Discovered, prototyped and proven before writing a line of code. Pass-through payments with connected cars. No apps. No cards. Works like magic.
opportunity
ordering journeys mapped
lines of production code
Over the last decade, payment experiences have transformed, through apps, contactless cards, and mobile wallets, it’s never been easier to buy a meal. But that raises the question: where do we go next? When ease is already the default, how do you go beyond it?
We prototyped a drive-thru where the vehicle itself is the interface, tested it with customers, and modelled the opportunity at around £1m. Nothing went into production to find out.
McDonald’s challenged us to explore what the future of payment might look like in a world of connected vehicles and increasingly seamless digital services.
Could we remove friction entirely: no apps, no sign-ins, no tapping a card, and still deliver a safe, fast, and personalised customer experience?
Edge cases persisted: app logins, a forgotten wallet, a drive-thru interaction that didn't quite flow
Customers had already adapted to connected services in mobility and retail, and the restaurant hadn't caught up
Speed was no longer a differentiator because everyone had it
The business needed to test new thinking without disturbing something that already worked
We built a prototype where the car is the interface. It recognises the restaurant on arrival, shows the menu on the built-in screen. Ordering and payment are then managed with only one touch.
It’s unlocked an estimated £1 million in new revenue streams, partnerships and future opportunities.
And sparked new strategic conversations, about policy, partnerships, and practical implementation. It’s helped redefine what a payment experience could be, not just in fast food, but across any high-frequency, low-friction retail interaction. It’s not about the future of cars or payments. It’s about the future of everyday moments made effortless.
A customer journey combining physical arrival with digital identity
A concept that transfers to any high-frequency, low-friction retail interaction
Trust, privacy and control tested before anything was committed to
New strategic conversations about partnerships and implementation
01
Qualitative research with customers ordering by mobile, in car and at the drive-thru, looking for where friction actually sat.
02
Interviews with mobility and payments specialists, to understand what the infrastructure would support in the near future rather than today.
03
Drive-thru, kerbside and in-car, to find the drop-offs and delays.
04
Built the in-vehicle experience against real account data, location awareness and menu systems, then tested where trust and control mattered most.
A disciplined hunt for value — the structure to explore the unknown without the usual cost of getting it wrong.
1-hour (remote)
Bring us the thing everyone in your organisation disagrees about. We'll tell you what we'd do, whether that involves us or not.
1-day (in person)
One day won't solve everything, but it'll tell you exactly where to start. 'Too many ideas' become one clear plan with the evidence to back it.