Globe pushes QR codes for fast food payments

MANILA, Philippines — Globe Telecom Inc. is in talks with fast food chains Jollibee Foods Corp. and McDonald’s Philippines for the use of Quick Response (QR) codes to pay for purchases.

Globe president and chief executive officer Ernest Cu told reporters the Ayala-led telco is currently in discussions with Jollibee and McDonald’s for the use of e-payments and QR codes for purchases as part of the rollout and expansion of financial services and upgrade of payment services in the country.

“We’re talking to them. Nothing signed but we want to cover every single outlet,” he said.

Aside from fast food chains such as Jollibee and McDonald’s, Cu said Globe is also targeting other retail establishments as well as sari-sari stores for the use of QR codes for payments.

“We are going to take it from both the large ones, the McDonald’s, Jollibee as well as enabling hopefully, what you call the long tail merchants. These are even your markets, sari-sari stores… We will try to bring as many people in the ecosystem as possible,” he said.

He said the company is promoting the use of e-payments and QR codes by retail establishments following the approval of the Philippine Competition Commission of the acquisition of Ant Financial Services Group of a 45 percent stake in Globe subsidiary Globe Fintech Innovations Inc. (Mynt) which operates micropayment service GCash in August.

The transaction is expected to help accelerate financial inclusion in the country.

Alipay which is under Ant Financial and provides digital financial services to unbanked customs and small merchants, popularized QR code payments in China.