Chipotle now accepting cryptocurrency payments at U.S. locations

Chipotle now accepting cryptocurrency payments at U.S. locations

The Tex-Mex chain's partnership with Flexa allows customers to pay with 98 different digital currencies, including Bitcoin, Ether and Solana.

Fast-casual chain Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) has started accepting payments in cryptocurrencies through Flexa, a digital payment platform.

Customers can use Flexa to pay for their burritos and other favorite dishes at any Chipotle restaurant in the United States. The Flexa platform supports 98 digital currencies, including Bitcoin, Ether and Solana. Customers must download the Gemini or SPEDN app, which store digital assets, to use Flexa for in-store purchases.

To celebrate the new payment options, Chipotle is offering a 10% discount to customers who make their next purchase using any digital currency on a Flexa-enabled app.

This is not Chipotle's first move into digital currency. Last year, Chipotle announced it would give away $100,000 in free burritos and $100,000 in Bitcoin to celebrate National Burrito Day. And this year, Chipotle launched its own experiential currency, Burrito Bucks, on Roblox (RBLX) to accompany the launch of its Burrito Builder game on the same platform. Players could redeem Burrito Bucks at participating Chipotle restaurants for a code for a free meal.

Chipotle joins a growing list of fast food restaurants experimenting with cryptocurrency payments and promotions. In March, Shake Shack (SHAK) announced that customers would receive 15% of their purchases in bitcoin for every Shake Shack purchase made with Block's cash app debit card (SQ), the Cash Card. Nearly a year earlier, sandwich store Quiznos launched a pilot program in partnership with Bakkt App to accept Bitcoin payments at select Quiznos stores in Denver.

Flexa co-founder Trevor Filter says expanding digital currency payment options benefits both customers and businesses.

"Chipotle benefits from reaching customers where they are with the new payment methods they want to use," Filter told CoinDesk. "And at the same time, Chipotle customers benefit from greater payment flexibility, faster checkout and a more seamless experience at the fast-casual restaurants they already love."