NEW YORK – Wendy’s has launched a mobile payment pilot program in Portland, Albuquerque and Austin, Mobile Commerce Daily reports.

“We’re trying to make the lives of the people that love Wendy’s easier,” said Brandon Rhoten, director of digital marketing at Wendy’s. “We don’t see everyone wanting to pay for their order with their smartphone, but for those that want that convenience, we want to be able to provide it,” he said.

Consumers who live in Austin, Portland and Albuquerque can use the Wendy’s app to pay via the app’s payments tab. They are then offered a choice of linking either a credit card or gift card to the app.

Once money is loaded onto the card, consumers swipe their finger across the screen to trigger payment. A unique code is then revealed on the screen that the consumer reads to a Wendy’s employee to complete the transaction. The code is time sensitive and must be used within five minutes.

As an incentive for customers to participate in the mobile payment trial, Wendy’s is offering mobile rewards. For example, consumers can receive a free small Frosty just for loading their account.