- Steak ’n Shake added about $10 million in Bitcoin to its Strategic Bitcoin Reserve from customer payments since May 2025.
- All Bitcoin payments are retained in the company’s reserve rather than converted to cash.
- The chain uses partnerships like Fold to promote Bitcoin use and lower payment processing costs.
Steak ‘n Shake has been taking Bitcoin payments at its restaurants since May 2025, and it has added around 10 million dollars’ worth to their special Bitcoin reserve from what customers paid. That is from all the locations, over about eight months now. They do not convert any of that Bitcoin to regular money; they just keep it all in the reserve as part of their plan with digital stuff.
It seems like this has helped with sales a bit; same-store sales went up some, and they say it’s because people are using the crypto option more. The reserve just grows when more people pay that way, kind of like a loop where revenue turns into more Bitcoin holdings. I think that makes sense for how they are building it up organically.
Steak n Shake’s Burger-to-Bitcoin transformation continues.
Today we increased our Bitcoin exposure by $5,000,000 in notional value.
All Bitcoin sales go into our Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.
Our self-sustaining system — improving food quality that grows same-store sales that…
— Steak ‘n Shake (@SteaknShake) January 27, 2026
Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Integration
They use the Lightning Network for these payments, which cuts the fees almost in half compared to credit cards. That probably helps them keep more value, and it’s not just treating Bitcoin like some side thing. Instead, it’s right there in daily business.
Partnerships come in, too, like with Fold, where they offer rewards in Bitcoin for meals. Customers can get those incentives at certain spots, and it might get more people trying crypto for everyday buys. The whole thing is pushing adoption in fast food, which feels a bit unusual still.
The Commercial Side
On the business side, their sales growth looks good relative to other chains, though I am not totally sure how much is directly attributable to Bitcoin. They have not shared exact numbers on that. Broader trends show more brands looking at crypto for payments and even treasury, but it’s still evolving.
This approach shows how a regular restaurant can mix in cryptocurrency without it feeling forced. By keeping payments in the reserve and doing those promotions, they are tying revenue to bigger crypto trends in commerce. Some parts get messy when thinking about long-term impacts.
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