PayPal works at more restaurants than most people think. The trick is knowing which route to use: the brand’s own app, a delivery partner, a digital wallet, or a PayPal-issued gift card. This guide lists 20 popular chains where PayPal still works and shows you exactly how to pay at each one.
Most chains do not show a “Pay with PayPal” button at the register. You usually pay one of five ways: through the brand’s own app, through a delivery aggregator like DoorDash or Uber Eats, by linking PayPal to Apple Pay or Google Pay, with a PayPal Cash Card swipe, or with a PayPal-bought gift card.
How restaurants accept PayPal
- Native app or website checkout. The brand adds PayPal as a payment option at order time. Common for pizza, sandwich, and fast-casual chains.
- Third-party delivery apps. DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub, and Seamless all let you set PayPal as your payment method. If the restaurant ships through any of them, you can pay with PayPal even when the brand itself does not take it.
- Digital wallet bridge. Link your PayPal balance to Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Wallet. Then tap to pay anywhere those wallets work.
- PayPal Cash Card or PayPal Debit Card. A physical Mastercard tied to your PayPal balance. Swipe or tap it like any other card.
- PayPal gift cards. Buy chain-specific gift cards on PayPal’s gifting page and redeem them at the counter or in the brand’s app.
- Stored-value reload. A few brands (most famously Starbucks) let you fund a loyalty card straight from PayPal.
What is PayPal?
PayPal is an online payment company founded in 1998. It moves money between buyers, sellers, friends, and merchants in more than 200 markets. The platform has over 430 million active accounts as of early 2026 and owns Venmo, which adds tens of millions more US users.
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You can fund PayPal from a bank account, credit card, debit card, or your PayPal balance. The merchant never sees your card number, which is the main security win.
20 popular restaurants that accept PayPal
Below is the list of restaurants where PayPal works in some form, plus the exact route to use.
1. McDonald’s
McDonald’s runs about 43,000 restaurants worldwide. The McDonald’s app accepts PayPal directly at checkout for mobile order and pickup, and you can also pay with PayPal through Apple Pay or Google Pay at the counter. Delivery via Uber Eats and DoorDash works with PayPal too.
2. Burger King
Burger King serves more than 19,000 restaurants in 100+ countries. PayPal works inside the official Burger King app: pick your store, build your order, and choose PayPal at checkout. You can also order BK through Uber Eats or DoorDash and pay with PayPal there.
3. Subway
Subway has over 36,000 stores worldwide. Order through the Subway app or website and select PayPal at checkout. For in-store, link PayPal to Google Pay, Samsung Wallet, or Apple Pay and tap your phone at the reader.
4. KFC
KFC runs about 30,000 outlets globally. The fastest PayPal route is the digital wallet bridge: link PayPal to Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Wallet, then tap to pay in any KFC. KFC delivery on Uber Eats and DoorDash also accepts PayPal.
5. Dunkin’
Dunkin’ has more than 13,000 stores worldwide. You can fund a Dunkin’ loyalty card from a PayPal-linked source, or pay through the Dunkin’ app via Apple Pay or Google Pay tied to PayPal. PayPal-bought Dunkin’ gift cards also work.
6. Starbucks
Starbucks has over 17,000 US stores. You can link PayPal to Starbucks Rewards and use it to reload your Starbucks Card automatically. The reloaded card pays at every register, drive-thru, and inside the Starbucks app.
7. Jimmy John’s
Jimmy John’s runs more than 2,600 stores across the US. The brand does not take PayPal directly. Use the Jimmy John’s app with Apple Pay or Google Pay (linked to PayPal), or order through DoorDash or Uber Eats and pay with PayPal there.
8. Little Caesars
Little Caesars has roughly 4,200 stores. In-store, pay by tapping your phone with PayPal-linked Google Pay or Apple Pay. Online orders for pickup take PayPal-loaded digital wallets at checkout.
9. Papa John’s
Papa John’s covers all 50 US states and 50+ countries with over 5,800 stores. PayPal sits as a one-tap option at checkout on papajohns.com and in the app for delivery and carryout orders.
10. Applebee’s
Applebee’s takes PayPal through the Ziosk tabletop tablet. Tap “Pay” on the tablet, choose digital wallet, and hold up your phone with PayPal linked through Apple Pay or Google Pay. Online orders on applebees.com also accept PayPal.
11. Buffalo Wild Wings
Buffalo Wild Wings has about 1,200 sports-bar locations across the US. Pay at the table tablet by tapping your PayPal-linked phone wallet. Online order ahead from the BWW app supports the same wallets.
12. Chili’s Grill & Bar
Chili’s runs about 1,200 casual-dining restaurants in the US. The Ziosk tablet at every table accepts PayPal-linked Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Wallet. Online ordering on chilis.com also takes those wallets.
13. Outback Steakhouse
Outback Steakhouse has more than 700 locations across 23 countries. Pay your bill from the Outback app, which accepts Apple Pay and Google Pay tied to PayPal. Curbside and delivery use the same checkout.
14. The Cheesecake Factory
The Cheesecake Factory runs more than 340 upscale-casual restaurants. Set up CakePay in the Cheesecake Factory app, add PayPal as your funding source, then enter the four-digit code your server gives you to pay your bill from your phone.
15. Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A has over 3,000 US restaurants. The Chick-fil-A One app accepts Apple Pay and Google Pay, both of which can pull from a PayPal balance. PayPal-issued Chick-fil-A gift cards work in-store and in the app.
