Revolut, a UK-based financial services company, has introduced a new payment method called "Pay with Smile" in London cafes. This system uses facial recognition technology to allow customers to pay for their purchases with a simple glance. The feature is currently being tested at Kiss the Hippo cafes in Bloomsbury, Chelsea, and Soho from September 24 to 26. Customers can activate the payment by selecting "Pay with Smile" on a screen at a Revolut Register terminal, similar to how one might unlock a smartphone with facial recognition. To use the system, customers must first enable the feature in their Revolut app settings. Revolut emphasizes that users are not automatically enrolled in the system and can revoke their consent at any time. The company states that all facial recognition data is encrypted and transmitted securely, and that merchants do not store personal information. Once the system confirms a match with the user's registered details, a payment is authorized directly from the customer’s account to the merchant’s account, without any additional fees. Revolut is offering 0% processing fees for "Pay with Smile" transactions, which it says will help reduce costs for small businesses. This pilot program is part of Revolut’s broader effort to modernize payment systems in retail environments. The company plans to roll out sales of its Revolut Register terminal in the future, aiming to replace traditional, often slow and outdated, checkout systems with a more efficient digital alternative. Kiss the Hippo Coffee, which operates the participating cafes, is excited about the trial. Alex Damgaci, managing director at Kiss the Hippo, said the company looks forward to introducing the feature to customers and plans to expand it to all 12 of its locations later this year. Revolut’s Alex Codina, general manager of merchant payments, described the system as a step toward creating a more seamless and modern shopping experience for both customers and businesses.