Japan working on payment via cell phone for Big Macs

Tokyo (Japan) - Japanese customers will soon be able to pay for their fast food lunch without the use of cash or a credit card, thanks to a new partnership between McDonald's and Docomo, Japan's largest cell phone operator.

McDonald's holds a 70% stake in the joint venture, which continues the Japanese fascination with cell phone payments. Engineers in the country are already working on methods of paying for groceries and plane tickets via mobile phones.

The venture, which has a reported value of 300 million yen ($2.48 million), would implement a system at the dozens of McDonald's restaurants in Japan that would allow customers to swipe their cell phone to process payment for their orders.