reclusive46

+ In the countries like Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Poland (and almost the UK), pretty much every card is contactless, so its presumed to be contactless.

AllieKat

That is *not* what I said, at all. It's on the back on all Amex cards. I said a miniature version is printed on the front on UK cards, for some reason. But the actual, correct-size version is on the back.

I've seen other UK cards with it (non-Amex) on the back recently.

mikesyr18

Minature or not it's still on the front.

You people literally took my praise for how much I liked the re-design of the new Hilton cards and turned it into a negative conversation.

AllieKat

I did no such thing, nothing negative or positive about what I said, just fact.

Also, from the pictures it looks like the new Hilton Amex in the US will be the same - contactless logo on the back, but a miniature version printed alongside the security code. This is *not* the official EMVco contactless logo which has a very specific size.

tmiw

Has anyone actually confirmed this via cardpeek? It could be possible that the normal verification checks were drastically relaxed for US transactions instead; I forget if the previous failures were getting to the issuer verification stage or not, though.

My Diners Club MC has had the old PayPass logo on the back ever since I first got the card. However, it's still possible that the "current" branding was only allowed on the front until recently.

mikesyr18

As long as there's an indication on the front then I'm fine with it. The card looks really good either way.

wco81

Saw an update to the iOS Chipotle app. that it will support Apple Pay.

But the actual restaurants around here still swipe.

tmiw

Any thoughts on when they'll bother changing their in-store POS/terminal setup for their US stores? Or rather, if they'll ever bother?

wco81

No idea.

Just grateful they updated their app. which I use all the time. It beats waiting in line.

tmiw

Makes me wonder how common order ahead/mobile checkout is going to be by the time contactless in the US approaches anything like the UK, Canada, etc. I currently don't use it that often at places like Panera that already do it, but maybe that'll end up changing eventually.

Something else I've noticed is that people in the US seem to use manned checkouts more often than self-checkouts when both options are available. I'm not sure why that is though. (Meanwhile, self-checkout seems to be the default used by people in e.g. the UK, with the manned stations only being used for age-restricted items or paying in cash.)

diburning

Self checkouts are slower by design and because the people using them can be slow (ie not following directions)

I worked as a self checkout clerk when I was in high school and to this day, I would never stand in line for a self checkout unless there's no other option. I'd only use one if there's no line because a regular cashier is always faster.

wco81

I just came back from Safeway.

There was a queue of 3-4 people waiting for self-checkout while one of the manned checkout lanes had only 2 people.

I wanted to use manned checkout anyways because I've only been able to use contactless at this Safeway only in the manned checkout, not the self-checkout.

But on this occasion, manned checkout terminal didn't bring up Apple Pay so I had to use my card.

Then I walked across to the in-store Starbucks, which was like 15 feet from the checkout I went through and paid there with Apple Pay. Same terminal (I had to key in the number for my Safeway card, though I don't know why I bothered since there was no discount to be had for Starbucks coffee) and Apple Pay came up fine.

wco81

Before the food poisonings which really hurt Chipotle, if you went there between 11-2 and 5-8, the queue would be at least 15 deep.

So I got into the habit of using the app. (and a few years ago, they even ran a promotion where if you used the app., your order was free).

Not only is there no waiting, you can save your customizations and you don't have to tell them what you want.

But on Halloween, they took their app. and online ordering offline. They were running a promotion where if you wore a costume, all orders were $3 each. I wasn't wearing a costume but they gave me the $3 price, though I had to go through the queue because the app. wasn't online.

But you could put extras like guacamole and queso and they didn't charge extra, just $3 plus tax.

Majuki

Is this the one at Homestead and De Anza? I wasn't able to get Android Pay to work there the other week in a manned lane. Is there some magic that's needed?

Also, the self-checkout lanes there are much slower because every single item results in the "unexpected item in bagging area" or "please wait while we verify your bags". Mrs. Majuki and I always go through the manned lanes there since it's much faster.

wco81

Yeah that one.

It's kind of hit and miss and they don't advertise any kind of contactless support.

Looks like the POS is the same ones they've had all along since the store opened a couple of years ago but must have done a software update to enable contactless.

But the display doesn't show contactless logo nor is there any kind of signage.