At KFC China, Your Smile Could Be Worth A Meal

9We’ve all the phrase – you’re not fully dressed without a smile. However, at KFC China, your smile could be worth much more. According to Reuters, customers will be able to use a “Smile to Pay” facial recognition system at the tech-heavy, health-focused concept store, part of a drive by Yum China Holdings Inc to lure a younger generation of consumers.

The new outlet in Hangzhou, called KPRO, is targeting a younger generation of Chinese who are expected to drive the lion’s share of China’s consumption growth over the next decade.

Joey Wat, Yum China’s president, said the store was aimed at “young, tech savvy consumers who are keen to embrace new tastes and innovations”.

The Hangzhou store involves a tie-up with Ant Financial, which is behind the facial recognition software. Alibaba Group Holding Ltd affiliate Ant said this is the first commercial application of the technology worldwide.

Diners can pay by scanning their faces at an ordering kiosk and entering a phone number – which is meant to guard against people cheating the system.

“Combined with a 3D camera and liveness detection algorithm, Smile to Pay can effectively block spoofing attempts using other people’s photos or video recordings and ensure account safety,” Jidong Chen, Ant’s director of biometric identification technology, said in a statement.

The store’s menu offers seasonal produce, made-to-order salads and paninis. The chicken on the menu is “roasted”, while drinks include freshly squeezed juices, gourmet coffees and craft beer. A meal for a smile? Sounds pretty sweet to me.