Not long ago, cash was the most common method of payment in many eating establishments.
More and more, however, customers are choosing to pay for their purchases digitally.
In a world where more people carry a smartphone than a billfold, electronic payments through services like PayPal are much more convenient.
However, not every restaurant is equipped with this technology yet.
25 Restaurants That Accept PayPal
1. Jimmy John’s
The “freaky fast” sandwich joint has 2,800 locations throughout the United States.
The restaurant has an extensive menu.
Customers can order a regular 8-inch sub or a “giant” 16-inch sandwich.
It also has a “slim” menu, which offers their classic sandwiches minus veggies and sauce.
Sandwiches come on either French bread or nine-grain wheat.
Optional sides include chips, cookies, or pickles.
The chain is famous for quick delivery, but it accepts PayPal for pickup orders only.
You’ll need to link your PayPal account to Google Pay or Samsung Pay.
When you arrive at the restaurant, you can pay with your mobile phone.
2. Burger King
Burger King is famous for its Whopper sandwich, but its menu has much more to offer.
The fast-food chain, which operates more than 18,000 franchises worldwide, has options for just about anyone.
The Impossible Whopper is a vegetarian sandwich designed to taste like real beef.
Other menu items include chicken and fish sandwiches, chicken nuggets, onion rings, and jalapeno cheddar bites.
It also offers several dessert items, including milkshakes and a Hershey’s sundae pie.
Burger King accepts PayPal through its app only.
Place your order through the app and select PayPal at checkout.
You’ll be able to pick your order up at your nearest Burger King location.
3. Dunkin Donuts
Dunkin’ operates over 11,000 locations across the globe, but not all 50 US states are home to a franchise.
Nine states, mainly in the West, do not have a Dunkin’ Donuts restaurant.
If you live near a Dunkin’, you can treat yourself to a coffee using PayPal.
The coffee shop offers traditional fare, such as lattes, mochas, and drip coffee.
It also has seasonal drinks, like Pumpkin Spice Lattes and Peppermint Mochas around the holidays.
Drinks come hot, iced, or frozen.
The menu also includes donuts, bagels, and breakfast sandwiches.
You can use PayPal for pickup through Google Pay or Samsung Pay.
You can also use PayPal in the Dunkin’ Donuts app and pick your order up inside the store.
4. Little Caesar’s
The pizza chain is known for its signature “Hot and Ready” pizzas and Crazy Bread.
However, in recent years, the restaurant has expanded its menu considerably.
Customers can now order calzones, deep-dish pizzas, and chicken wings.
It also offers a lunch combo, which includes a pizza and soda for five dollars.
Little Caesar’s accepts PayPal inside the store only.
You can link your PayPal account to Google Pay or Samsung Pay and pay with your phone at the restaurant.
5. Applebee’s
Applebee’s is one of a few sit-down restaurants that accept PayPal.
The restaurant offers hamburgers, pasta, chicken and seafood dishes, and salads.
One popular menu option is the 2 for $20 deal, where customers can order two entrees and an appetizer for $20 (though the actual price varies by region).
The chain is also well-known for its drink promotions.
In 2022, it began offering two $5 drinks of the month.
To pay with PayPal at Applebee’s, you will need to order in-store.
When it’s time to pay, you will use the electronic kiosk at your table to check out.
You can hold your phone next to the tablet to pay with PayPal.
6. Chick-Fil-A
The drive-thru chicken restaurant has nearly 3,000 locations in the United States.
Its classic chicken sandwich comes with just chicken and pickles, but customers can add their own sauce from several options.
The chain also offers chicken strips, wraps, or salads.
Another menu item that sets it apart is its fries—it only offers waffle fries, rather than traditional French fries.
It also sells breakfast until 10:30 in the morning.
You can use PayPal in-store only at Chick-Fil-A.
Link PayPal to Google Pay or Samsung Pay and pay with your phone at checkout.
