Amazon’s Biometric POS System Comes to Panera

Panera Bread, the well-known US bakery and café chain, has announced that it is piloting Amazon’s biometric palm scanning technology at select locations. The technology, known as Amazon One, enables customers to pay for their orders, redeem rewards, and access tailored offers by simply hovering their palm over a device.

Introduced in September of 2020, Amazon One is a biometric payments system that allows shoppers to pay for products at stores by placing their palm over a scanning device. The system uses computer vision and unique algorithms to create a distinctive palm signature for each user by examining the shape of their hand and the configuration of veins beneath their skin. Customers can register their palm at any Amazon One location by linking it to a credit card and phone number, and then utilize their palm to make payments at any participating store without needing to carry anything else.

Panera Bread is one of the first non-Amazon retailers to embrace Amazon One as part of its digital transformation plan. The company has stated that its objective is to provide customers with more convenience, speed, and security while enhancing its loyalty program. Customers who use Amazon One at Panera Bread can also connect their MyPanera account to their palm signature, automatically earning rewards and gaining access to tailored offers.

Amazon has assured end users that it handles their palm data with the highest levels of security and privacy. It claims that it does not store any palm images on its devices and encrypts them in transit and at rest. Users may also delete their palm data at any time via an online portal or by contacting customer service.

Furthermore, it emphasizes that using Amazon One requires an intentional action by users who can choose when and where to hover their palm. That messaging may stem from legal troubles the company has encountered under biometric privacy laws, with a recent lawsuit alleging that the company’s Amazon One devices were involved in violations of New York City’s Biometric Identifier Information Law.

Panera Bread has announced that it will expand Amazon One’s usage to more locations across the United States in the next few months. It has also expressed its desire for feedback from customers who experiment with the new technology.

Sources: The Verge, CNBC, Gizmodo

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March 22, 2023 – by The FindBiometrics Editorial Team