Mobile payment services like Apple Pay have become increasingly common, providing a convenient way to make payments with just your smartphone or smartwatch. But support for contactless payments varies between retailers. If you’re a loyal Burger King customer, you may be wondering: does Burger King take Apple Pay?
The short answer is no – Burger King currently does not accept Apple Pay as a payment method in its restaurants, drive-thrus, or mobile app.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about making payments at Burger King locations with and without Apple Pay:
- Why Burger King doesn’t take Apple Pay
- Official payment types accepted at Burger King
- Benefits of ordering with the Burger King app
- Using Apple Pay indirectly for Burger King
- Mobile payment alternatives like Google Pay
- Which fast food chains accept Apple Pay
- If Apple Pay may be accepted by Burger King in the future
- What to do if your local Burger King won’t accept contactless payments
Let’s start by looking at why Apple Pay isn’t supported at Burger King restaurants.
Why Doesn’t Burger King Support Apple Pay for Purchases?
Burger King actually used to allow Apple Pay through its mobile app back when it first launched. However, this support was removed around 2019.
The primary reason cited by most reports is an exclusive partnership between Burger King and PayPal. Since PayPal is a major competitor to Apple Pay, Burger King agreed to stop accepting other contactless payments in favor of promoting PayPal and its sister service Venmo.
You’ll notice that when ordering through the Burger King app or paying in-store, Burger King actively encourages using your PayPal or Venmo account instead of credit/debit cards or other mobile wallets.
This exclusive deal is why Apple Pay, along with Google Pay and Samsung Pay, cannot be directly used anymore to pay for food or drink purchases at Burger King counters and drive-thrus.
It’s unfortunate timing as more and more retailers embrace contactless payments, but with the PayPal partnership in place, don’t expect Apple Pay acceptance to return to Burger King locations anytime soon.
What Official Payment Types Can You Use at Burger King Locations?
Just because you can’t tap and pay with Apple Pay doesn’t mean you don’t have payment options when visiting Burger King. Here are the official transaction methods currently accepted:
- PayPal – Integrated into the BK app for online orders or showing your account at the counter
- Venmo – Can also be used in-app or provide your info in-store
- Cash
- Physical Burger King gift card
- Credit cards like Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover
- Debit cards and prepaid cards
- Limited SNAP EBT acceptance in certain states
So you still have quite a few ways to pay for your order at Burger King, including major credit or debit cards. But mobile wallet users are stuck either linking their debit card to obtain rewards, using their physical card, or finding alternative options covered later.
One big perk of paying with the Burger King app is access to exclusive coupons, promotions and discounts you can’t get anywhere else.
What Are the Benefits of Paying With the Burger King Mobile App?
The official Burger King app provides some nice benefits compared to paying in-store that may make it worth downloading:
- Mobile ordering – Browse the menu, customize your order, and checkout on your phone before even leaving your house.
- Exclusive promos – Get special app-only coupons and discounts delivered to your phone.
- Earn rewards – Occasional chances to earn points or freebies when mobile ordering.
- PayPal/Venmo integration – Built-in support for your accounts on these popular online payment platforms.
- Remote ordering – Purchase food for friends/family and have it delivered to them.
- Restaurant locator – Find your nearest locations and view operational hours without searching manually.
- Customization – Add or remove ingredients easily and view accurate pricing in real-time.
- Contactless checkout – Scan a QR code to pick up your food without waiting in line or touching a terminal.
As you can see, the Burger King app unlocks perks beyond just quick payment processing. So even if you can’t directly use Apple Pay through the app, you may find it worthwhile for the exclusive coupons and online ordering capabilities.
Next we’ll look at how you can indirectly leverage Apple Pay with your Burger King purchases.
Can I Use Apple Pay Indirectly for Burger King Purchases?
Given the current lack of Apple Pay support directly at Burger King chains, you might wonder if there’s any way to use your iOS mobile wallet for Burger King transactions.
There are actually a couple creative options to indirectly utilize Apple Pay with your Burger King orders:
- Buy gift cards with Apple Pay – Retailers like Amazon, Best Buy and Target that do accept Apple Pay often sell Burger King gift cards you can purchase to use later.
- Order delivery through third-parties – Services like Uber Eats and DoorDash enable Apple Pay when you order Burger King through them for pickup or delivery.
So by purchasing physical or digital Burger King gift cards with your iPhone/Watch and adding funds via Apple Pay, or ordering through a delivery provider that supports Apple Pay transactions, you can still reap some benefits of mobile payments for your burger and fries orders.
Now let’s look at some alternatives beyond Apple that do let you tap and pay at Burger King.
Does Burger King Take Other Mobile Payment Services Like Google Pay?
