KFC China accepts Alipay
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More than 700 KFC China stores have started to accept customer payments via Alipay’s smartphone-based payment technology.
The stores, in Shanghai and Zhejiang Province are the first of some 5000 outlets across Mainland China which will adopt the payment option in coming months.
The the partnership with Alibaba, KFC China customers can pay for their meals in local KFC restaurants by using the Alipay Wallet app on their smartphones. The cashless payment solution is expected to enhance operational efficiency of the fast food chain.
The tie-up with KFC is the first major move of the newly established Koubei, a 50-50 joint venture between Alibaba Group and its affiliate Ant Financial that focuses on increasing the availability of local services through O2O (online-to-offline) eCommerce.
Koubei plans to integrate Alibaba’s existing food ordering and delivery service Taodiandian and Ant Financial’s merchant services.
KFC China, which launched in 1987, has been upgrading its restaurants for mobile commerce. Wi-Fi is now available in 2200 KFC China outlets and the company has launched a mobile application for food ordering in Shanghai and Hangzhou.
According to iResearch, Alipay, a subsidiary of Ant Financial, accounted for 82 per cent of China’s third-party mobile payment sector in 2014. In May, 25 Walmart supermarkets and hypermarkets in Shenzhen began accepting Alipay’s mobile payments.
Questions & Answers
Q.Which specific regions in China currently accept Alipay at KFC?
Which specific regions in China currently accept Alipay at KFC?
More than 700 KFC stores in Shanghai and Zhejiang Province are the first to accept payments via Alipay’s smartphone-based technology. These locations are the initial rollout among some 5000 outlets planned across Mainland China.
Q.What is the purpose of the newly established Koubei joint venture?
What is the purpose of the newly established Koubei joint venture?
Koubei, a 50-50 joint venture between Alibaba Group and Ant Financial, aims to increase the availability of local services through O2O eCommerce. It plans to integrate Alibaba's food ordering service and Ant Financial's merchant services.
Q.How else is KFC China updating its stores for mobile use?
How else is KFC China updating its stores for mobile use?
KFC China has introduced Wi-Fi in 2200 outlets and launched a mobile application for food ordering in Shanghai and Hangzhou. These initiatives are part of its broader strategy to upgrade restaurants for mobile commerce.
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