On December 6, 2011 Starbucks invented country's largest mobile payment application. The Starbucks app allows its loyal customers to not only pay with their credit card but upload their gift cards as well.
The app offers not only paying abilities, but opportunities for their most loyal customers to earn rewards by ultimately become a Starbucks gold rewards card holder.
This exclusive status gives customers a beautiful gold finished Starbucks "debit card" accompanied with many free drinks and other small gifts.
As Starbucks themselves would say, "Make the most of your membership— pay with your phone, order ahead, earn free drinks and more."
Although the mobile payment option is convient, the main point of this article is to talk about the mobile order.
I am sure many of the regular Starbucks-goers understand the pain of standing in a line and the frustration that washes over you when the person in front of you orders a "Skinny vanilla latter with soy milk, no sugar, 2 extra vanilla pumps, an expresso shot, whipped cream, and of course a caramel drizzle." All you can think is, I have #realpeople things to do.
Starbucks felt your pain and in 2014 Starbucks launched their mobile order and pay. From any and every drink to their entire food menu, you can mobile order just about anything.
So what is this mobile order? Well, you choose a store location closet you or where you will be and you simple type in your order and pay ahead of time through the app, walk into the store and, BAM, its there on the counter.
It seems flawless, except for when you're not mobile ordering.
This was the original reason I did not get into the mobile ordering. I would usually go into Starbucks at any given time of the day and wait in the respected line until it was my turn. I'd order my usual and wait at the end.
Now being in a rush, it would be terrible to see the baristas behind the counter putting mobile orders ahead. Like c'mon, they aren't even here. I would think to myself who are these lazy customers.
But summer is here and I have a real person job that I simply can't be late for, but that does not mean skip out on the Starbucks. I wake up, get ready, mobile order and there it is waiting for me in a 2 second stop I'm off to work with my cold brew in hand.
I learned from this experience not to judge something until you try because seriously Starbucks you have done it again, four years later I am hooked.
Will I ever wait in another line.. no thanks.