Dogecoin, the meme cryptocurrency linked to an image of a Shiba Inu dog, has been enjoying one of the best years for cryptocurrency in recent memory, boasting gains of about 12,000 percent since Jan. 1.
The coin, which started off as a joke, briefly surged to an all-time high of 69 cents on Wednesday morning, capping a roller-coaster run for the meme-based cryptocurrency that has skyrocketed in value in recent months.
What did KFC Tweet?
Amid the ongoing Dogecoin craze, a tweet started circulating on Twitter of an alleged announcement made by KFC Canada's official handle saying it was expanding its payment options to accept Dogecoin as payment.
"We accept cash, card and dogecoin," the since-deleted post read.
The tweet instantly went viral on the platform, amassing thousands of retweets, comments and likes, fueling rumors that the fast-food chain had indeed started accepting the digital currency as a form of payment.
Is it True?
Turns out, the fast-food chain wasn't being serious. In April, KFC Canada announced free delivery on orders over $35. In response to that, one customer tweeted to ask, "Can I buy with my DOGE please?"
KFC's above-mentioned tweet was a reply to the customer's tweet. In the wake of the speculation, the KFC Canada twitter handle later posted a follow-up tweet clarifying that the tweet about accepting dogecoin as payment was nothing more than a tongue-in-cheek joke but it was on their "bucket list. "Sorry guys, we got a little excited there. We don't actually accept dogecoin. But it's on our bucket list," the company wrote.
A check on KFC's Canada website also revealed that, as of press time, the only means to pay for online orders are credit card and Google Pay.
That said, it should be noted that KFC has previously accepted cryptocurrency in the past. In 2018, it ran a promotion that allowed users to buy a chicken bucket for Bitcoin. That means the company accepting cryptocurrency is not entirely out of the question.
Elon Musk's Upcoming 'SNL' Appearance
There's a lot of hype surrounding dogecoin ahead of Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk's hosting of NBC's Saturday Night Live this weekend. Musk has long praised the digital token to his 52 million Twitter followers, and some speculate that a mention of dogecoin on national television could spark even more demand.
Musk has become one of the most prominent and vocal champions of doge coin this year and recently referred to himself as the Dogefather when he announced his SNL appearance in a cryptic tweet last Wednesday, which led to a 30 percent hike in the cryptocurrency.
