Arby’s Restaurant Group, Inc. today announced that it is improving the purchasing process for its customers by partnering with Visa to accept Visa Contactless payments at its corporate restaurants nationwide.

Visa Contactless technology makes the purchasing process faster and more convenient by enabling customers to make a purchase by simply holding their Visa Contactless card near a secure reader at checkout instead of swiping it. As a result of the partnership, Arby’s plans to install contactless card readers inside its restaurants and drive-thru windows in the third quarter of 2006 bringing the added speed and convenience of Visa Contactless to the point of sale.

Visa Contactless is a feature found on a growing number of Visa cards. It uses radio-frequency technology to send payment information rapidly and securely over an extremely short distance to the point of sale terminal. All other aspects of the contactless transaction are handled in the same way as a traditional Visa payment transaction.

“This technology allows us to provide our customers with premium quality food quickly and conveniently while still maintaining the security Visa is known for,” said Don Zimmerman, senior vice president and chief information officer for Arby’s Restaurant Group, Inc.

Visa Contactless provides even greater convenience to Arby’s customers by eliminating the need for a signature for payments under $25, while maintaining the same security protections the industry has come to expect from Visa, including zero liability for fraudulent charges and Visa’s industry leading anti-fraud technology. Also, cardholders making purchases at Arby’s with Visa Contactless enjoy additional layers of security because the card never leaves the customer’s hand, can only be read at extremely close proximity to a contactless reader, and uses data that is unique to each contactless transactions.

In addition to improving the Arby’s experience for its customers, Visa Contactless payments enable more transactions in less time and significantly improve operating efficiencies.

Contactless payments have proven to be highly popular since Visa introduced its first contactless card in 2005. Today, more than 30,000 merchant locations in the U.S. accept contactless payments, and nationwide millions of contactless cards have been issued over the last 12 months. Visa polls show that half of consumers would use a contactless card at a quick-service restaurant like Arby’s in order to take advantage of the speed and convenience of contactless payments. In addition, Visa is currently conducting a mobile payment trial in the Philips Arena in Atlanta, extending the speed and convenience of contactless payments to the mobile phone. Trial participants are able to initiate a contactless payment by holding their phone in front of a contactless reader at concession stands.

“Visa is pleased to partner with Arby’s to deliver the next generation of payment technology, and increase convenience and speed at the point of sale,” said Brian Triplett, Senior Vice President of Emerging Product Development at Visa USA. “Throughout our payment trials, Visa cardholders consistently say they prefer merchant locations that offer them payment choice, as well as speed and convenience. Thanks to our partnership with merchants like Arby’s we are able to give consumers the experience they demand.”