Starbucks officially adds Suica contactless payments… finally Apple Pay Suica/PASMO finally joined the official Starbucks payment lineup, something that many people have wanted for a long time. Nothing beats Apple Pay Suica Express Transit for grabbing coffee on the run.

Yes, most Starbucks locations in Japan accept Suica and other major IC cards (such as Pasmo and Icoca). This is particularly true for branches located within or near railway stations, shopping malls, and busy urban districts like Shibuya or Shinjuku. Using Suica at Starbucks is highly efficient; you simply tap your card or your phone (if using Apple Pay or Google Pay with a digital Suica) on the reader at the register. It functions exactly like a debit card transaction. However, it is important to note that while you can pay with Suica, you generally cannot reload or add money to your Suica card at a Starbucks counter; for that, you must use a ticket machine at a train station or a kiosk at a convenience store like 7-Eleven. Additionally, in some very remote or rural areas of Japan, smaller independent cafes might not have the IC card hardware, but for a global chain like Starbucks, "tap-to-pay" with a transit card is a standard and preferred method of payment for locals and tourists alike.