Dunkin' Donuts Takes Aim at Starbucks With Mobile Ordering App

Caffeine fiends who stand in line to pay for their coffee the old-fashioned way may soon be a dying breed: Dunkin' Donuts is delving into the mobile payment space that Starbucks has already conquered. Tomorrow, members of Dunkin's rewards program can begin ordering and paying for coffee, doughnuts, and other items via mobile app at certain Massachusetts and Rhode Island locations, according to the Boston Herald.

The "Dunkin' VIP" app is currently only available for iOS devices. As the Herald explains, "The mobile ordering transaction takes place on the phone and is completed at the restaurant when customers check in, with the payment charged to the customer’s virtual Dunkin’ Donuts card via the app."

Dunkin' rolled out a pilot program in 124 locations in Portland, Maine last November, not long after Starbucks launched its own mobile ordering system, as the Verge reported. Tomorrow, Dunkin' will begin using the system in nine Boston-area locations, plus 19 more locations across Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Pay-ahead mobile ordering is just one step America's dominant coffee chains are taking to further caffeinate the nation. Starbucks recently announced it was partnering with delivery app Postmates to deliver ever-so-slightly marked-up beverages to people's front doors. Meanwhile, Dunkin' has launched delivery in Dallas in partnership with DoorDash, with eventual plans to expand to other cities. Whether you choose to order from your smartphone or have it delivered, it's clear that America's dominant coffee chains are hellbent on getting their beverages into your hands by any means necessary.