How to buy food with Bitcoin

Key takeaways

• In 2025, you can have your digital wallet ready to pay with Bitcoin directly at 15,000 merchants and restaurants worldwide.
• Whether you’re using your own Bitcoin wallet to pay directly at accepting merchants or pay with cards, you’ll find plenty of options to buy food with Bitcoin.
• Bitcoin has evolved since Laszlo Hanyecz’s first purchase of food. A new whole payment structure has formed around Bitcoin, with innovative creative ways to use it to pay for food.
• Bitcoin payment processors, such as Bitrefill and BitPay, are now known globally. They handle thousands of transactions each month. 

As Bitcoin becomes more accepted worldwide, many retailers, restaurants and food delivery services are embracing it. They now allow customers to pay for food with Bitcoin (BTC).

You can still buy food with Bitcoin, even if merchants don’t accept it directly. Use methods like crypto cards or crypto gift cards to make your purchase.

Bitcoin has long been recognized as a strong store of value, but its potential goes beyond that. As the world moves toward greater decentralization, Bitcoin is increasingly positioned to challenge traditional payment systems that rely on third-party approval. The primary purpose of Bitcoin is to bypass banks and financial institutions and enable direct payments with no censorship or confiscation. 

Bitcoin’s creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, created a peer-to-peer electronic cash system to make people more independent from financial intermediaries, so you may as well start using the cryptocurrency as intended. 

This article will show you how to pay for food with Bitcoin. You’ll learn different methods for grocery stores, restaurants and food retailers, both in-store and online.

Did you know? The first Bitcoin transaction to buy food was executed by Laszlo Hanyecz on May 22, 2010, which later became the famous Bitcoin Pizza Day. He paid 10,000 BTC for two pizzas, worth $40 at the time.

Can you buy food with Bitcoin?

The short answer is yes, definitely. Depending on the country you’re in, there may be different options presented to you. 

The benefit of using a Bitcoin payment for food directly is to avoid the intermediary and higher costs while performing a pure Bitcoin transaction as Satoshi had intended.  

Although most merchants do not accept BTC as payment yet, Bitcoin cards, gift cards and food delivery portals that accept Bitcoin, even indirectly, are pretty much available everywhere.  

All you need to do is refill the card with some cryptocurrency, and the payment processor will directly exchange Bitcoin for local currency. 

1. Pay for your food via direct Bitcoin payments

Although the number of merchants accepting Bitcoin is increasing globally, very few are still fully embracing the cryptocurrency as a payment method. When Bitcoin is accepted, normally, a Lightning wallet is used for fast payments and very low fees. 

You can visit https://btcmap.org/ to find Bitcoin-friendly food companies around the world. Just choose a nearby area to see where you can use the digital currency.

Depending on the jurisdiction, fast food companies that accept Bitcoin include groups like Burger King and Subway. McDonald’s fully accepts BTC as a direct payment in El Salvador and as a pilot program in Lugano, Switzerland.

You can also pay with Bitcoin at specific restaurants such as Mastro’s (at selected US locations) and Tahini’s, a Canadian-Middle Eastern chain with some US presence. This crypto-friendly restaurant even holds Bitcoin as a reserve asset. 

Accepting Bitcoin directly for online orders is less common unless the merchants partner with a delivery service that supports crypto. It’s possible to pay with Bitcoin for food delivery at companies like Manufy in the US that also accept Bitcoin directly. 

You can also buy groceries with crypto directly at many Bitcoin-friendly grocery stores. Whole Foods in the UK, US and Canada accepts BTC via the Flexa network’s Spedn app at specific locations. One of South Africa’s largest grocery retailers, Pick n Pay, is a supermarket accepting Bitcoin payments. It rolled out Bitcoin payments across many of its stores following a successful pilot.  

El Salvador is deservedly known as a Bitcoin country, and in most cases, restaurants, grocery stores and online retailers allow their customers to pay with Bitcoin directly. 

Many small municipalities are adopting Bitcoin as a widely used currency. Other than El Salvador, in places like Lugano, Switzerland and Mossel Bay, South Africa, many merchants, mostly small retailers, accept Bitcoin as a legitimate method of payment. 

How to pay with Bitcoin directly

• You can download a custodial or non-custodial Lightning wallet directly on your mobile. 
• Transfer some Bitcoin there to pay for everyday expenses.
• Position your wallet to scan merchant QR codes.
• Your purchase finalizes in just a few seconds.

Did you know? Subway was the first major food chain to accept Bitcoin. The first Bitcoin purchase at a Subway occurred in 2013 in Moscow, Russia.

2. Bitcoin cards, an alternative way to pay for your food

Many services offer Bitcoin-funded debit cards that convert Bitcoin to fiat at the point of sale. BitPay, Wirex and Binance are well-known companies. They support Bitcoin and crypto payments at grocery stores like Walmart. They can also convert cryptocurrency into various currencies. 

The benefit of Bitcoin cards is that the conversion into fiat is instant, without the need for the store to accept Bitcoin directly. ‍The crypto card provider partners with companies like Visa and Mastercard to make sure that your card is accepted by the vast majority of vendors and merchants.

How to pay with Bitcoin cards

• Sign up with one of the crypto card services available.
• Link your Bitcoin wallet.
• Add funds.
• Use the card at selected merchants by swiping it at checkout like a normal card.
• Connect the card to your Apple or Google Pay to pay directly with your mobile.

How to use Bitcoin gift cards to pay for food

Bitcoin gift cards are Bitcoin vouchers that you can buy to purchase food from popular delivery platforms like Uber Eats, DoorDash or Grubhub. Services like BitPay, CoinGate and Bitrefill let you order food online with Bitcoin. 

Bitcoin gift cards are also widely used for grocery shopping at Walmart, Whole Foods, Safeway and Lidl. The gift cards can be used for shopping in-store or online services, or pick-up or delivery.

How to pay with Bitcoin cards

• Buy the card with Bitcoin at selected stores or platforms.
• Receive the digital gift card.
• Choose the merchant you want to pay with the gift card.
• Pay at the checkout with the gift card.

Paying with Bitcoin gift cards is one of the most widely available methods, particularly helpful when the chosen restaurant or merchant doesn’t accept crypto directly yet.

Precautions when paying with Bitcoin for food

While Bitcoin offers a convenient and decentralized payment method, it’s essential to take certain precautions to ensure a safe and smooth transaction:

1. Security of wallet: Always use a trusted and secure Bitcoin wallet, whether custodial or non-custodial, to store your cryptocurrency. Ensure your wallet’s private keys are kept safe and inaccessible to unauthorized users.
2. Transaction fees: While Bitcoin payments are designed to be cheaper than traditional payment methods, transaction fees may still apply, especially when using the Lightning Network for fast payments. Be aware of the fees associated with each payment method.
3. Merchant reliability: Ensure that the merchant or restaurant you’re purchasing from is legitimate and accepts Bitcoin through trusted payment processors. Avoid using random or unverified third-party services.
4. Bitcoin volatility: Bitcoin’s price can fluctuate rapidly, so be prepared for potential price changes between when you make your payment and when the merchant processes it. This is especially true when converting Bitcoin to local fiat currencies.
5. Regulations and acceptance: Depending on your location, some regions may have different regulations surrounding Bitcoin payments. Make sure you are aware of local cryptocurrency laws and whether merchants in your area are legally allowed to accept Bitcoin.

Remember, the security of your funds is just as important as how you use them. Taking precautions now will ensure your assets remain safe while enjoying the convenience of paying with Bitcoin.