If you’re set on skipping physical cards and cash at your local Burger King, you may consider alternative payment apps beyond Apple Pay.
Unfortunately, due to the exclusive PayPal contract, Burger King does not directly accept any other contactless platforms like Google Pay or Samsung Pay either.
Your best bet for mobile transactions is linking your bank debit/credit card to one of the approved services:
- PayPal – Add your bank card as a funding source, then scan your PayPal QR code at checkout
- Venmo – Same ability to connect your cards and pay from your Venmo balance
This gives you access to contactless payments powered by your actual debit/credit card details without needing the physical card present.
Just don’t expect to seamlessly use mobile wallet funds like you could with Apple Pay. For now, Burger King is loyalty to promoting PayPal and its accompanied payment network.
On the bright side, many other competing fast food chains do readily accept Apple Pay and other contactless platforms.
What Fast Food Chains Besides Burger King Accept Apple Pay?
If the lack of Apple Pay support at Burger King has you longing for your mobile wallet, plenty of similar restaurant chains allow contactless payments.
Here are some of the most popular fast-food establishments that accept Apple Pay based on recent 2024 reports:
- McDonald’s
- Subway
- Starbucks
- Wendy’s
- Dunkin’
- Pizza Hut
- KFC
- Chick-Fil-A
- Jimmy John’s
- Chipotle
- Panera Bread
- Five Guys
Top competitors like McDonald’s, Subway, Starbucks and Wendy’s have offered Apple Pay integration for years at most locations. Chains like Chick-Fil-A and Jimmy John’s also enable tap-and-go transactions from your iPhone or Apple Watch.
So while Burger King is a rare holdout among quick-service industry leaders, you have plenty of family restaurants to choose from if you wish to take advantage of mobile payments with Apple Pay.
Is Burger King Expected to Ever Take Apple Pay in the Future?
With significant consumer demand for contactless payments via services like Apple Pay, you may wonder if Burger King will ever decide to accept it in their restaurants.
The short answer is possibly, but likely not anytime soon.
As mentioned, the primary blockade is Burger King’s exclusive multi-year contract with PayPal as their preferred online payments partner. Unless PayPal decides contactless solutions are critical for its business, Burger King has little incentive to break the agreement.
However, consumer payment habits can change rapidly. If customers show an overwhelming preference for tap-and-go transactions over pulling out physical cards in coming years, PayPal itself may push Burger King to finally embrace Apple Pay and rival services.
For example, it’s plausible for PayPal to establish its own contactless payment terminals that could accept funds from Apple Pay accounts. PayPal already allows you connect credit/debit cards that could then enable tap-based transactions.
But with no public information about PayPal or Burger King’s future contactless payment plans, time will tell if more innovative mobile options get incorporated. Don’t expect immediate acceptance, but keep an eye out for announcements of expanded payment support.
In the meantime, what should you do if your go-to Burger King still refuses contactless transactions?
What Should You Do If Your Local Burger King Doesn’t Take Apple Pay?
While major chains outline overarching payment rules franchise owners must follow, specific locations can sometimes enforce additional restrictions.
You may encounter a local Burger King that doesn’t even accept NFC credit/debit payments or PayPal QR codes – only strictly cash.
If mobile tap-and-pay is important to you, here are a few tips:
- Call ahead – Check if the stores in your area officially ban contactless payments to avoid surprises waiting in line.
- Use delivery services – Order through DoorDash/Uber Eats to pay with Apple Pay, then select in-store pickup.
- Provide feedback – Politely talk to the manager about contactless preference and that you may shop elsewhere.
- Check annually – As adoption spreads, ask each year if policies ever change to support mobile transactions.
Hopefully more franchisee owners will modernize over time to catch up with leading restaurant chains prioritizing speed and convenience.
For now, you have several options to enjoy your Burger King favorites even when Apple Pay isn’t directly available. And asPayPal considers more innovative solutions itself, true mobile wallet acceptance could still make its way to Burger King someday.
In Conclusion
The ability to tap and securely pay with your iPhone or Apple Watch is certainly convenient. But due to an exclusive contract with PayPal, Burger King does not currently accept Apple Pay or similar contactless payment services.
Instead, your options are more limited – use physical cards, link bank cards to PayPal/Venmo to scan codes, or order through the Burger King app. Purchasing gift cards with Apple Pay or ordering through third-party delivery services are other creative workarounds.
Hopefully down the road Burger King will reevaluate its restrictive payment policy as contactless transactions become standard. But for now, mobile payments directly via Apple Pay remain off the table at Burger King locations.
Knowing what to expect when visiting Burger King restaurants as an Apple Pay user can better set your payment expectations. And there are still many other competing fast food chains that readily support tap-to-pay transactions if Burger King’s lack of Apple Pay is disappointing.
