Bakkt Holdings, LLC, the digital asset marketplace that’s behind the Bakkt App, revealed earlier this week that it has partnered with Quiznos, a national quick-service restaurant (QSR), in order to offer its first physical location pilot “enabling Quiznos customers to pay with bitcoin at select locations.”
As mentioned in a release, the pilot will be available “at select Quiznos locations across the Denver market, including the high-traffic Denver airport location, starting in mid-August.”
Sheela Zemlin, CRO at Bakkt, noted that this is an “exciting tentpole moment” for them as they connect the next-generation customer experiences to the digital economy.
Sheela added that through this partnership, they are introducing “unique experiences” to Quiznos customers by “enabling them to take advantage of new ways to interact with digital assets and bringing bitcoin utility to the mainstream consumer market.”
She further noted that they “closely watch how this pilot performs, with the potential to expand the partnership to additional Quiznos locations across the country.”
Mark Lohmann, President of REGO Restaurant Group, which is the owner of Quiznos and several other national QSR chains, said that teaming up with an innovative platform like Bakkt is “appealing to us for a number of reasons, primarily because it allows us to accept bitcoin directly at the point of sale as part of a quick and seamless transaction.”
Mark also noted that as they continue their digital transformation journey and “respond to mobile and millennial consumer demand for alternative and cryptocurrency payment options,” they’re glad to provide an accessible way for clients “to buy a meal, in this case, through the Bakkt digital asset wallet.”
As noted in the release:
“To begin the roll out, select Quiznos locations in the Denver market will pioneer a new and innovative payment method for customers to purchase their next meal with bitcoin using the Bakkt App. Customers who download the Bakkt App, buy bitcoin and use it to purchase their next Quiznos meal will receive $15 worth of bitcoin as a reward.”
Bakkt says that it continues to expand its partner ecosystem in order to make digital assets “as liquid as fiat currency, and the company continues to find new and innovative ways to establish cryptocurrency as a simple payment option in the daily lives of consumers.”
Through a partnership with Bakkt, merchants and franchisees have the opportunity “to accept bitcoin payments from consumers while still benefiting from a cash-settled experience.”
With the ability to use bitcoin as a form of payment, “convert it to gift cards, cash, or use it in other ways in combination with loyalty and rewards points on the platform,” Bakkt is empowering and strengthening its growing partner network “to tap into the great opportunities for customer engagement.”
Bakkt also mentioned that they intend to assist partners with facilitating new customer experiences by “leveraging emerging digital solutions that delivers a frictionless customer journey while also providing more choice and flexibility.”