MasterCard Europe has announced that the first European card-based OneSmart MasterCard PayPass transaction at a McDonald's restaurant has been completed successfully.
The transaction is a milestone as McDonald’s European operation, which is headquartered in Switzerland, is a key partner in a new MasterCard PayPass pilot organized by Swiss banking firm the Aduno Group.
Under the pilot initiative, using MasterCard PayPass, consumers can simply tap their new Aduno Group MasterCard card on a PayPass reader to make a purchase in selected McDonald’s restaurants across Switzerland. The innovative technology allows small value purchases under E25 to be completed quickly, securely and easily.
The current Miss Switzerland, Christa Rigozzi, made the milestone purchase in McDonald’s Zurich Stadelhofen restaurant, using the new-generation MasterCard PayPass card – powered by the latest version of MasterCard’s chip technology, M/Chip 4.
Today is a very important landmark on our journey to extend contactless payments across Europe and replace cumbersome cash with speed, convenience and security for MasterCard cardholders, noted Toni Merschen, global head of chip at MasterCard Worldwide.
Introducing contactless payments in Switzerland with MasterCard Europe will revolutionize the payment process, added Beat Stocker, CEO of the Aduno Group. In a society where time has become a precious commodity, PayPass satisfies the payment needs of both retailers and end users.
Following the initial pilot phase, the market launch of MasterCard PayPass in Switzerland is planned for later this year by the Aduno Group.
MasterCard PayPass is already used widely at McDonald’s restaurants in the US, along with more than 46,000 other merchant locations around the world, including Starbucks, 7-Eleven, CVS, Duane Reade, Sheetz and Regal Entertainment Group. The technology has also proved popular outside retail locations, such as sports facilities, with PayPass now accepted in football and baseball stadiums and at professional golfing events.