It’s hot outside, the sun is beating down, and you’re looking for cool refreshment – nothing quite beats an ice-cold beer. Before, you would need to fiddle around with coins or fumble with cards to pay for a taste of the ever-so-sweet nectar. Now, a restaurant in Oslo, Norway is changing the way you pay for a pint. Making full use of the Lightning Network, Twitter user @hodlonaut was able to make the purchase with just a single second confirmation time.
Rock the Kasbah
The Kasbah might not be a particularly famous restaurant in Oslo, but it’s now made its own little piece of history. While we can’t speak for the whole world, we are almost certain that this is the first time that a beer has been bought using the Lightning Network to facilitate the transaction. Coingate was the payment provider, with @hodlonaut seemingly overjoyed with his purchase, “Buying beer with bitcoin #lightning at Kasbah Pub in Oslo, Norway. They use Coingate as payment provider. Works absolutely flawless, confirmed in 1 second!”, he said on Twitter.
A Costly Pint
Although, a word of warning to anyone that feels like dropping by the Kasbah to splash the digital cash on a drink. It’ll cost you more than it would to pay with standard currency, with this not escaping Twitter and Reddit users. According to @hodlonaut, the beer cost him 0.001811 BTC, which is approximately €10 or $12. While it’s an innovative way to pay for a beer, it’s certainly not the most cost-effective way to go about grabbing a quick pint.
Drink the Bar Dry!
We’re huge advocators and supporters of the Lightning Network, so it’s always pleasing for us to see it introduced around the world. Day-to-day purchases – such as buying a drink with your meal – are what will bring Bitcoin into the mainstream. Who knows, if other bars, pubs, and restaurants follow suit, you could soon be buying a round with Bitcoin!
