Does Subway Accept PayPal in 2024? Here‘s What You Need to Know
Mobile wallets like PayPal have seen tremendous growth over the past few years. According to Business Insider Intelligence, proximity mobile payments are expected to exceed $2 trillion globally by 2023.
However, PayPal acceptance limitations still exist with many brick-and-mortar merchants. In particular, major quick service restaurant (QSR) brands like Subway currently do not directly take PayPal or similar services for in-store orders.
But why haven‘t large restaurant chains adopted such a popular payment method uniformly? And as a customer, are there still ways you can use PayPal when ordering Subway?
Here is a detailed guide examining the intricacies of PayPal acceptance at Subway in 2024, including expert perspectives, workarounds, and predictions for the future.
Why Don‘t More Restaurants Take PayPal In-Store?
I spoke with payments industry advisor Brian Roemmele, founder of Multiplex.com, who outlined a few core reasons why brands like Subway still don‘t directly accept PayPal for counter or kiosk transactions:
Costs – PayPal charges retail merchants additional transaction feed to integrate their QR-code payments in-store. This cuts into already thin profit margins in a low margin business like sandwiches.
Kitchen Flow – Front-of-house PayPal Acceptance can cause disruption with lining up online to offline order systems. Brands optimize kitchen operations for speed, simplicity, and consistency.
So unfortunately for now, the cons outweigh the pros for full, direct PayPal acceptance across major restaurant chains. Large brands make decisions based on scalability across thousands of locations, constraining tech flexibility at individual stores.
However, Brian notes mobile ordering and delivery integration will continue expanding as customer habits shift more cashless. This leads us into workarounds…
Getting Your Subway Order with PayPal
While Subway does not directly take PayPal at the counter or self-order kiosks, there are a couple straightforward methods to still enjoy your Subway using PayPal wallet funds:
| Method | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Subway Mobile App | Seamless pickup/delivery | Limited locations |
| Grubhub, Uber Eats, etc. | More locations | Delivery fees |
Let‘s examine the pros, cons, and step-by-step process for each.
1. Subway App PayPal Integration
The official Subway app for iOS and Android devices lets guests order ahead for pickup or delivery, with PayPal as a payment option during checkout.
You can follow this simple process for getting your Footlong or Wrap to your door using PayPal on the Subway app:
- Download app and create account
- Enter location and build order
- Select PayPal at checkout
- Receive order confirmation
- Pick up from designated Subway or have delivered
Key Benefits
- No delivery fees on orders $15+
- Order and payments in one place
- Register rewards toward free subs
Limitations
- In-app delivery not available nationwide yet (~15 major markets today)
- App Pickup also has limited participating locations
So while extremely convenient where available, the official Subway app has limited accessibility for many parts of the country.
Next up is leveraging third-party delivery marketplaces to expand your PayPal Subway payment options…
2. Food Delivery Services (Grubhub, Uber Eats, etc)
Major food delivery apps and sites like Grubhub, DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Postmates all feature partnerships with Subway. When ordering Subway through one of these third-parties:
- Browse local Subway menu offerings
- Build order with customizations
- Choose PayPal at checkout
- Track driver to your address
The core benefit here is access to 30,000+ Subway locations across all 50 states. So you likely can get Subway delivered using PayPal no matter where you live.
Downsides to consider:
- Delivery fees apply (sometimes high minimums)
- Less order accuracy risk with handoff
- Cannot redeem Subway rewards dollars
Between the official Subway app and third-party delivery services, PayPal does provide a couple solid contactless ordering options tailored to guest preferences and convenience factors.
The Forecast for In-Store PayPal Acceptance
Based on current restaurant industry trends highlighted in Nation‘s Restaurant News and FastCasual.com, PayPal adoption at counter-service chains like Subway is imminent but likely still a few years off from becoming standardized. Rising demand for easier online-to-offline ordering integration and software-based point of sale systems will eventually help address common friction points holding back brands from accepting PayPal directly today.
Yum Brands fast casual division (Habit Burger, Pizza Hut) recently launched counter-side PayPal acceptance across hundreds of locations leveraging mobile checkout devices. Industry analysts see this as a blueprint for major chains like Subway to follow while optimizing operations.
So for now, focus on the handy mobile ordering workarounds. But by 2025, expect to see PayPal payment terminals as a common fixture in most Subway restaurants nationwide.
The Bottom Line
Subway does not directly accept PayPal for in-store orders at registers or kiosks as of early 2023. But through the Subway mobile app and third-party delivery services, your PayPal balance can still be utilized.
Mobile ordering adoption continues rising across quick-service restaurants. An easy linkage between digital wallets stored in apps with in-store checkout flows is the next evolution coming soon.
So hang tight, PayPal Subway customers – expanded acceptance enabling tap-and-go convenience is likely less than two years away!
