The burger chain Steak ‘n Shake, operating in the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East, has reported a "sharp" increase in sales following the introduction of Bitcoin payments.

Nine months ago today, Steak n Shake launched its burger-to-Bitcoin transformation when we started accepting bitcoin payments. Our same-store sales have risen dramatically ever since.

Bitcoin payments for Steak n Shake burgers go into our Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, which then…

— Steak 'n Shake (@SteaknShake) February 16, 2026

The chain began accepting Bitcoin in May 2025, claiming to make the asset available to "over 100 million visitors." Since then, Steak ‘n Shake has repeatedly linked its sales growth to cryptocurrency adoption:

  • Sales increased by 11% in the second quarter;
  • In the third quarter, they rose by 15%.

In terms of growth, the chain has outperformed major competitors like McDonald’s, Domino’s, and Taco Bell.

Source: X.

As part of the program, all Bitcoin received goes into the company's Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, which grows as consumer spending increases.

In January, Steak ‘n Shake announced that the value of its cryptocurrency holdings had risen by $10 million.

Eight months ago today, Steak n Shake launched its burger-to-Bitcoin transformation when we started accepting bitcoin payments. Our same-store sales have risen dramatically ever since.

All Bitcoin sales go into our Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.

Today we increased our Bitcoin…

— Steak 'n Shake (@SteaknShake) January 17, 2026

Later, the chain also announced an additional $5 million investment in the reserve. According to BitcoinTreasuries, the company currently manages 161.6 BTC valued at $10.9 million.

Bitcoin Bonuses for Employees

Last month, Steak ‘n Shake also announced plans to pay hourly employees bonuses in Bitcoin at a rate of $0.21 per hour worked, with a two-year vesting period.

Starting March 1, Steak n Shake will give all hourly employees at its company-operated restaurants a Bitcoin bonus of $0.21 for every hour worked.

Employees will be able to collect their Bitcoin pay after a two-year vesting period. Thank you, @Fold_app, for the assist.

We…

— Steak 'n Shake (@SteaknShake) January 20, 2026

This program is being implemented with the support of Fold, a company specializing in Bitcoin rewards and payments, and will launch on March 1.

At a rate of $0.21 per hour, a full-time employee (40 hours a week) would earn about $8.40 in BTC weekly, or approximately $437 annually (based on a standard 52-week schedule).

It’s worth noting that in October, the retail chain Bealls implemented the Flexa Payments system and began accepting Bitcoin in 660 stores.