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Apple Pay at Subway - Make sure the cashier sets it up as a credit card payment

B

BrettDS

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Nov 14, 2012
1,489
635
Orlando
So I went to subway today for lunch and to try to use Apple Pay again. I asked the cashier if I could pay with my phone and she said "Oh, I just learned how to do this", so I felt pretty hopeful. She did something on the cash register and the terminal showed a QR code and she said that I needed to scan the code with my phone. Obviously that wouldn't work with Apple Pay, but there was also another little logo on the screen that I thought might have been the NFC logo, so I tried putting my phone near the terminal and nothing happened.

After a few minutes of her insisting that I needed to scan the code and me waving my phone around like a fool I finally said I'll just pay with a credit card. I got out my card and prepared to swipe it and she said that she needed to change something on the cash register first. She did her thing and I was about to swipe my card when I noticed that the QR code on the terminal had disappeared and was replaced by a big NFC logo. I said, "Oh, I think that's what I needed" and I got my phone back out and sure enough it recognized the terminal and allowed me to use Apple Pay.

I'm assuming that subway has some other mobile payment solution of their own that requires an app that can scan the QR code and that's what the cashier originally tried to set up.

So, the moral of the story is, if you see a QR code on the terminal at subway then the cashier has configured it wrong and Apple Pay won't work. Ask them to set it up like you were going to pay with a credit card and then you should see the NFC logo and be able to use Apple Pay.
 
The cashier at my local Subway had to "hit something on the screen" but it worked. The only issue I had if you can call it one is that they keep the card reader under the display on their side of the counter. Its not sitting out where I would reach it normally. When I put my phone next to the reader I had to stretch over the counter prompting her to ask what I was doing. I said, trying to pay. When it went through her eyes got big, she shook her head and went back to the line to make sandwiches. All in all, pretty easy. The people around me didn't say anything but you could tell they were not sure what just happened either.
 
Yeah why complicate matters and say you want to use your phone or identify it as Apple Pay. Just say credit card purchase and wave away.
 
eelw said:
Yeah why complicate matters and say you want to use your phone or identify it as Apple Pay. Just say credit card purchase and wave away.
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Because it seems a bit odd if I tell her that I want to pay with a credit card and then don't seem to be getting my wallet out or a credit card ready to pay with. It seems easier to tell her what I'm actually trying to do and hopefully as they get more used to apple pay it won't be that unusual or confusing.
 
BrettDS said:
Because it seems a bit odd if I tell her that I want to pay with a credit card and then don't seem to be getting my wallet out or a credit card ready to pay with. It seems easier to tell her what I'm actually trying to do and hopefully as they get more used to apple pay it won't be that unusual or confusing.
Click to expand...

I think mentioning credit is the best idea. I know you didn't mention apple pay but those people who do aren't helping themselves.

GL with future purchases.
 
BrettDS said:
Because it seems a bit odd if I tell her that I want to pay with a credit card and then don't seem to be getting my wallet out or a credit card ready to pay with. It seems easier to tell her what I'm actually trying to do and hopefully as they get more used to apple pay it won't be that unusual or confusing.
Click to expand...
I get that but the results say otherwise.
 
With places like Subway, where the clerk is waiting for you to physically hand them a card of some type, and thus ask you debit or credit...

New process:
Simply say to them "Credit via Apple Pay"
 
No one will understand what Apple Pay is if he/she doesn't follow Apple or technology news. For now I think telling them you're paying with credit/debit will cause less confusion.
 
Apple marketing at work here :) They now have an Army of technology adopters changing the deeply ingrained US retail payment system one clerk at a time.

Ahhh, progress. ;)
 
Used it for the first time today, twice. Tried the first time at a Starbucks at our local hospital and there was no NFC terminal and the clerk was clueless. At Whole Foods they actually had little cards attached to each terminal announcing they were Apple Pay compatible and the cashier knew exactly what I was doing. I still had to sign there though which was annoying and I thought we didn't have to do that?! At Walgreens the payment was over while the clerk was in the middle of asking me to swipe my card. She looked stunned and I had to explain to her what I just did and what it was her employer was participating in. It's funny how different businesses and their associated cultures have handled it!
 
BrettDS said:
I'm assuming that subway has some other mobile payment solution of their own that requires an app that can scan the QR code and that's what the cashier originally tried to set up.
Click to expand...

They accept Google Wallet and their own Subway app mobile payment, each of which is activated a different way. Apple Pay, as you discovered, is just "credit", but, as others have mentioned, they will be standing there, looking at you, waiting for you to hand them a credit card, since the terminal is on their side of the counter and they are used to swiping cards themselves:

IMG_1110_zps40dcecaa.jpg


So I basically say, "Paying with credit, with Apple Pay". Seems to work best so far.
 
JoeTomasone said:
they will be standing there, looking at you, waiting for you to hand them a credit card, since the terminal is on their side of the counter and they are used to swiping cards themselves:
Click to expand...


That's funny. All the subways near me leave the terminal out and expect you to swipe your own card. It took me forever to get used to not handing over my card when they got the new terminals.
 
BrettDS said:
That's funny. All the subways near me leave the terminal out and expect you to swipe your own card. It took me forever to get used to not handing over my card when they got the new terminals.
Click to expand...

I've been to half a dozen in NY and FL since Apple Pay came out and they were all like this. I figured it was chain-wide. <shrug>
 
BrettDS said:
Because it seems a bit odd if I tell her that I want to pay with a credit card and then don't seem to be getting my wallet out or a credit card ready to pay with. It seems easier to tell her what I'm actually trying to do and hopefully as they get more used to apple pay it won't be that unusual or confusing.
Click to expand...

I think its better not to confuse them.
 
BrettDS said:
That's funny. All the subways near me leave the terminal out and expect you to swipe your own card. It took me forever to get used to not handing over my card when they got the new terminals.
Click to expand...

The terminals are on the customer side here, but I've had the problem where they don't push the "card" button on their end to activate the terminal since they haven't seen me pull a card out. Saying "card" or just gesturing to the terminal is usually enough though :)

I'm using Paywave at the moment, but as far as I can tell Apple Pay works the same way.
 
Went to Subway last night and had a similar experience. I asked the guy if they take Apple Pay, and he looked at me like I have 2 heads. So then I just said "credit card". And then he sat there staring at me waiting for me to pull out my credit card. So then I pulled out my credit card. And then after he hit his little button, I paid with my iPhone. He did a double-take and then said "OK - you're all set". I am amazed at how little cashiers understand about Apple Pay this long after it came out. It makes me think that nobody is actually using it. The fact that I had to pull out my credit card for him before he would hit the credit button sort of defeats the whole purpose of Apple Pay.
 
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