Steak ‘n Shake, a US-based fast food chain known especially for its steak burgers and milkshakes, draws attention with the Bitcoin-based payment program it launched for its employees. Although this strategy implemented by the company is quite unusual in the industry, it attracts attention with the recorded business results.
Additional Payment Program with Bitcoin
Starting March 1, 2026, hourly employees at Steak ‘n Shake’s company-operated branches will be paid an additional 21 cents worth of Bitcoin per hour. The reason why 21 cents is preferred is that the total supply of Bitcoin is limited to 21 million. It is anticipated that a full-time employee will receive approximately $436 worth of Bitcoin from this program on an annual basis, or close to 0.005 BTC.
The company stated that it pays hourly employees an additional 21 cents per hour in Bitcoin and offers employees a special account contribution of $1,000 for their children. He also stated that he aims to pay the highest salary in his own society.
The Bitcoin balance that employees are entitled to is not paid in an immediately accessible manner. This amount is made available through the Fold application within the scope of a program that is opened if you stay at the company for two years. There is also $1,000 in account support for employees’ children. The company constructs this program not only as an incentive, but also as a model that increases employee loyalty and aims to retain employees.
Lightning Network and Its Effect on Sales
Steak ‘n Shake’s strategy regarding Bitcoin took shape in May 2025, when it began accepting Bitcoin payments via the Lightning Network. Lightning Network is known as a layer built on Bitcoin that offers fast and low-cost payments. Recently, payment companies such as Circle and Stripe have also been developing new generation payment systems on this infrastructure.
With Bitcoin payments, a significant decrease in operational costs was achieved. According to the data announced by the company, there was a 50 percent decrease in transaction fees compared to credit card payments. Same-store sales increased 11 percent in the second quarter of 2025; The increase rate increased to 15 percent in the third quarter. As of the beginning of 2026, an annual growth of 18 percent was recorded. This growth rate was above the performance of other major fast food brands in the same period.
Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Brand Emphasis
The company collects Bitcoin payments received from customers directly in the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve instead of converting them into cash. At the beginning of 2026, the size of this reserve reached approximately 168.6 BTC and its total value approached 15 million dollars. While a significant portion of this accumulation was generated by customer payments, direct purchases were also made from time to time.
Steak ‘n Shake clearly reveals its corporate approach towards Bitcoin. The company has rejected suggestions to accept Ethereum or other cryptocurrencies. He also highlighted Bitcoin in his branding process; For example, it implemented the Bitcoin Steakburger menu and ensured that 210 satoshi were donated for each Bitcoin Meal sale to the development of open source Bitcoin software. The number 210 stands out as a special symbol that indicates Bitcoin’s block reward halving interval.
