Dunkin’ Donuts has confirmed its move into mobile ordering and is introducing an integration with payment platform Visa Checkout ahead of the public rollout, expected to be later this year.

Visa Checkout is now available for use on DunkinDonuts.com, as well as the mobile application, providing customers with the ability to pay for a purchase with the tap of a button and reload their virtual Dunkin’ Donuts cards. As the brand privately pilots mobile ordering and delivery services to keep up with competitors such as Starbucks and Chipotle Mexican Grill, the additional payment function speaks to its desire to make its donuts and beverages available to hungry consumers in the most streamlined way possible.

“We’re committed to identifying and leveraging the best technologies to meet the needs of our busy, on-the-go customers,” said Scott Hudler, vice president of global consumer engagement for Dunkin’ Brands, Canton, MA. “We know that they value their time and we want to allow our guests to purchase Dunkin’ Donuts food and beverages as quickly and conveniently as possible.

“By integrating Visa Checkout into the Dunkin’ Mobile App, the payment process is simplified and guests can grab their daily cup of coffee, bakery item or breakfast sandwich quickly and continue on their way.”

Mobile ordering whispers
Dunkin’ Donuts recognizes that mobile ordering and delivery is a huge, untapped market for the brand – as well as a market that has already been tapped by competitors including Starbucks and Chipotle. Leveraging its strong base of loyal fans could offer Dunkin’ a leg up in the mobile ordering sector, particularly if it completes its initial rollout in multiple areas in the United States.

In an interview on CNBC’s “On the Money” program, the chairman and CEO of Dunkin’ Brands, Nigel Travis, confirmed the marketer’s piloting efforts of mobile ordering.

The brand is currently undertaking private tests, with public tests potentially rolling out later this year. If tests are successful, Dunkin’ fans may be able to place their orders for their favorite latte on their smartphones sometime in 2016.

This past January, a Dunkin’ Donuts executive said the company is “all in” on mobile following the success of its one-year-old DD Perks Rewards program as well as promising initial results from a mobile ordering test (see story).

Mobile ordering buzz, coupled with the Visa Checkout integration, may fuel Dunkin’ Donuts’ sales this year and undercut competition from other food and beverage marketers.

“While I can’t comment on sales expectations, I do believe that as the new Visa Pay integration allows our guests to get in and out of our stores quicker than ever before, we’ll not only be able to serve more guests, but our guests will also continue to visit Dunkin’ Donuts stores because they know they can get the food and beverages they love at a faster speed,” Mr. Hudler said.

“Loyalty is a really big focus for 2015 and with the integration of these new technologies, we’re hoping that more people will see how easy it is to use the Dunkin’ Mobile App and with it, the DD Perks Loyalty program. We’ve reached 11 million downloads of the Mobile App and 2.8 million loyalty members and we’re excited to see those numbers continue to grow.”

Branded campaign
To alert consumers to the Visa Checkout integration, the donut marketer is introducing a new campaign, titled “Get Stuff Dunkin’.” Customers who load $25 or more onto their existing or new Dunkin’ Donuts card via Visa Checkout through June 14 will receive a $10 bonus.

The incentive is limited to one per customer, and will likely serve as an optimal push to convince new users to try out the tap-and-pay functionality and ensure their accounts are well-stocked for future treats and beverages.

Visa Checkout is accessible via any Web-enabled mobile device, and holds information for any major credit or debit card so that users will not be prompted to re-enter billing and shipping details each time they make a purchase.

Dunkin’ Donuts has tapped actor Joel McHale as the face of the campaign. Mr. McHale will be shown crusading against wasted time in the advertisements, and showing how Visa Checkout can enable time-strapped customers get more time back in their day.

The food and beverage marketer, which has one of the most popular loyalty platforms in the sector, is placing increased focus on mobile offerings, a move which is meant to cater to the millions of consumers who pop into Dunkin’ Donuts locations daily for their morning coffee and breakfast.

“We thought this was something worth celebrating, and wanted to give our guests the chance to earn some extra dollars back as they loaded their Dunkin’ Donuts card using Visa Checkout,” Mr. Hudler said.

Final Take
Alex Samuely is an editorial assistant on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York