Steak ’n Shake serves Bitcoin bonuses—Internet delivers side eye

Steak ’n Shake is taking its crypto experiment to the pay window, announcing it will begin paying hourly workers a small Bitcoin bonus tied to hours worked—a move that quickly drew skepticism and ridicule online.

Summary

• Critics mocked the incentive as a substitute for real wage increases.
• The small payout and long vesting period is made worse considering fast-food turnover
• The company has added $10 million of Bitcoin to its balance sheet and accepts Bitcoin payments via the Lightning Network.

Starting March 1, the burger chain will award employees at company-operated restaurants $0.21 worth of Bitcoin for every hour worked, with payouts vesting after two years.

The company pitched the incentive as a way to reward staff loyalty, saying on X that “we take care of our employees; they, in turn, take care of customers; and the results take care of themselves.”

The announcement, however, was met with swift backlash on social media, where critics derided the bonus as a crypto-flavored substitute for a real raise.

Commentators pointed out that the two-year vesting period could limit who ever sees the money, given high turnover in fast food, and mocked the modest payout, which would amount to less than $900 over two years for a full-time worker.

“Big L,” one commentator wrote. “Woulda been better to just give them a packet of ramen for every hour.”

The bonus program is part of Steak ’n Shake’s broader embrace of Bitcoin. The chain has partnered with Fold, a Bitcoin-focused personal finance app, to administer the incentive and has already added $10 million of Bitcoin to its balance sheet.

In 2025, it began accepting Bitcoin payments globally via the Lightning Network, a move it says cut transaction fees by nearly 50% compared with credit cards. The company has also pledged to funnel all Bitcoin sales into a “Strategic Bitcoin Reserve,” underscoring a bet that digital assets can boost margins—even if the latest perk leaves employees and critics unconvinced.