Skip to main content

This KFC brand store lets you pay for food with a smile

Pay with smiles at this KFC China store
Aleksandr Davydov/123RF.com
You won’t have to worry about having your wallet at this KFC store in Hangzhou, China. All you have to do is pay with a smile … literally. Yum China Holdings Inc, the biggest Chinese fast food chain, has created the “Smile to Pay” facial recognition system at a KFC restaurant located in Hangzhou called KPro. No cash, credit cards, or even smartphones are necessary.

Diners at this establishment will place their order at a kiosk which scans their face, analyzing more than 600 facial features. Once it matches with the image on the photo ID stored in its system, the customer then types in their phone number and just like that, the payment transaction goes through. This type of tech will certainly come in handy if you’re the type to always leave your wallet at home.

Recommended Videos

The system being used here is based on Alipay, which is a digital payment platform from Ant Financial. Alipay has more than 500 million users across the globe and it lets people to sign into its Chinese app by using facial recognition. Smile to Pay is just another step forward for China when it comes to facial recognition technology being used by businesses and government agencies. Ant Financial, who created the facial recognition software, also wants everyone to know that Smile to Pay is totally secure and safe to use.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

“Combined with a 3D camera and liveness detection algorithm, Smile to Pay can effectively block spoofing attempts using other people’s photos or video recordings and ensure account safety,” Jidong Chen, Ant’s director of biometric identification technology, said in a statement.

According to Ant, the KPro in Hangzhou is the first physical store in the entire world that uses facial recognition software to process payments.

The store itself has a menu that offers seasonal produce, made-to-order salads as well as paninis. It serves “roasted” chicken, and drinks on offer include juices that are freshly squeezed, gourmet coffees, and even delicious craft beer.

The president of Yum China, Joey Wat, says that the store was created for “young, tech savvy consumers who are keen to embrace new tastes and innovations.”

Stephen Jordan
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Stephen is a freelance writer and blogger, as well as an aspiring screenwriter. Working in front of a computer and digesting…
Hyundai Ioniq 5 sets world record for greatest altitude change
hyundai ioniq 5 world record altitude change mk02 detail kv

When the Guinness World Records (GWR) book was launched in 1955, the idea was to compile facts and figures that could finally settle often endless arguments in the U.K.’s many pubs.

It quickly evolved into a yearly compilation of world records, big and small, including last year's largest grilled cheese sandwich in the world.

Read more
Global EV sales expected to rise 30% in 2025, S&P Global says
ev sales up 30 percent 2025 byd sealion 7 1stbanner l

While trade wars, tariffs, and wavering subsidies are very much in the cards for the auto industry in 2025, global sales of electric vehicles (EVs) are still expected to rise substantially next year, according to S&P Global Mobility.

"2025 is shaping up to be ultra-challenging for the auto industry, as key regional demand factors limit demand potential and the new U.S. administration adds fresh uncertainty from day one," says Colin Couchman, executive director of global light vehicle forecasting for S&P Global Mobility.

Read more
Faraday Future could unveil lowest-priced EV yet at CES 2025
Faraday Future FF 91

Given existing tariffs and what’s in store from the Trump administration, you’d be forgiven for thinking the global race toward lower electric vehicle (EV) prices will not reach U.S. shores in 2025.

After all, Chinese manufacturers, who sell the least expensive EVs globally, have shelved plans to enter the U.S. market after 100% tariffs were imposed on China-made EVs in September.

Read more