7. McDonald’s
For many years, McDonald’s was the world’s largest fast-food chain (surpassed by Subway in 2010).
You’re almost certain to live within 30 minutes of one of the chain’s nearly 40,000 locations worldwide.
The restaurant offers, of course, Big Macs, Chicken McNuggets, and French fries, though its menu has been updated many times over the years.
Currently, the options include chicken sandwiches, ice cream cones, and the classic McFlurry.
McDonald’s began serving breakfast in 1972 with the introduction of the Egg McMuffin.
Its breakfast menu has since expanded to include pancakes, oatmeal, a sausage burrito, and pastries.
To use PayPal at McDonald’s, you’ll need to order in-store and use your phone to pay at checkout.
8. Subway
Started in 1965, the world’s largest fast-food chain remains a family-owned business.
The DeLuca family of Connecticut maintains ownership of the company, though there are more than 40,000 Subway franchises worldwide.
The made-to-order nature of the business ensures that you can make any menu item your own.
Meat options for the sandwiches include turkey, ham, roast beef, meatballs, and more.
The restaurant offers four different types of cheese and ten veggie options.
In addition to sandwiches, you can order salads, pizzas, and wraps.
Subway’s cookies are a popular side option.
There are many options for paying with PayPal at Subway.
You can order online or through the app and select PayPal at checkout.
You can also order in-store and pay with your phone.
9. Buffalo Wild Wings
Buffalo Wild Wings, fondly nicknamed “B-dubs,” is a favorite on Tuesday and Thursday nights for its specials on chicken wings.
On Tuesdays, the restaurant offers buy-one-get-one 50% off on traditional wings.
The Thursday night deal is buy-one-get-one-free for boneless wings.
Customers can choose from dozens of sauces, ranging from mild to “wild” (in other words, extremely spicy).
The salt and vinegar fries are a popular side option.
Of course, the sports bar is also home to a variety of beers and cocktails.
Paying with PayPal is easy at BWWs: select “checkout” on the tablet at your table, then tap your phone to the tablet to pay.
10. Starbucks
The coffee chain from Washington state is found just about anywhere these days.
Starbucks exists in standalone shops as well as within other businesses, such as Barnes and Noble and Target.
The menu ranges from plain black coffee to flavorful Frappuccino.
The shop also sells many tea-based drinks, including Refreshers and chai lattes.
Food options include wraps, pastries, cookies, and oatmeal.
You can use the Starbucks Rewards app to store your PayPal information.
You can then use PayPal to add funds to your Starbucks Card in the app.
Your Starbucks Card can be used to pay for both in-store and online orders.
11. Chili’s
In a similar vein to Applebee’s, Chili’s is a sit-down family restaurant offering a variety of cuisines.
It is known for its hamburgers, baby-back ribs, fajitas, and more.
One of its most popular appetizers is bottomless chips and salsa.
The chain also offers a 2-for-25 deal, which includes an appetizer, two entrees, and a dessert for $25.
The 3-for-$10.99 deal includes a non-alcoholic beverage, an appetizer, and an entrée.
Finally, each month, the restaurant features a different $5 margarita.
When paying for your meal at Chili’s, use the tablet at the table and tap your mobile phone to the tablet to pay through PayPal.
12. Panera Bread
With just over 2,000 locations, Panera Bread is a popular café in the United States.
The restaurant offers soups, salads, and sandwiches.
One of its most popular options is the Try 2 combo.
Customers can choose two of the following three options: a half sandwich, a half salad, or a cup of soup.
The chain also carries a variety of desserts, including cookies, cakes, and pastries.
The breakfast menu features egg, sausage, and bacon sandwiches, available before 10:30 in the morning.
You can pay with PayPal through the Panera Bread app or online, then pick up your order in-store.
13. Firehouse Subs
The sandwich shop was started by real firefighters in the 1990s.
Today, the chain operates more than 1,200 locations throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada.
It specializes in toasted sandwiches, though you can order any sub cold as well.
