The largest franchise in the world, Subway, is accepting Bitcoin again, but this time it’s using the fast, nearly free Bitcoin Lightning Network. Customers can now quickly scan a Lightning-enabled QR code that allows for fast, low-cost, and frictionless payments.
The fast food chain began Bitcoin payments at three outlets in Germany’s capital, Berlin. Subway first experimented with Bitcoin almost 13 years ago in Moscow, Russia.
The Berlin Subway franchise owner Daniel Hinze has recorded over 120 Bitcoin transactions over the past few months. He also stated that he wants “to help Bitcoin become money.”
To encourage Bitcoin payments, Daniel Hinze offered a 50% discount for all Bitcoin payments for one week. He said, “Five years ago, I started to deal with cryptocurrencies; and I have dealt very intensively with the topics of Bitcoin in the last two years. With that in mind, Hinze also mentioned that he has now decided that Bitcoin could be the better money system.”
Bitcoin is not a popular payment method in Europe despite the efforts of retailers, merchants, and even Lightning-enabled conferences. Hinze has started offering a 10% discount on all footlongs, meatball marinaras, and sucookies paid for with Bitcoin.
Hinze also partnered with Lipa, a Swiss-based Bitcoin company, to enable an easy and efficient point-of-sale solution. Bastien Feder, CEO of Lipa, said that the company charges merchants 1% of the service as opposed to Mastercard or Visa payment rails, which range double or more.
Well, it’s not the only fast-food chain that has started tapping into the huge fanbase of Bitcoin as a payment method. Last month, McDonald’s also began accepting Bitcoin and Tether in the Swiss town of Lugano.
