As a picky shopper and retail industry expert, I know how important it is to have convenient and secure payment options when dining out or ordering food online. One of the most popular digital payment platforms is PayPal, which boasts over 392 million active users worldwide. But can you use PayPal to pay for your favorite footlong sub at Subway?
In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll dive deep into Subway‘s payment policies and explore the various ways you can use PayPal to satisfy your sandwich cravings. We‘ll also analyze the broader trends in digital payments and what they mean for fast food chains like Subway.
Subway‘s Stance on PayPal: A Mixed Bag
Let‘s start with the most pressing question: does Subway accept PayPal for in-store purchases? Unfortunately, the answer is no. Unlike some other fast food chains like McDonald‘s and KFC, you cannot currently use PayPal to pay for your meal at a physical Subway restaurant.
However, that doesn‘t mean you‘re completely out of luck if you want to use PayPal for your Subway order. There are a few workarounds that allow you to indirectly use PayPal to pay for Subway:
-
Order online for pickup or delivery: If you place an order through Subway‘s official website or mobile app, you can select PayPal as your payment method at checkout. This allows you to pay with your PayPal balance, linked bank account, or credit card. You can then pick up your order at a nearby Subway location or have it delivered to your address.
-
Use a third-party delivery app: Popular food delivery services like Grubhub, DoorDash, and Uber Eats all accept PayPal as a payment option. If you order Subway through one of these apps, you can pay with PayPal just like you would for any other purchase.
-
Purchase a Subway gift card with PayPal: Some online retailers like Gyft and eGifter allow you to buy Subway gift cards with PayPal. You can then use these gift cards to pay for your in-store Subway purchases.
So while Subway doesn‘t directly accept PayPal at its physical locations, there are still a few ways to use the payment platform to get your sandwich fix.
PayPal Usage and Adoption: By the Numbers
To understand why Subway and other fast food chains have been hesitant to fully embrace PayPal, it‘s helpful to look at some key statistics and trends:
- As of Q4 2021, PayPal had 392 million active user accounts, up from 377 million in the previous quarter. (Source: PayPal Q4 2021 Results)
- In 2021, PayPal processed a total payment volume (TPV) of $1.25 trillion, a 31% increase from the previous year. (Source: PayPal Q4 2021 Results)
- Mobile payments are expected to account for nearly a third of all global POS transactions by 2024, up from just 15% in 2019. (Source: Worldpay Global Payments Report 2021)
- According to a 2021 survey by the National Restaurant Association, only about 12% of restaurants in the U.S. offer PayPal or Venmo as a payment option. (Source: National Restaurant Association 2021 State of the Restaurant Industry Report)
While PayPal has seen impressive growth and usage in recent years, it still lags behind traditional payment methods like cash and credit cards in terms of widespread adoption at physical retail locations. Many restaurants and fast food chains have been slow to integrate PayPal into their point-of-sale systems, citing concerns about transaction fees, customer confusion, and technical integration.
PayPal‘s total payment volume (TPV) has grown steadily in recent years. (Source: PayPal Q4 2021 Results)
The Future of Digital Payments at Fast Food Chains
Despite the current challenges, there are signs that more fast food chains are starting to embrace digital payment options like PayPal. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift towards contactless payments and online ordering, forcing restaurants to quickly adapt their payment systems.
According to a recent report by Incisiv, a digital transformation insights firm, the use of mobile wallets and QR code payments at quick-service restaurants (QSRs) in the U.S. is expected to grow by 44% by 2025. The report also predicts that mobile ordering will account for nearly half (48%) of all QSR transactions by 2025, up from just 18% in 2021.
"The pandemic has accelerated the adoption of digital payments and ordering in the fast food industry," said Amar Mokha, Chief Operating Officer at Incisiv. "Restaurants that fail to offer convenient and contactless payment options risk falling behind their competitors and losing customers."
Some fast food chains are already leading the charge in digital payment adoption. For example, Burger King recently partnered with PayPal to offer customers the ability to pay with Venmo, PayPal‘s popular peer-to-peer payment app, at select U.S. locations. McDonald‘s also accepts PayPal for mobile orders placed through its app.
As more consumers come to expect the convenience and flexibility of digital payment options, it‘s likely that we‘ll see Subway and other fast food chains follow suit in the coming years. In fact, some Subway franchisees have already started accepting PayPal through the Subway mobile app, suggesting that a wider rollout may be on the horizon.
Tips for Maximizing Rewards and Savings with PayPal
If you‘re a savvy shopper looking to earn rewards and save money on your Subway purchases, using PayPal can be a smart strategy. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:
-
Link a rewards credit card to your PayPal account. If you have a credit card that earns cashback or points on dining purchases, be sure to link it to your PayPal account. This way, you‘ll still earn rewards on your Subway orders even when paying with PayPal.
-
Use Honey, the PayPal-owned coupon browser extension. Honey automatically searches for and applies coupon codes at checkout on thousands of websites. While it may not work on Subway‘s website directly, you can use it when purchasing Subway gift cards from third-party retailers that accept PayPal.
-
Keep an eye out for PayPal promotions and discounts. PayPal occasionally offers special discounts or cashback offers when you use the platform to make purchases at select retailers. For example, in 2021 PayPal ran a promotion offering 10% cashback on purchases made at Burger King using PayPal or Venmo. While Subway hasn‘t been included in any recent promotions, it‘s worth keeping an eye out for future offers.
-
Use a cashback app like Ibotta or Rakuten. These apps allow you to earn cashback on purchases from a variety of retailers, including Subway. While you may not be able to use them in conjunction with PayPal directly, you can still earn rewards by purchasing Subway gift cards through the apps and then using those gift cards to pay for your meals.
By combining these strategies with the PayPal payment options available at Subway, you can maximize your rewards and savings on your favorite sandwiches and sides.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, while Subway doesn‘t accept PayPal directly for in-store purchases, there are still several ways for picky shoppers and savvy PayPal users to pay for their subs using the popular digital payment platform. By placing mobile orders, using third-party delivery apps, or purchasing gift cards, you can enjoy the convenience and security of PayPal while satisfying your Subway cravings.
As the fast food industry continues to evolve and adapt to changing consumer preferences and expectations, it‘s likely that we‘ll see more widespread adoption of digital payment options like PayPal in the coming years. Restaurants that fail to keep up with these trends risk falling behind the competition and losing out on valuable customers.
For Subway specifically, the recent rollout of PayPal acceptance through its mobile app suggests that the company is starting to recognize the importance of digital payments. As a picky shopper and industry expert, I‘ll be keeping a close eye on Subway‘s payment options and looking for opportunities to maximize my rewards and savings.
Ultimately, whether you prefer to pay with cash, credit, or a digital platform like PayPal, the key is to find the payment method that works best for your needs and preferences. With a little research and strategic planning, you can enjoy your favorite fast food meals while still getting the most value for your money.
