Originally Posted by
phltraveler
As you said, absent something like that forcing it, the restaurants don't have a compelling reason to go for that cost and expense when people aren't clamoring for it. The QR codes are basically free to add (if the merchant has an very nicely updated/integrated PoS like Toast) for a cent of receipt paper. People who want contactless payment can use that, people that don't can just leave the card, have the waiter/waitress swipe it, and then sign traditionally.
With no incentive in the US market restaurants aren't going to go for it. And opposite of incentives, some eateries are surcharging card payment now, which is the opposite.
Realistically, the QR code users are going to be the ones who would have tapped their phones otherwise (and even then, if the QR setup is done badly, it could scare people off from ever using it).
More likely, assuming restaurants eventually get server-side devices that can do it, servers will just tap cards for customers after they get taken away (which from the perspective of the networks/issuers means there's still high contactless penetration, even if it effectively means that different forms of contactless are being treated differently). To be honest, I'm surprised NCR or another old-school restaurant POS maker didn't go the Toast or Clover route of having a chip reader built into the display (vs. strapping an Ingenico or Verifone wired PIN pad to the side as seems to be common); I had expected that to happen as soon as it became clear the US was going to be a chip and signature market.