Crypto: Steak ’n Shake Taps Bitcoin Bonus Program For Hourly Employees

The fast-food chain said employees will receive a BTC bonus per hour worked, with payouts vesting after two years and limited to company-operated locations.

US fast-food restaurant chain Steak ’n Shake plans to offer Bitcoin bonuses to hourly employees at company-operated locations, signaling a move to use digital assets as a retention tool.

In an X post on Wednesday, the company said hourly employees will be able to collect a Bitcoin (BTC) bonus of $0.21 per worked hour starting March 1, with a two-year vesting period.

At $0.21 per hour, a full-time employee working 40 hours a week would earn about $8.40 in Bitcoin per week, or $437 per year based on a standard 52-week schedule. The program is supported by the Fold, a Bitcoin rewards and payments company.

The move also taps into a generational shift in crypto sentiment. A recent survey from crypto exchange OKX found that 40% of Gen Z and 41% of millennials have high trust in crypto platforms, compared with just 9% of baby boomers.

According to an April 2025 US employee demographics data brief from the National Restaurant Association, about 40% of restaurant and foodservice workers are under 25, and 60% are under 35.

Steak ’n Shake has been accepting Bitcoin payments across its restaurant network since May 2025, a move the company says has translated into stronger performance.

On Friday, it disclosed holding about $10 million in Bitcoin, noting that same-store sales have “risen dramatically” since introducing BTC payments, though it did not specify whether its holdings grew through price gains, customer payments or new crypto purchases.

Related: Central banks vs Bitcoin: Who deserves the public’s trust?

Steak ’n Shake follows other companies that moved to accept Bitcoin for payments in 2025.

Source: CoinTelegraph