"Based on early success and positive customer feedback, we are committed to expanding this program in the months ahead," its chief executive, Howard Schultz, said during a July 21 earnings conference call with analysts.
The system, which lets people charge purchases to a prepaid account using an application on Apple Inc.'s iPhone and iPod Touch devices, can only be used at a handful of Starbucks stores in Seattle and California.
It can also be used at the more 1,000 Starbucks counters inside Target Corp. stores.
The app uses a bar-code payments system from mFoundry Inc. Clerks scan the images with optical checkout scanners at the point of sale.
"We now believe that offering mobile payment and mobile gifting capabilities will result in a more efficient in-store experience and provide us with significant competitive advantages," Schultz said during the call.
