US-based online restaurants service Menufy has integrated Coinbase into its e-commerce platform, allowing consumers to spend bitcoin at hundreds of US restaurants.
Menufy didn’t make much of a fuss out of the news, however – the Coinbase deal was announced only on Twitter and reddit.
The company says its service is available in nearly 400 restaurants across 28 states.
The service is free of charge, so any restaurant that wants to enroll can do so freely, with no contracts.
Level playing field
Menufy develops e-commerce software and custom websites for each of its restaurants. The service is mobile-friendly and allows users to order and pay for food in a few easy steps, even if the restaurant in question doesn’t have its own website.
The approach is rather clever, as most small restaurants still don’t have their own e-commerce platform, and many don’t even have a web presence.
Menufy lets small restaurants sell online without spending a fortune, and, as a result, helps level the playing field with big franchises that can afford to invest in such services.
Room to expand
The news doesn’t mean that 400 restaurants have started accepting bitcoin directly, however, as Menufy handles the whole process through Coinbase.
The proprietors might not even be aware that they are accepting bitcoin payments – in the same way most people don’t know they’re using HTTP when they browse the Internet.
Though the 400 restaurant total sounds impressive, some relatively big states like California and New York are underrepresented.
Texas is not, however, and Texans tend to love both a nice meal and bitcoin, so it’s a match made in heaven, perhaps. Menufy says it is working to extend its reach to other states and expand its portfolio.