Its menu features specialty sandwiches, such as the Steak and Cheese and the Turkey Bacon Ranch.
Customers can also choose to build their own sub, choosing from a selection of meats, cheeses, veggies, and sauces.
Firehouse Subs accepts PayPal in-store only.
You’ll need to link your PayPal to Google Pay or Samsung Pay and use your mobile phone to check out at the register.
14. Kentucky Fried Chicken
KFC is another massive restaurant chain, with more than 24,000 locations globally.
The fried chicken eatery was started in Kentucky in the 1930s by Harland Sanders, better known as Colonel Sanders.
He remains the face of the company.
Of course, KFC is primarily known for its fried chicken, though it offers all kinds of comfort foods.
The biscuits, mashed potatoes, and macaroni and cheese remain fan favorites.
The restaurant offers plenty of combos to best fit the needs of any family or individual.
The largest meal is the 16-piece combo, which includes four pieces of each cut of chicken—breast, thigh, wing, and drumstick.
It also comes with four large sides and eight biscuits.
Among other menu items are pot pies, chicken tenders, and Beyond Fried Chicken, a vegetarian version of the restaurant’s signature dish.
To pay with PayPal at KFC, you’ll have to order in-store and pay with your phone at the register.
15. Outback Steakhouse
Many of the restaurants that currently accept PayPal are fast-food restaurants.
Outback Steakhouse is one of the few sit-down restaurants that will take digital payment.
The Australian-themed restaurant resides in 46 states with just under 700 locations.
Obviously, the chain’s signature dish is steak, though it has much more to offer as well.
The famous Bloomin’ Onion is a popular appetizer.
The restaurant’s menu features plenty of other appetizers whose names pay homage to the land down under, including Aussie Cheese Fries and Kookaburra Wings.
As far as entrees go, customers can choose chicken, pork, or seafood over steak if they prefer.
There are also many burgers and sandwiches on offer.
As with the other dine-in restaurants on this list, when it’s time to pay, you’ll check out on the tablet at your table.
Tap your phone to the tablet to pay through PayPal.
16. Papa John’s
Papa John’s Pizza is a particularly convenient addition to this list in that it accepts PayPal on delivery orders.
You can order just about any kind of pizza on its website, from classics like pepperoni or cheese to specialty pies like the Zesty Italian Trio or Meatball Pepperoni.
The pizza chain also offers several Papadias, a sort of combination of pizza and quesadillas.
Available sides include various breads and chicken wings.
The chain operates more than 5,000 locations across all 50 states and 44 countries, making it likely you are within the delivery or carry-out range of at least one store.
To pay with PayPal, simply create your order on the website or on the app, then select PayPal at checkout.
17. Hardee’s
Hardee’s began in Greenville, North Carolina in 1960.
By the end of the decade, the burger joint had grown into a chain with nearly 200 locations.
Today, Hardee’s is owned by the same company as Carl’s Jr, and only operates in regions where Carl’s Jr. doesn’t.
Therefore, you won’t find any Hardee’s restaurants throughout the West or Southwest, though it’s a popular restaurant throughout the East and Midwest.
Hardee’s fare includes over a dozen different hamburgers and cheeseburgers, some piled with bacon or onion rings.
It also offers some chicken and roast beef dishes.
There is a limited breakfast menu as well as some Mexican dishes, such as quesadillas, tacos, and burritos.
Hardee’s only accepts PayPal through Samsung Pay.
You’ll need to link your PayPal account to Samsung Pay, then use your phone when checking out at the restaurant.
18. The Cheesecake Factory
The casual dining restaurant began in 1940 when Evelyn Overton found a cheesecake recipe in the local newspaper.
With a few tweaks of her own, she created her “Original” cheesecake, which was extremely popular with family and friends.
She opened a small bakery, though it wouldn’t become The Cheesecake Factory as we know it until 1972.
Today, there are just over 300 locations across the states and Canada.
The menu is extensive, with more than 250 items.
