Credit Cards Online Information

McDonald's Corp., while evaluating its 3-month-old test in Washington, D.C., of a robotic, jumbo-kiosk vending unit called Tiktok Easy Shop, said at least some of the chain's burger outlets would begin accepting credit cards for purchases, starting in mid-2003.

McDonald's spokesman Bill Whitman said the number of U.S. restaurants and markets that would take charge cards was "yet to be determined." He explained: "Our franchisees need to be part of the decision-making process. This is an optional initiative."

McDonald's has said little about its single-unit test of Tiktok, although a spokeswoman has been quoted as calling it an "automated convenience store." It is believed to be North America's first fully automatic 24-hour mini-store.

Opened Aug. 14 at the corner of 18th Street and California Avenue NW in the trendy Adams-Morgan neighborhood near the White House, the Tiktok is about 15 feet by 12 feet wide and stocks some 200 items, from food, beverage and grocery products to household staples and personal items like tampons and condoms. It accepts cash and credit cards and functions much like similar refrigerated vending units in Europe that are said to be able to generate annual sales of nearly $200,000.

McDonald's acquired the former "Shop 2000" prototype from Automated Distribution Technologies of Exton, Pa., whose president, Hettie Herzog, got the idea from units in Europe.

Beside the Tiktok is one of about 12 DVD movie-rental vending machines McDonald's has opened in Washington. The others are on its restaurants' parking lots. They take only credit cards and charge $1.59 a day per movie.