16. Whataburger
Whataburger runs more than 1,000 stores across 16 US states. The Whataburger app takes Apple Pay and Google Pay linked to PayPal for mobile order and curbside.
17. Firehouse Subs
Firehouse Subs has more than 1,300 stores across the US, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Pay through the Firehouse Subs app with PayPal-linked Apple Pay or Google Pay, or order via DoorDash where PayPal is a checkout option.
18. Jersey Mike’s Subs
Jersey Mike’s has more than 3,000 locations. The Jersey Mike’s app and website take Apple Pay and Google Pay, both of which carry PayPal funds. DoorDash delivery from Jersey Mike’s also accepts PayPal.
19. Panera Bread
Panera runs more than 2,100 cafe-bakeries across the US and Canada. Order through the Panera app or panerabread.com and select Apple Pay or Google Pay tied to PayPal. Uber Eats and DoorDash deliver Panera too, both with PayPal at checkout.
20. White Castle
White Castle has been making sliders since 1921 and runs over 340 locations. The White Castle app and in-store readers accept Apple Pay and Google Pay backed by PayPal. PayPal-issued gift cards also work.
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Delivery apps that take PayPal at almost any restaurant
If a restaurant is not on the list above, check whether one of these delivery apps covers it. All four take PayPal as a saved payment method.
- Uber Eats — add PayPal under “Wallet” in the app. Works at every Uber Eats restaurant partner globally.
- DoorDash — add PayPal under “Payment” in the app or website. Covers most US chains and many independents.
- Grubhub — accepts PayPal, Venmo, and PayPal Cash Card. Strong US coverage.
- Seamless — owned by Grubhub, same PayPal support.
How to order food with PayPal
You have four ways to push PayPal money into a restaurant order beyond a direct PayPal button.
1. PayPal Cash Card or PayPal Debit Card
The PayPal Debit Mastercard pulls straight from your PayPal balance. No monthly fee, no minimum balance. Use it anywhere Mastercard is accepted, including any restaurant register or POS terminal.
2. PayPal QR codes
Some restaurants and food trucks display a PayPal QR code at checkout. Open the PayPal app, tap “Scan/Pay,” point your camera at the code, enter the amount, and confirm.
3. PayPal in Google Pay or Google Wallet
- Open the Google Wallet app on your Android phone.
- Tap “Add to Wallet” then “Payment card.”
- Select PayPal, sign in, and confirm the link.
- Tap your phone to any contactless reader to pay from PayPal.
4. PayPal in Samsung Wallet
- Open Samsung Wallet and tap the “+” to add a payment method.
- Choose PayPal and sign in.
- Confirm with your fingerprint or PIN at the register.
5. PayPal in Apple Pay
PayPal added Apple Pay support in 2024. In the PayPal app, tap your profile, choose “Add to Apple Pay,” and follow the prompts. Then pay with your iPhone or Apple Watch wherever Apple Pay is accepted.
Why pay for food with PayPal
The merchant never sees your bank or card number — only PayPal does. That cuts your exposure when restaurant POS systems get breached. PayPal Purchase Protection also covers eligible orders, which the brand’s own checkout does not. Checkout is faster too: one tap, no card-number typing.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I pay with PayPal at McDonald’s, Burger King, or KFC?
Yes at all three. McDonald’s and Burger King take PayPal directly inside their official apps. KFC takes PayPal through Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Wallet at the counter. All three are also on Uber Eats and DoorDash, which accept PayPal at checkout.
Does Starbucks accept PayPal?
Yes. Link PayPal as a funding source for your Starbucks Card on the Starbucks Rewards page. The card auto-reloads from PayPal and pays at every Starbucks register and drive-thru.
Does DoorDash, Uber Eats, or Grubhub accept PayPal?
All three do. Add PayPal once under your payment settings, then pick it at checkout for any restaurant on the platform. This is the easiest workaround when a brand does not accept PayPal directly.
How do I use PayPal at a restaurant that does not list it as a payment option?
Three options. Use the PayPal Debit Mastercard like any other card. Link PayPal to Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Wallet and tap your phone at the reader. Or order through Uber Eats, DoorDash, or Grubhub and pay with PayPal there.
Does PayPal charge a fee to pay at restaurants?
No. PayPal does not charge consumers a fee to pay merchants in their home currency. International orders may carry a currency-conversion fee. Restaurants pay PayPal a processing fee, but that does not pass to you.
Can I use PayPal Pay Later at restaurants?
Yes, on eligible orders that meet PayPal’s minimum (currently $30 in the US). Pay in 4 splits a purchase into four interest-free payments. Pay Monthly handles bigger orders. Both show up at checkout when supported.
Does Chipotle, Wendy’s, or Taco Bell accept PayPal?
Not directly. None of those three integrate PayPal in their own apps. You can still pay with PayPal by linking it to Apple Pay or Google Pay, or by ordering through Uber Eats or DoorDash.
Can I buy a restaurant gift card with PayPal?
Yes. PayPal sells digital gift cards for dozens of chains — Starbucks, Chipotle, Domino’s, Olive Garden, Subway, and more — at paypal.com/us/gifts. Buy with your PayPal balance, get the code by email, and redeem in-store or in the brand’s app.
Is paying with PayPal at restaurants safe?
Yes. PayPal masks your card and bank details from the merchant. Eligible purchases also qualify for Purchase Protection, which can refund you if an order goes wrong and the restaurant will not fix it.
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