Apple Pay expands to KFC, Starbucks, Chili's and Best Buy

NEW YORK— You'll soon be able to check out Apple Pay at more checkouts.

On Thursday Apple announced plans to bring its mobile payment platform to several major chains over the next year, including Best Buy, KFC, Chili's and Starbucks. Best Buy has already begun accepting Apple Pay at its 1,400 stores nationwide, while KFC and Chili's are aiming to make the option available next spring.

First look: Android Pay is here but still needs work

Starbucks has already begun a pilot program in some of its stores, with the goal to reach all of the chain's 7,500 stores in 2016.

Apple Pay VP Jennifer Bailey announced the expansion at the Code/Mobile conference in California, while also adding that the company will be expanding the service to allow for merchants' loyalty and rewards programs to be included in the app.

The expansion of Apple Pay is the latest salvo in the battle of mobile payments. Last month Google released its Android Pay mobile wallet app for Android devices. It has similar functions to Apple Pay and uses NFC for mobile payments.

Samsung also recently released its own competitor in Samsung Pay, which can already work at locations that don't accept Apple Pay or NFC payments thanks to the addition of LoopPay's magnetic stripe technology.

According to eMarketer, as many as 22.6 million people will use proximity mobile payments in 2015, with 57 million expected to use them in 2018.

Follow Eli Blumenthal on Twitter @eliblumenthal