Got a craving for burgers and a crypto wallet full of Bitcoin? Starting May 16, you can use your Bitcoin to pay for fries and shakes at Steak ’n Shake.
The iconic American fast-food chain announced on May 9 via X (formerly Twitter) that it will officially roll out Bitcoin payments across all its locations. In a cheeky nod to the Bitcoin community, the company signed off its announcement as “Steaktoshi” and declared, “The movement is just beginning.”
This move isn’t completely out of the blue. Back in March, Steak ’n Shake stirred excitement in the crypto space by teasing the idea with a simple post: “Should Steak ‘n Shake accept Bitcoin?” The post immediately caught fire, with Bitcoin enthusiasts — including Jack Dorsey — chiming in with resounding support.
Since then, the brand has leaned into crypto culture, sprinkling Bitcoin-themed content and Tesla-inspired promos throughout its social media, subtly warming its audience up for this next step.
A Big Win for Crypto Adoption
This isn’t just a novelty — it’s a notable stride toward broader real-world crypto use. While several restaurants have flirted with digital currency pilots, few have committed to full-on implementation. With over 100 million customers, Steak ’n Shake’s nationwide rollout could make Bitcoin payments in everyday life just a little more mainstream.
The chain hasn’t released further details yet, and Cointelegraph reached out for more information but didn’t get a response at the time of publishing.
Joining the Crypto-Food Revolution
Steak ’n Shake now joins a slowly growing list of fast food players experimenting with crypto payments.
- Chipotle started accepting Bitcoin, Ethereum, and nearly 100 other cryptocurrencies through Flexa in 2022.
- Subway tested Bitcoin payments all the way back in 2013 — one of the earliest big names to do so.
- KFC Canada famously sold a “Bitcoin Bucket” in 2018.
- McDonald’s accepts Bitcoin in Lugano, Switzerland, as part of a local pro-crypto initiative.
- Burger King has enabled crypto gift cards and payments in countries like Germany, the Netherlands, and Venezuela.
- Even Donald Trump got in on the action recently, using Bitcoin to pay for burgers in NYC.
And of course, who could forget the legendary moment that started it all: the first-ever Bitcoin transaction in 2010, when Laszlo Hanyecz paid 10,000 BTC for two pizzas — a move that now lives in crypto lore as Bitcoin Pizza Day. At today’s prices, those pizzas would be worth over a billion dollars.
Bottom Line
With Steak ’n Shake’s bold move, Bitcoin just got a little tastier — and a lot more real for everyday users. Whether it’s a trend or the future of fast food, one thing is clear: crypto is making its way into our everyday transactions, one meal at a time.
