McDonalds Japan is working to make outing for its customers at its outlet a lot simpler. It has started off with a pilot in Japan where it is using RFID technology so that its customers can receive and redeem discount coupons over their mobile phones.

These NFC phones double up as mobile payment devices and can be used for downloading coupons for redeeming them at outlets of McDonalds. Built on NTT DoCoMo's Osaifu-Keitai platform this system implements Sony FeliCa chip.

This system would eliminate the need of carrying paper coupons hence adding to the convenience of the customer and saving precious trees too. The fast food chain also feels that reaching customers via phones would be easier when compared to newspaper and television which have not been leading to good results for advertisers over the past few years due to busy lives of Japanese people and after all who would like to waste time cutting coupons from newspapers and magazines when you have your cellphone at your disposal.