Famed Chipotle Mexican Grill Opens Crypto Payments, Partners Flexa for Transactions

In order to pay for their burritos and other fast foods at the CMG via crypto, customers will have to download crypto storage apps — Gemini or SPEDN.

By Radhika Parashar | Updated: 3 June 2022 14:38 IST

Famed Chipotle Mexican Grill Opens Crypto Payments, Partners Flexa for Transactions

Photo Credit: Facebook/ Chipotle

CMG customers will be able to buy burritos and salads in BTC, ETH, SOL

Highlights

CMG’s plan to open crypto payments in UK, France remains undisclosed
CMG has been supporting crypto sector with activities, Web3 games
Flexa will facilitate crypto transactions for CMG

Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG), the international chain of fast-casual restaurants, will now be accepting cryptocurrency payments across its outlets in the US. Digital payments provider Flexa has been roped-in by CMG to facilitate these crypto transactions. Along with Bitcoin, Ether, and Solana — Flexa supports a total of 98 cryptocurrencies as for now. The Web3-focussed move by this 28-year-old restaurant chain indicates towards the rapidly growing crypto adoption rate in the US.

In order to pay for their burritos and other fast foods at the CMG via crypto, customers will have to download either one of these two apps — Gemini or SPEDN, in order to store their crypto assets. This would enable people to use altcoins like Dogecoin and Cardano among others to pay for in-store purchases.

Over 3,000 CMG outlets in the US are currently offering a ten percent discount to customers who make their next purchase in any cryptocurrency using Flexa.

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While progressing its contribution to drive crypto adoption, the CMG has picked up an eco-friendly partner to process digital currency payments.

“Flexa balances the carbon emissions of all of its blockchain and operating activities with high-quality, verified carbon offsets to maintain a completely carbon-negative network. Today, we're delighted to announce that Chipotle is now accepting digital currency payments exclusively through Flexa,” the payments platform said in a Medium post.

Meanwhile, this is not the first time that the Mexican food restaurant chain is extending its forward nudge to the crypto sector.

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Last year, Chipotle had announced a giveaway of $100,000 (roughly Rs. 77 lakh) in free burritos and the same amount in Bitcoin to mark the National Burrito Day.

The move had stirred quite the buzz on social media at the time.

$BTC
More and More Companies are Running Bitcoin Promotions, Chipotle the Latest Example with 'Burritos or Bitcoin' Giveaway
The fast-food giant announced on Tuesday that for National Burrito Day on April 1 it is giving away $100,000 in free burritos and $100,000 in Bitcoin.
— Manpreet (@manpreetkailon) March 31, 2021

Chipotle is giving away Bitcoin as part of its national burrito day. #Bitcoin $CMG pic.twitter.com/T8eQ5LJ3WC
— Andrew Thrasher, CMT (@AndrewThrasher) March 30, 2021

Earlier this year, the CMG ventured into the Web3 gaming world after it launched its own in-experience currency, Burrito Bucks, on Roblox (RBLX). This is the native currency of CMG's Burrito Building game available on Roblox.

With the growing crypto-sphere, several restaurant chains and eateries are experimenting with crypto payments.

Earlier in December 2021, Florida, US-based Crypto Street Restaurant opened crypto payments for its customers. The menu of this restaurant even features dishes named after crypto terms like ‘DogeDog'.

A restaurant in India is also offering crypto-themed food it its customers in Bengaluru city. Called “Voosh”, the restaurant offers Bitcoin Masala Oats, Smart Contract Poha, and Chicken Tikka Crypto Samosa among other dishes.

Is Bangalore OK? pic.twitter.com/sx66iZRru8
— Aavi (@poisonaavi) December 14, 2021

Sandwich-maker Quiznos and Shake Shack are other prominent name in the food business that have integrated cryptocurrencies with their payment options.

Will crypto tax hurt the industry in India? We discuss this on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

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Further reading: Cryptocurrency, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Bitcoin, Solana, Polygon, Flexa

Radhika Parashar

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Radhika Parashar is a senior correspondent for Gadgets 360. She has been reporting on tech and telecom for the last three years now and will be focussing on writing about all things crypto. Besides this, she is a major sitcom nerd and often replies in Chandler Bing and Michael Scott references. For tips or queries you could reach out to her at RadhikaP@ndtv.com. More