If you’re in the habit of eating out on a regular basis, you probably have your favorite restaurant chains and specific locations that you like to visit. Keeping track of which restaurants accept Apple Pay, Chipotle reward programs, or other kinds of rewards programs can take a lot of research and tracking down information. Only about 10% of all fast-food restaurants currently accept Apple Pay as a form of payment. If you’re wondering whether or not Chipotle takes Apple Pay, this article will explain what we know about their payment policies as well as give some details about other popular options for paying at fast-food chains like Chipotle. Keep reading to find out more!
Does Chipotle Take Apple Pay?
Chipotle offers a rewards program that allows customers to accumulate points if they dine at Chipotle on the same day each week. Customers earn points for every dollar spent at the restaurant and can use those points to get free food and other rewards. Currently, Chipotle is the only large chain that accepts Apple Pay as a form of payment. However, there are smaller chains like McDonald’s and Starbucks that accept Apple Pay as well!
What Is Apple Pay?
- Apple Pay is a payment system that allows you to pay for things in stores, online, and at restaurants with your iPhone or Apple Watch. The technology is available in the United States and works with NFC-enabled devices. You can also use Apple Pay if your phone or device is not an iPhone or Apple Watch. Most of the time, you will have to use your iPhone to use Apple Pay. However, you can use an iPad as long as it has iOS 8 or later installed on it (iOS 9).
- You can make purchases using Apple Pay just by holding your finger on the Touch ID sensor at checkout. There are no other steps required at checkout to complete the transaction; all you have to do is hold your finger on the sensor when making a purchase. If you want to make a purchase that requires more than one step, like paying for gas with Apple Pay, then it will take two steps: first tapping your finger on the Touch ID sensor and then tapping again when prompted by the cashier to complete the transaction.
- You don’t need your phone or device to be connected to Wi-Fi in order for it to work with Apple Pay; however, if you want to add money from a debit card linked directly to your bank account, then you’ll need that card number connected directly too and ready for use when making purchases at checkout with Apple Pay. If you want more information about how this works, check out this article.
- You can use Apple Pay just about anywhere that accepts credit cards. If you have an iPhone, then you can use Apple Pay on the go to make purchases at retail locations, restaurants, and even gas stations. If you want to see all of the places that accept Apple Pay, check out this article.
- You can also use your Apple Watch to make purchases using Apple Pay at retail stores and shops such as Walgreens or Macy’s. It works best at small merchants that don’t have a lot of options for payment other than cash or credit cards. You can pay for items that cost less than $30 with your watch by swiping up on the screen after setting it down on the counter or checkout stand.
How To Use Apple Pay At Chipotle
Download the App
The first step in using Apple Pay at Chipotle is downloading the app. The app is available in both the App Store and Google Play. After you download it, you’ll have to create an account to use Apple Pay.
Open up your phone and make sure Apple Pay is turned on
There are two ways you can open up your phone to make sure that it’s set up for Apple Pay:
iPhone 6 or later: Press and hold the home button until you hear a beep.
iPhone 5 or earlier: Swipe down with two fingers from the top of the screen until you see a circle with an arrow pointing downwards. Tap this button to turn on Apple Pay if it’s not already on.
Make sure your device will recognize Chipotle as a payment option
The next step is making sure that your phone will recognize Chipotle as a payment option when you try to pay for something in-store with Apple Pay. You may be asked for verification information when paying at Chipotle, which means making sure that you have either linked a card or added a credit card from another source like Fiserv or Intuit. If you’re having trouble locating this information, just ask one of the cashiers if they can look it up for you.
Scan your credit or debit card
If everything checks out, you’re ready to pay with Apple Pay. Just hold your phone near the payment terminal at Chipotle and it will automatically recognize that you’re using Apple Pay and ask you to confirm the purchase. You can also manually choose to scan your card by tapping on the “Add a card” button on the bottom right of your screen.
Wait for the transaction to complete
Once Chipotle has approved your payment, they will ask you to sign a receipt or enter a PIN number so that they can get paid for their order (this is normal). The transaction will be complete shortly after this point.
Which Fast-Food Chains Take Apple Pay?
Chipotle
Since the launch of Apple Pay, Chipotle has been a popular choice for those who prefer to pay with their phone instead of cash or credit card. Chipotle is one of the few fast-food chains that accept Apple Pay as a form of payment. You can use Apple Pay at Chipotle by simply selecting “Pay with iPhone” from the payment options on the order screen. Keep in mind that Chipotle is known for being extremely picky about who they accept as a customer and if your credit card information is not up to date, you may not be able to use Apple Pay at all. On its website, Chipotle states:
“Apple Pay is currently only available in areas where our stores are located and we do not currently have plans to expand our acceptance.”
Subway
Subway also accepts Apple Pay as a form of payment when you order using your phone at the restaurant. Subway accepts Apple Pay because they make their sandwiches right away so there isn’t any time to wait around after placing your order before eating them. The good news is that Subway does accept other forms of payment besides Apple Pay, so if you don’t want to use your phone or just don’t have an iPhone, there are other options! For example, you can pay with cash or by using PayPal/Google Wallet (see more below). Just keep in mind that if you use another method of payment besides Apple Pay at Subway, you will not be eligible for any rewards programs.
Shake Shack
Shake Shack is another popular choice for those who prefer to pay with their phone instead of cash or credit card. You can use Apple Pay at Shake Shack to order food and drinks as well as to pay for items like shakes, fries, and souvenirs. Since Shake Shack only accepts cash or credit cards, you won’t be able to use Apple Pay at the restaurant. However, there are other options besides Apple Pay that you can choose from if you don’t have an iPhone! For example, you can pay with a debit card or PayPal/Google Wallet (see more below). The good news is that if you order food from Shake Shack using your phone and then decide not to pay with your phone in the future (for example, if you want to use a different method of payment), it’s really easy to change your payment method back because this is how Shake Shack stores your payment information! If you change your payment method after ordering food but before eating it, they will cancel the order and refund any money that was paid using Apple Pay. Then all you have to do is reorder using another payment method like a debit card or PayPal/Google Wallet so that they will accept it again!
Chili’s
Chili’s accepts Apple Pay as a form of payment when ordering via their app when paying with an iPhone (only on iOS devices). If you don’t have an iPhone but would still like to use Apple Pay at Chili’s restaurant, you can pay with a debit card or PayPal/Google Wallet (see more below). You can also order off the Chili’s app even if you don’t have an iPhone by paying through the Chili’s website. The good news is that if you change your payment method after ordering food but before eating it, they will cancel the order and refund any money that was paid using Apple Pay. Then all you have to do is reorder using another payment method like a debit card or PayPal/Google Wallet so that they will accept it again!
Bottom line
If you like to eat out at fast-food restaurants, you likely have a few favorites that you visit the most. Many of these chains have rewards programs that you can sign up for and earn free food and drinks. In addition to rewarding you for eating at their restaurants, many of these chains also allow you to order ahead and pay for your food via their mobile apps. This can be a convenient way to order food and pay without having to go to the restaurant in person. It’s also worth noting that many of these chains also accept Apple Pay. This is a convenient way to pay without having to carry a physical credit or debit card with you.
