Steak n Shake sales jump after accepting bitcoin payments

**Steak ‘n Shake’ says its sales have soared since it began selling Bitcoin to customers nine months ago, one of the most aggressive cryptocurrency pushes in the fast-food industry has been on the heels of this trend. ** ** .

The national burger restaurant said Tuesday’s sales surged after it announced its decision to accept digital currency payments has paid off. Initially taking Bitcoin in May 2025, the company is worth around $15 million of its currency (what it calls Strategic Bitcoin Reserve).

In a statement on the nine-month anniversary of its Bitcoin program launch, “our same-store sales have gone up dramatically since then,” the company said in.

The chain, which has a network of hundreds of locations across the United States and several European countries including France, Italy (the largest group in Europe), Portugal and Monaco, said it saved nearly half its normal transaction costs within two weeks of accepting Bitcoin. That’s compared to traditional credit card processing fees that typically feed into restaurant profits.

Industry-first Bitcoin reserve established

Steak ‘n Shake was the first large U.S. by the end of October 2025, when Stea ‘middle’ smashed into his own words. S. restaurant chain, to set up a dedicated Bitcoin reserve for the establishment of. According to the company, it saw sales at existing stores jump 15 percent because of customers who were ‘friendly with cryptocurrency’.

Bitcoin is accepted through a service called the Lightning Network, which allows transactions to be faster and cheaper at the restaurant. The move was launched with block co-founder Jack Dorsey backing by Block co founder Jack Dosery.

The company’s reserve fund is the sum of all Bitcoin payments customers make for burger and shake, which go straight into the firm’s reserves. The employee bonuses in Bitcoin are then paid by that money and the money is used to pay employees bonuses, resulting in what the company calls a “decentralized, cash-producing operating business” (i.e. ” , ‘I’m sure it is worth reading.

STEak ‘n Shake’ has kept adding to its cryptocurrency stack of coins as it adds to Steak. The chain bought another $10 million (on January 16) and $5 million more on January 27 after an initial $10million position. And that puts total holdings at around 168. 6 Bitcoin,’ .

When customers bought some menu items, the company ran promotions such as the “Bitcoin Burger” which gave them small amounts of Bitcoin. The chain donated 210 satoshis, small fractions of a Bitcoin for each “Bitcoin Meal” sold to support open-source Bitcoin software development.

Employee bonuses draw mixed reactions

Earlier in late January, Steak ‘n Shake announced it would offer hourly workers at company-owned stores a 21 cents per hour Bitcoin bonus from March 1 to April 1. But the offer drew complaints because employees can’t touch the money for two years, franchise workers don’T get it at all.

But Biglari Holdings, the restaurant’s owner, hasn’t said whether Bitcoin will be part of its overall corporate money strategy. That means that the cryptocurrency push is specific to the Steak ‘n Shake brand rather than a company-wide financial plan.

The strategy is supported by sales numbers so far, with sales figures. In 2026, the chain reported 18 percent growth at existing stores and “double digits” growth last year (compared to most competitors).

Steak ’n Shake will open locations in El Salvador, where Bitcoin is legal money. It attended Bitcoin events in San Salvador last November and announced expansion plans shortly after, announcing the company’s announcement of its new venture was made.

When the chain briefly asked customers whether it should accept Ethereum, another cryptocurrency (and soon after angry responses),’saved off with the survey. The company said ‘We are loyal to Bitcoiners.

The transaction fee savings alone could justify the move, restaurants operate on thin profit margins where every percentage point counts.

It is a strategy that loops around because it works. The bonuses of Bitcoin payments are a benefit to employees’ bonuses, which may attract tech-savvy workers and improve service, as it brings in more customers willing to pay with Bitcoin. It’s a bet that people who use cryptocurrency will become loyal customers when they are given reasons to return.

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