The First Chicago Restaurant to Accept Bitcoin

[Phinnaeus Gage]

I'll soon be trekking to Chicago to close the deal with Chicago Cabbie but, while there, I'm going to make forays to several eating establishments, in hope of interesting them into accepting Bitcoin. The list on the following site should be more than enough to keep me busy: http://chicago.metromix.com/restaurants/article/new-on-the-scene/163270/content

The goal is by summer's end to have several businesses in and around Chicago accepting Bitcoin. To help pull that off, though, I'll need the help of this community. All I'm asking is for you to state that you'll frequent such establishments if they were to accept Bitcoin. I would love to see a formidable list below. I've taken the liberty and imported the list from the Chicago Cabbie thread to seed it. Simply state in this thread that you'll frequent a business that accepts Bitcoin in or around Chicago at least once, and I'll add your name to the list below.

• Bruno
• altuin
• bitcoinbitcoin113
• the joint
• kjlimo
• Herodes
• Yankee
• squirrelman
• DBordello
• pekv2 (for Portillos)

I'm going to be working in conjunction with Tony with Bit-Pay to help pull this off. I'm not sure if I'm at liberty to say this, but he's got a secret weapon up his sleeve, one I know will help in closing the deals.

~Bruno~

Short List:

• Portillo's
• South Loop Club

[kjlimo]

Rock on!  I think you posted on my Cleveland thread I started a few months back that went nowhere.

I think Chicago is the size of market that we need to target.  New York has at least one restaurant accepting bitcoins.

I will be in Chicago in March for St. Patty's day. 

I guarantee I will take the party to wherever accepts bitcoins!!

I will see if I can get my friends in Chicago to register for this forum, get some bitcoins and join the cause!

Hopefully if Chicago is successful, I can expand this to Cleveland. 

Please PM me if there's anything I can do from Cleveland to help you.  I can try cold calling some stores/restaurants if you provide me a list of names/number that you are targeting.

We could put together a script that focuses on getting you a "meeting" for your visit to Chicago.  Would something quick and simple like that be helpful?  Or would you prefer to handle everything in person?

[anonymous5050]

The map of locations accepting bitcoin is way too sparsely marked.  Let's get it started in Chicago.

http://bitcoin.travel/

[finway]

Go get it!

[kjlimo]

The map of locations accepting bitcoin is way too sparsely marked.  Let's get it started in Chicago.

http://bitcoin.travel/

Awesome website.  How recently was that started?

[BitPay Business Solutions]

Bruno I've got plenty of backup incase you need reinforcements.

Go get em!  See you this summer!

[Phinnaeus Gage]

Bruno I've got plenty of backup incase you need reinforcements.

Go get em!  See you this summer!

Secret weapon back-ups?

We could put together a script that focuses on getting you a "meeting" for your visit to Chicago.  Would something quick and simple like that be helpful?  Or would you prefer to handle everything in person?

We could easily work both ends against the middle. Meeting in person just locks in the deal, therefore it's just not some Joe Schmo making contact over the internet. Email + Phone Call + Handshake = success, I believe. Let's see what I can get together by St. Patrick's Day. That'a a fair enough deadline.

What side of town are you planning of staying in, kjlimo? And what if we dyed the Chicago River orange this year. Orange beer?

Shit! I've got another idea. What would a mixed drink called a Satoshi consist of? Now this idea has legs, albeit week ones after a couple belts.

~Bruno~

[Atheros]

Shit! I've got another idea. What would a mixed drink called a Satoshi consist of?

It must be opaque; one must not be able to see through it to try to understand what makes it up. Many shall try, but none shall succeed.

Perhaps the drink contains some triple-sec because the Bitcoin logo resembles an orange?

hmm

How can we make a drink Satoshi likes if we don't now anything about him!? I'm having a difficult enough time trying to think of computer / alcohol puns.

[bb113]

Something +  a "bit" of Cointreau...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cointreau

Something= A Japanese drink?

[kjlimo]

What side of town are you planning of staying in, kjlimo? And what if we dyed the Chicago River orange this year. Orange beer?

Shit! I've got another idea. What would a mixed drink called a Satoshi consist of? Now this idea has legs, albeit week ones after a couple belts.

~Bruno~

I'll be staying in lincoln park.  I will be visiting the dying of the river as well.

I will try to inspire as much discussion around a Satoshi mixed drink that I can!

[Disposition]

Do it and let me know so it can be added to http://bitcoinnavigator.com

[Herodes]

I've only been to Chicago once in my life, since I live on the other side of the Atlantic, but when and if I go there again, I will definately go where I can use my BTC !

Keep up the good work !

[Phinnaeus Gage]

Shit! I've got another idea. What would a mixed drink called a Satoshi consist of?

It must be opaque; one must not be able to see through it to try to understand what makes it up. Many shall try, but none shall succeed.

Perhaps the drink contains some triple-sec because the Bitcoin logo resembles an orange?

hmm

How can we make a drink Satoshi likes if we don't now anything about him!? I'm having a difficult enough time trying to think of computer / alcohol puns.

Something +  a "bit" of Cointreau...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cointreau

Something= A Japanese drink?

Thank you both for the inspiration: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=63712.0

I've only been to Chicago once in my life, since I live on the other side of the Atlantic, but when and if I go there again, I will definately go where I can use my BTC !

Keep up the good work !

I've added your name to the list, Herodes.

[Yankee (BitInstant)]

I'm in Chicago about once a month, so add me.

My office for my retail business is also in Chicago so I'll have all my warehouse and office staff order from Bitcoin restaurants.

-Charliue

[Phinnaeus Gage]

I'm in Chicago about once a month, so add me.

My office for my retail business is also in Chicago so I'll have all my warehouse and office staff order from Bitcoin restaurants.

-Charliue

Thank you, Yankee. You're added to the list.

Any others? Also, take a look at this thread, for it's related: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=63712.0

[blueadept]

Looks like St. Louis is already sort of there:  http://www.thebitcointrader.com/2012/02/spend-your-bitcoins-at-16-st-louis.html

Plus, GrubGo is working on expanding into Chicago according to the article.

[Phinnaeus Gage]

Looks like St. Louis is already sort of there:  http://www.thebitcointrader.com/2012/02/spend-your-bitcoins-at-16-st-louis.html

Plus, GrubGo is working on expanding into Chicago according to the article.

This is huge! (I normally don't use that phrase)

I can easily use this site as part of my visualization techniques, coupled with the Secret Weapon, in obtaining further fine dining establishments in and around Chicago.

Damn! Now I'm hungry and need a drink: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=63712.0



~Bruno~

[kjlimo]

Looks like St. Louis is already sort of there:  http://www.thebitcointrader.com/2012/02/spend-your-bitcoins-at-16-st-louis.html

Plus, GrubGo is working on expanding into Chicago according to the article.

Yes, I will be leveraging off of this "competitor" to try to convince Cleveland Market food service deliverers to start accepting bitcoin. 

It should be convenient since people probably place orders over the phone/internet.

[bb113]

Really get grubhub to start taking bitcoins. They would be an ideal service to suggest this to. I use them all the time.

http://www.grubhub.com/

[kiba]

How many bitcoiners are in Chicago? It's kinda useless for restaurants to accept bitcoin if nobody uses bitcoin.

Maybe somebody should start a money exchange business in Chicago so that people can become bitcoin users more easily.