FAT Brands Lets Franchisees Pay Royalties in $BTC, Exploring Future Options in $ETH and $SOL

Franchise owners of FAT Brands, which includes popular chains like Johnny Rockets, Fatburger, Round Table Pizza, and Great American Cookies, can now make royalty payments using Bitcoin.

The publicly traded company (Nasdaq: FAT), which operates 18 franchise concepts and over 2,300 locations globally, emphasizes that this move reflects its commitment to both financial and technological innovation.

FAT Brands COO Thayer Wiederhorn in a statement:

“Over the years, Bitcoin has transformed into a mainstream asset and, as a company, we see great value in expanding our forms of payments for our franchisees.”

Wiederhorn highlighted that international franchisees—who manage over 20% of the company's restaurants—are likely to gain particular advantages from this development.

He added:

“We look forward to utilizing Bitcoin as an efficient tool for streamlining and simplifying the payment process.”

Franchisees can now pay their franchise and development fees, as well as royalty payments, by transferring Bitcoin to a designated "crypto wallet business account."

From there, FAT Brands can choose to convert the Bitcoin into USD or retain it as cryptocurrency.

While Bitcoin is the initial option, FAT Brands has not ruled out the possibility of adding other cryptocurrencies such as Ethereum or Solana in the future.

For now, however, Bitcoin serves as the first step in exploring more flexible payment methods.

Will customers soon be able to pay for a Fatburger or Johnny Rockets milkshake with Bitcoin?

They replied:

“Potentially, but not today.”

The Expanding Role of Cryptocurrency in Restaurants

The intersection of cryptocurrency and the restaurant industry has seen significant growth in recent years.

In 2024, Blackbird, an on-chain dining rewards platform, facilitated the introduction of crypto payments at some of New York's most renowned restaurants.

Meanwhile, fast food giants like McDonald's, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut have ventured into the Web3 space through various collaborations.