Rite Aid has apparently gone for both CurrentC and Apple Pay.
Last year, when a group of retailers disabled their Merchant Customer Exchange devices in favor of the upcoming CurrentC payment system, it was unknown as to whether they’d opt for Apple Pay. Drug store chains CVS and Rite Aid were among the first to block Apple Pay support after initially accepting it. Now, drug store chain Rite Aid is ending that blockade as it announced today that it will officially accept Apple Pay starting this weekend.
Beginning Saturday, August 15th, Rite Aid will turn on support for Apple Pay, Google Wallet, and Android Pay at almost 4,600 locations around the country. Competing drug store chain Walgreens has officially accepted Apple Pay since launch while CVS remains a hold out.
Earlier this year, Best Buy, another prominent hold out, added Apple Pay support to its iPhone app and said the option would become available at checkout in stores later this fall. Dunkin’ Donuts and Kohl’s both joined the list of vendors adding support this fall as well. The group behind CurrentC vaguely stated last year that the exclusivity holding retailers back from Apple Pay would expire in months, not years, which seems to be happening.
If you see an Apple Pay station at your local Rite Aid starting this Saturday, let us know how the experience using it was.
Via 9to5Mac