TLDR
- Steak ‘n Shake will begin accepting Bitcoin at all locations starting May 16, 2025
- The fast food chain will make cryptocurrency payments available to over 100 million customers
- The company first hinted at accepting Bitcoin in March, attracting attention from crypto proponents like Jack Dorsey
- This represents a rare full-scale adoption, as most restaurant chains have only implemented limited pilot programs
- Steak ‘n Shake joins other food outlets like Chipotle, Subway, and Pizza Hut that have experimented with crypto payments
Steak ‘n Shake has announced it will begin accepting Bitcoin as payment at all its locations starting May 16. The American fast food chain made the announcement on their social media platform X on May 9, stating that cryptocurrency would be available to more than 100 million customers.
Steak n Shake accepting Bitcoin payments at all locations starting May 16, making the cryptocurrency available to our more than 100 million customers. The movement is just beginning….
—Steaktoshi pic.twitter.com/1SGMifDZep
— Steak 'n Shake (@SteaknShake) May 9, 2025
“The movement is just beginning,” the company posted, signing off as “Steaktoshi.” This playful reference to Bitcoin’s mysterious creator shows the company’s enthusiasm for embracing cryptocurrency technology.
The fast food chain first hinted at accepting Bitcoin back in March when it posted “Should Steak ‘n Shake accept Bitcoin?” on social media. This question quickly caught the attention of the crypto community and Bitcoin supporters, including former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, who promptly replied with a “yes.”
Since then, Steak ‘n Shake has built momentum through Bitcoin-themed marketing efforts. The company has used Tesla promotions and visual hints on its social media feeds to generate interest in their upcoming cryptocurrency payment option.
A Major Step for Crypto Adoption
Unlike many other businesses that have only tested cryptocurrency payments in limited locations, Steak ‘n Shake’s nationwide rollout represents a major step forward for mainstream crypto adoption. Few restaurant chains have moved beyond small pilot programs to implement full-scale payment systems.
This move is particularly interesting considering the fast food industry operates on thin margins and high volume. Steak ‘n Shake’s Bitcoin integration will serve as a real-world stress test for cryptocurrency’s speed, cost, and usability at scale.
The company has also embraced Bitcoin’s cultural elements in its marketing. They previously shared an image of a Mars-bound cargo ship featuring the Bitcoin logo, referencing Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s promotion of beef tallow and Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s space exploration goals.
Future freighter delivering beef tallow on mars ! 🚀🍟 pic.twitter.com/BuBYixDJv0
— Steak 'n Shake (@SteaknShake) March 12, 2025
Other Fast Food Chains and Crypto
Steak ‘n Shake joins a growing list of fast food chains that have experimented with crypto payments over the years. Chipotle has accepted nearly 100 different cryptocurrencies through payment processor Flexa since 2022, including Bitcoin, Ether, and Solana.
Subway was one of the earliest adopters, piloting Bitcoin payments as far back as 2013 at select franchise locations. However, they never announced a system-wide implementation.
KFC offered a limited “Bitcoin Bucket” promotion in Canada in 2018, allowing customers to make purchases with BTC. McDonald’s accepts Bitcoin in Lugano, Switzerland, as part of a local cryptocurrency initiative.
Burger King has accepted crypto gift cards and direct cryptocurrency payments in select countries including Germany, the Netherlands, and Venezuela. In September, Donald Trump made headlines when he used Bitcoin to purchase burgers at a New York City bar.
Pizza Hut became one of the first mainstream outlets to accept BTC in El Salvador after the country made Bitcoin legal tender in 2021. This connection between pizza and Bitcoin has historical importance in the crypto world.
The first-ever Bitcoin transaction was made to purchase fast food when Laszlo Hanyecz bought two pizzas for 10,000 BTC on May 22, 2010. This date is now celebrated as Bitcoin Pizza Day in the crypto community. Those pizzas, worth about $40 at the time, would be valued at more than a billion dollars today.
Steak ‘n Shake’s decision to implement Bitcoin payments nationwide offers a fresh opportunity for everyday Americans to use cryptocurrency in their daily lives.
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