The roll-out of new technology in McDonald's in the UK has led to a surge in contactless payments for fast food, with a third of cardholders using the system to pay for food in the last three months of 2011. This compares to 12% the previous quarter, according to figures collated by Visa.

The contactless system allows customers to scan their credit card over a special terminal (like that used for Oyster on London Underground) to make payments up to £15. The aim is to reduce the time it takes to pay, shortening queues in popular retailers.

But although contactless payments have now been available in the UK for two years, and there are 17m cards and 75,000 terminals, Visa admits a low acceptance level by retailers is still preventing usage from becoming an every-day habit. Visa refused to provide figures for the total number of contactless payments, but a survey of usage in Europe by Mastercard last autumn showed that just 5% of British consumers had made a contactless payment. Only France came lower, at 4%.

Mark Austin, head of contactless for Visa Europe, believes the Olympics could be the turning point for many cardholders. "People with experience of contactless cards are starting to see it as the first step to the arrival of mobile payments. The more chance consumers have to use their contactless cards, the more enthusiastic their response becomes.

"For us, London 2012 will be a major tipping point with thousands of new contactless terminals installed across the Olympic venues to make payments as easy and convenient as they can possibly be."

Retailers who currently offer the contactless system include Subway, Eat, Pret a Manger, Cafe Nero and selected outlets of Boots, Burger King, Little Chef and Clinton Cards. The Co-op, Wilkinson and Starbucks will offer the service soon.

The Visa research found that 73% of the 500 cardholders questioned in the UK believed contactless technology would ultimately become a more common way to pay than cash.