Bitcoin Found Its Way to McDonald’s London Hackathon
McDonald’s Hackathon held in London from 21 to 23 November invited to participants to think and design applications around a brand new digital restaurant experience. Fittingly, the hackathon participants had the pleasure to meet with Blockchain.info team and experiment around the digital currency.
We already knew that bitcoins startups were fond of bitcoins events that unfold in the various parts of the world. A new strategy now seems to involve bringing Bitcoin to larger and arguably more far-reaching industry specific hackathons and events, Blockchain explained:
“Because this wasn’t a bitcoin-centered event, we felt our presence was of even further importance; it was an opportunity to tap into a hub of developers, designers and creative minds and introduce them to bitcoin. It is in the best interests of bitcoin companies to attend events frequented […] financial and technological pioneers, because it facilitates an in-person connection that has the potential to cultivate interest in bitcoin not only from employees at these companies, but from consumers in attendance.”
Also read: Takeway.com Lets Users Order Food With Bitcoin and have It Delivered!
Blockchain Represents Bitcoin at McDonald’s Hackathon
Two representatives of Blockchain, the most famous bitcoin wallet, were present at the event organized by BeMyApp: Nicolas Cary, CEO of Blockchain and Matt Tuzzolo, the startup’s lead developer. With a prize pool of £ 7500, this contest was the opportunity of choice to demonstrate the possibilities offered by the Bitcoin Blockchain in terms of customer experience in a digital restaurant.
Developers, designers, and idea finders were all invited by McDonald’s to find new ways to ease and enhance the whole restaurant experience from “ordering, paying, waiting, eating [and] leaving.”
It is clear that the potential applications are numerous: Tipping for service, promotional offers through gamification rewarded in Satoshis, or use of smart contracts to offer new services that were not previously possible in the HR department.
Finally, it could very well be that the fast food giant begins to accept payments in digital currency via its ‘global’ mobile application which is to be published shortly, and is intended to appeal to millennials. McDonald’s CEO Don Thompson said:
“We did a major test in Australia to look at the actual global application what we call the global app, which is built upon our new-path technology system and allows us to continue to add on different applications to support various needs from pay and order to other things such as music. That global app will be launched in 2015 ” he added.
Wait and see! What do you think about Bitcoin at the McDonald’s Hackathon? Comment below!
Images from Shutterstock.