Customers can choose from a wide variety of pasta dishes, “Glamburgers,” sandwiches, and salads.
Of course, the cheesecake selection is the largest of any dish with more than 30 flavors of cheesecake to choose from.
To pay with PayPal, you’ll need to create a CakePay account through The Cheesecake Factory app.
You can then link several payment methods, including debit or credit cards, Apple Pay, and PayPal.
When you arrive at the restaurant, you’ll check in through the app, which will generate a four-digit code.
Give the code to the server, and it will link your bill to the app, allowing you to pay through your phone.
19. Whataburger
Whataburger is perhaps the most elusive chain on this list, as only 12 states are home to at least one location.
Whataburger restaurants can be found in the South and Midwest, but out of 880 locations, more than 700 are in Texas.
The menu is fairly standard for a burger joint with a variety of burgers, sandwiches, and milkshakes.
To pay with PayPal at Whataburger, you’ll need to download the mobile app.
You can use PayPal to load funds onto your digital card, which you can then use to pay when ordering at the restaurant.
20. Chipotle
This popular Tex-Mex chain started in Denver in 1993 and expanded rapidly.
Today, there are more than 2,500 Chipotle locations throughout the United States.
The restaurant offers burrito bowls, salads, and tacos.
Careful, though—guacamole costs extra.
Chipotle now accepts Google Pay, so you’ll need to add your PayPal account to your phone’s digital wallet.
You can then pay with your phone at checkout.
21. Jamba Juice
Jamba Juice is a national smoothie chain that started in 1990 in California.
Today, there are around 900 locations across the country.
The wide variety of smoothie flavors include classics such as strawberry and watermelon, plant-based flavors like Apples ‘n’ Greens, and power blends such as Matcha Green Tea Blast.
The chain also offers acai bowls with ingredients like granola, berries, shredded coconut, and spirulina.
Jamba Juice only accepts PayPal through Google Pay.
Link your PayPal account to your Android phone’s wallet and pay with your phone at the register.
22. Jersey Mike’s Subs
Similar to Firehouse Subs, Jersey Mike’s serves up toasted sandwiches oozing with cheese, sauces, and meat.
The sandwich shop began in 1956 in Point Pleasant, New Jersey.
Today, there are around 2,000 locations across 27 states.
Customers can order sandwiches hot or cold, along with sides like potato chips, cookies, and brownies.
The menu features nine different types of cheesesteaks, including portobello or chicken cheesesteaks.
Jersey Mike’s accepts Google Pay.
Link your PayPal to your Google Wallet and pay with your phone at checkout.
23. Peet’s Coffee
Peet’s operates around 300 coffee bars across a handful of states.
The company, which started in California in 1966, sells hot coffee and tea, as well as take-home bags to make in your own coffee pot.
Of course, the coffee bars sell classic coffee shop fare, such as drip coffee and freshly brewed tea.
However, you can also find seasonal flavors such as the Churro Latte and Cold Brew with Sweet Cinnamon Oat Foam.
Peet’s Coffee accepts Google Pay in-store.
You’ll need to link your PayPal account to your Android phone.
Then pay with your mobile wallet at checkout.
24. Rubio’s
Rubio’s Coastal Grill serves up beachy-Mexican vibes with a large menu of seafood-based burritos, tacos, and bowls.
They also offer dishes made with chicken or steak, as well as vegetarian options.
The restaurants have an extensive variety of bowls as well, which come with rice, beans, vegetables, and your choice of meat.
Rubio’s accepts Google Pay in-store.
Link your PayPal account to Google Pay, then pay with your phone at the register.
25. White Castle
White Castle has been around since 1921, serving sloppy joes and sliders.
Menu options include beef, chicken, seafood, and vegetarian sandwiches.
These restaurants also have a wide variety of sides, such as loaded fries or onion rings.
White Castle accepts Google Pay in-store or in the mobile app.
You can link your PayPal to your mobile wallet and pay with Google Pay at checkout.
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