Tag: restaurant mobile payments

OpenTable launches mobile payments pilot project

| February 11, 2014

Pilot project seeks to make dining out more convenient for consumers

Mobile Payment Pilot Project - OpenTableOpenTable, an online restaurant reservation service, has launched a new pilot program focused on mobile payments. The pilot program is meant to test the viability of using mobile payments as a way to allow consumers to pay for their meals quickly while dining out. This would allow them to, essentially, “skip” the check, so to speak. OpenTable believes that leveraging mobile commerce could help make restaurants more convenient and attractive to consumers that have become very reliant on their smartphones and tablets.

Restaurants show strong interest in mobile payments

The pilot program is currently restricted to San Francisco, California, but OpenTable plans to expand the program in the coming weeks. In 2013, OpenTable successfully acquired Just Chalo, which had been working on a mobile commerce platform of its own before the acquisition. This move generated some hype concerning OpenTable’s potential interest in the mobile commerce space and how it might involve itself therein. The company intends to make mobile payments more accessible to consumers that enjoy dining out at their favorite restaurants.

Restaurants are beginning to grow more accommodating of mobile consumers

Mobile technology has been finding a great deal of acceptance in the restaurant business recently. Many restaurants are now making it a point to engage mobile consumers directly by using interactive technologies. QR codes are becoming a common feature on menus and some restaurants are leveraging the power of augmented reality in order to engage consumers more dynamically. As restaurants become more mobile-centric, mobile commerce is beginning to attract a great deal of attention.

OpenTable may be able to beat out the competition with its network of connections

OpenTable is not the only company that is working to introduce mobile commerce to the restaurant business. Cover and Dash are two startups that already have a significant head start in this endeavor as far as providing access to mobile commerce platforms is concerned. OpenTable does, however, have strong relationships with prominent restaurants that could provide it with an edge over whatever competition it may face in the field.

OLO receives significant backing from PayPal

| February 2, 2013

OLO mobile payments PayPalOLO brings new mobile commerce service to restaurants

OLO, a relatively new mobile commerce engine designed for restaurants, has announced that it has received a sizeable investment from PayPal, one of the foremost advocates of mobile commerce. OLO has been experiencing rapid growth in recent months. The company, which has been receiving a great deal of attention from numerous investors, has been aggressively hiring and scaling up its operations to establish a firm presence in the mobile commerce market this year. The investment from PayPal is expected to help in this endeavor.

OLO service provides restaurants with consumer friendly services

The OLO service allows restaurants to accept payments and orders from consumers using a simple mobile application. These orders can be placed before a customer even arrives at the restaurant, removing the wait time that some popular restaurants are regularly associated with. Hundred of restaurants make use of the OLO engine and many of these establishments have reported receiving more than 50% of their digital orders through mobile devices.

PayPal may have a role to play in the future of OLO

OLO is designed to be flexible, accommodating the needs of a particular restaurant. To this end, the service allows restaurants to accept forms of payment they are most comfortable with. OLO itself is capable of facilitating payments from all major credit card providers, as well as stored-value cards and mobile wallet platforms. PayPal’s investment into the service is likely to ensure that the company has a place in OLO’s future operations.

PayPal continues looking for ambitious and innovative mobile commerce solutions

PayPal is one of the companies that has been heavily investing in mobile commerce, as well as one of the few looking for an alternative to NFC technology. NFC has become a very popular engine for mobile commerce, but PayPal has concerns regarding the safety and viability of the technology. As such, the company has been looking elsewhere to satisfy its interest in mobile commerce, and services like OLO are among those that have attracted the interest of PayPal in recent months.