A technique for providing a pay-by-name payment experience is disclosed. A point-of-sale (POS) system at a store receives information identifying an account with a central server from a payment card using a short-range wireless technology. In response to that, it obtains information regarding the account, including a person's name associated with the account, using the received information. It also accepts a name from a specific consumer in the vicinity. At this point, it determines whether the name accepted from the specific consumer and the name associated with the account are identical. If it determines that the two names are identical, it checks-in the consumer to the store.