Could this new mobile app stop queuing for food and drink as we know it?

New pre-order and pay technology has been set to increase sales for small businesses and save consumers thousands of hours each year.

Queuing to pick up a coffee or pastry could come to an end soon with the launch of a new mobile pre-order and payment service from Lloyds Cardnet and fintech company WoraPay.

The app will allow customers to pay for their food and drink anywhere, then simply bypass the queue and pick up their order.

The technology is being introduced across the UK, and one of the first businesses to get involved is Tom’s Kitchen, which is a collection of bars, delis and restaurants with sites in London and Birmingham.

Emily Chambers, who works for Tom’s Kitchen, said: “As people are increasingly pressed for time, queue-busting technology could really make a difference in us giving our customers what they want and when they want it, with even quicker service.”

The app is open to any merchant who signs up, and offers the chance for startups and SMEs to use the technology and grow without having to invest in developing and building their own app.

Tony Nash, managing director of Lloyds Cardnet, commented: “Not only is this new technology helping Britons save time, it’s also helping businesses by increasing the number of customers they can serve.

“We may not be able to do much about the stiff upper lip or traditional British reserve, but perhaps we can take a little of the pain out of queuing for your lunch.”

WoraPay has estimated that LLoyds colleagues have saved around three minutes per order with no need to queue or wait for the order to be prepared.

Based on 32k orders in July 2017, this equated to around 1,600 hours - or 195 days per month - that would otherwise be spent waiting in line.

The CEO and co-founder of WoraPay, Vaidas Adomauskas, concluded: “Our partnership with Lloyds Cardnet means we are able to take our innovative pre-order and pay technology to many more businesses than we would on our own.

“This sort of mobile technology is the future and we’re excited that Tom’s Kitchen is working with us to bring this innovation to their customers.”

Tom’s Kitchen saw a 41 per cent growth in sales via the WoraPay app, with a 150 per cent increase in total app users.