Welcome to the ICO Feast!
In a surprisingly flavorful twist, Russia’s largest restaurant chain, Dve Palochki (which translates to ‘Two Chopsticks’—cheers for the name!), has dived headfirst into the world of Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) by unveiling an ICO-themed menu just in time for Autumn 2017. Moscow and St. Petersburg have never looked so appetizing, or so tech-savvy.
Token-Driven Tantalization
What’s on this curious menu, you ask? Among the highlights is a “mulled wine ICO”—no, it’s not a cryptocurrency flavored with spices, but drinks priced in “tokens” mirroring the value of Russian rubles. And as if that wasn’t cheeky enough, there’s a mythical Chinese mulled wine dubbed “banned.” Because, who wouldn’t want a taste of something forbidden?
The Global Crypto Connection
According to a blog post from Dve Palochki, Latin America, China, Japan, and Europe are making waves with their investments in ICOs. “But we know what you should invest in this Autumn,” they cheekily declare. It seems that culinary ventures are not only supporting traditional dining but also innovating in the crypto sphere—because nothing says “investment” like sipping mulled wine while discussing blockchain technology.
Regulatory Shimmies
Despite the hype, the regulatory landscape in Russia has been about as stable as a wobbly table at a busy restaurant. Lawmakers are hot on the trail of banning cryptocurrency for “unqualified” investors, yet specifics on execution have remained elusive. Meanwhile, ICO tokens float in a nebulous gray zone, giving businesses like Dve Palochki a generous window to experiment with their motif—after all, what could go wrong with mixing food and fintech?
From Fast Food to Fine Dining
If you think Dve Palochki is an outlier, think again! Earlier this summer, Burger King in Moscow hopped on the crypto train, allowing Bitcoin payments in a limited capacity. Their audacious stunt with Whoppercoin—a digital token for burgers—was a reminder that this digital economy is very much alive, even between burgers and chopsticks. Who would have thought dining could get this avant-garde(sausage)?
