JAPAN — McDonalds now lets Japanese customers pay for their Big Macs and Happy Meals with their mobile phones. After nearly a year in development, McDonalds Japan has announced the deployment of its e-wallet coupon and payment system, using Felica and NTT DoComo RFID readers. Under the so-called Kazasu Kuupon (no contact coupon) program, DoCoMo subscribers are supposed to download an application and register on McDonalds Japan's mobile Web site first. They will then receive digital vouchers on their mobile phones, which when tapped against an RFID reader placed at McDonalds counters will redeem the coupons. The McDonald's tally will show up on the clients' next DoCoMo phone bill.
Moreover, customers can also pay food orders via their mobile phones, provided they are enrolled in DoCoMo's mobile e-wallet system "iD."
The Japan-only technology is currently being tested in 175 McDonalds Tokyo stores as of May 20. The company plans to rapidly expand the program to a total of 3,800 retail shops by 2009.
