Pizza? Chinese takeout? Pay with bitcoins

Want a pizza delivered? Hungry for some Chinese takeout? Restaurant delivery service Foodler is now accepting bitcoins from customers placing online orders for food.

Foodler handles online ordering for takeout and delivery services from more than 12,000 restaurants across the US.

Customers with Foodler accounts can now choose a bitcoin payment option on their account page. Their bitcoin deposits are converted at current US dollar exchange rates into "FoodlerBucks," a form of credit that can be then used to pay for takeout, delivery and tips. Payments can be made either online or via a mobile app.

"Interest in bitcoin is soaring and, as people are becoming accustomed to using bitcoin to pay for everyday items -- whether it be at a coffee shop or local restaurant -- we wanted to provide an easy way for the more than 11 million people with bitcoins to pay for their meal deliveries," said Foodler co-founder Christian Dumontet.

Dumontet told GigaOM, "We understand that bitcoin users are a small, but influential, group of early adopters and bitcoin orders will likely be a small percentage of all Foodler payments this year, but as early adopters ourselves, we are excited to support the community and help it grow. We were surprised to receive our first bitcoin payment from a customer in San Francisco just hours after making it available in our system – prior to any kind of public announcement."