The introduction of contactless payment options at Starbucks dates back on January 2011, when the coffee-shop chain launched mobile payment in all U.S. company-operated stores, allowing customers to pay for in-store purchases with select smartphones.

Building on the earlier introduction of Starbucks Card Mobile App for select BlackBerry® smartphones, iPhone® and iPod® touch and a successful mobile payment test program, USA customers now have access to the largest mobile payment program in the U.S. and the fastest way to pay at Starbucks.

Customers can pay with their smartphone by holding their mobile device in front of a scanner on the countertop and scan the Starbucks Card Mobile App’s on-screen barcode to make a purchase. Customers have successfully adopted this technology in test markets in Seattle, Northern California, New York and more than 1,000 Starbucks in U.S. Target stores.

Mobile payment is built on the Starbucks Card platform, which continues to experience significant customer adoption. Customers loaded more than $1.5 billion on Starbucks Cards in 2010, an increase of 21 percent over 2009, driven in part by the My Starbucks Rewards program which provides benefits to customers who pay with a registered Starbucks Card at participating stores. With the introduction of the quick and easy Starbucks Card Mobile App and the mobile payment feature, customer will find yet another reason to use their Starbucks Card for payment.

“Mobile payment is just one example of how we’re continually innovating on behalf of our customers to enhance the Starbucks Experience,” said Brewer. “A growing segment of our customers use smartphones, and through the Starbucks Card Mobile App, we’re providing them with the fastest way to pay.”

Just a couple of days ago, the coffee-shop chain has signed a deal with Barclaycard, in partnership with Visa Europe, allowing consumers to pay for products by scanning their contactless credit or debit card over a payment terminal.

‘[This] follows our successful adoption of other technologies including Facebook Deals and geo-fencing mobile couponing,’ said Brian Waring, vice-president, marketing and category, for Starbucks UK and Ireland.

Whether they are using the same Starbucks Platform in the UK or not is not clear, especially because there is a big difference between the media that is going to be used for paying – QR code on mobile phones in USA, debit/credit card in UK. Let’s wait until 2012 to see what will happen in UK (Source: Starbucks.com)