors. This is all thanks to its unique reward program. With this program, you can log your purchases and earn stars. You can redeem these stars for discounts or free coffee on your next coffee run.
Starbucks can improve its mobile payment service offering with efficiency and speed as its driving force. As a result, you also can use the Starbucks app to verify if the Starbucks in your area accepts Apple Pay.
How to Use Apple Pay at Starbucks?
To use Apple Pay in-store at any Starbucks, you first must ensure that you have an active Apple Pay account. Therefore, to begin, download and install the Starbucks app.
After installing the app, sign up and link your Apple Pay account. To do so, you’ll need to add your credit or debit card account information to your Apple Pay Wallet. The Starbucks app also features an Apple Pay Wallet that allows you to make purchases in Starbucks.
You can input your debit card or credit card information manually or take a picture of your card instead. After that, you’ll be able to deposit money into your Apple Pay wallet from your various accounts. Adding your Starbucks gift card to your Apple Pay Wallet is also possible.
With the recent Starbucks app update, you can quickly add funds to your Starbucks account. And you can do this without having to add your credit or debit card information or passwords.
Once you’ve loaded money onto your Apple Pay wallet, you need to use an NFC reader to pay for your purchases. To do this, first, tell the cashier you want to pay using Apple Pay. Then you must place your Apple device closely over the NFC reader.
Your transaction will then be automatically deducted from your Apple Pay wallet.
Other Payment Methods Accepted at Starbucks
Aside from Apple Pay, Starbucks accepts a variety of payment methods. They do this to guarantee that everyone has the opportunity to buy the products they need.
You can use Google Pay at some Starbucks stores because it already has NFC technology installed. In fact, Google Pay is more compatible with Starbucks’ existing payment systems. Therefore, it’s more likely that your Starbucks store will accept Google Pay.
You can pay with your Starbucks Card in-store and at all other Starbucks shopping franchises. Unlike most store cards, you can select from a variety of designs. And you can transfer amounts ranging from $5 to $100 to your card.
Perhaps you’re not comfortable using contactless payment methods. In that case, Starbucks also accepts credit cards such as Visa, Discover, American Express, and MasterCard credit cards. They also accept debit cards.
If you have a PayPal account, you can load money from it through the Starbucks app to make purchases. Of course, you can also always pay in cash at any Starbucks store.
These payment methods apply to purchases made in a Starbucks store and those made through the Starbucks app. Some payment methods may not be accepted at your local Starbucks, so call ahead to double-check.
Final Take
Almost every Starbucks store in the United States accepts Apple Pay. So, don’t worry if you’re at Starbucks and need to get your favorite coffee but don’t have your wallet. Simply pull out your phone and pay using Apple Pay.
If you can’t pay using Apple Pay, Starbucks also accepts other forms of payment. Besides Apple Pay, Starbucks accepts Google Pay, Samsung Pay, PayPal, major credit cards, debit cards, and gift cards.
