US Fast-Food Chain Steak ’n Shake Announces Bitcoin Bonuses to Employees, but It Didn’t Go as Planned

Key Takeaways

• Steak ’n Shake will offer hourly employees a $0.21-per-hour Bitcoin bonus starting March 2026.
• The plan sparked backlash over the small payout, two-year vesting period, and exposure to Bitcoin volatility for low-wage workers.
• The announcement landed amid a Bitcoin price drop, fueling online criticism and memes.

Steak ’n Shake, the U.S.-based fast-food chain, has announced plans to pay hourly employees a small Bitcoin (BTC) bonus for every hour worked at company-operated locations.

The company has partnered with Bitcoin wallet app Fold to manage the payouts, marking the latest step in Steak ’n Shake’s expanding crypto push.

Steak ’n Shake’s Bitcoin Bonus Sparks Backlash

The 91-year-old restaurant chain has been steadily integrating Bitcoin into its operations since mid-2025

That includes accepting Bitcoin payments, holding customer BTC instead of converting it to fiat, and building a corporate Bitcoin treasury under what it calls a “Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.”

Against that backdrop, the employee bonus announcement initially sounded progressive. But the details quickly drew criticism.

Starting March 1, 2026,

• Steak ’n Shake said hourly workers will earn a Bitcoin bonus worth $0.21 for every hour worked.
• The BTC will vest after two years, meaning employees cannot access or sell it until the vesting period ends.
• At face value, the bonus amounts to about $1.68 for an eight-hour shift, or roughly $33 per month for full-time workers.
• Over two years, that adds up to around $800—before accounting for Bitcoin price swings.

The $0.21 figure appears symbolic, referencing Bitcoin’s fixed supply cap of 21 million coins.

While the company framed the program as a way to “take care of our employees,” critics argue the symbolism does little to offset the practical limitations.

Critics Question Value and Risk

Reaction online was swift. Many pointed out that Steak ’n Shake workers typically earn around $12 to $15 per hour, making the Bitcoin bonus a marginal raise of roughly 1% at best.

On social media, users mocked the payout as “21 cents an hour,” questioning whether it was meaningful compensation or simply marketing aimed at Bitcoin enthusiasts.

Others described it as tone-deaf, given rising living costs and the financial pressures facing hourly workers.

The two-year vesting period became another flashpoint . Because employees cannot immediately access the BTC, they bear the risk of Bitcoin’s volatility over that period.

Several posts highlighted the irony of workers watching a tiny, delayed bonus fluctuate—or fall in value—before they can touch it.

The timing did not help. The announcement coincided with a dip in Bitcoin’s price, amplifying criticism and spawning memes that framed the bonus as more risk than reward.

What was intended as an innovative perk instead exposed the tension between corporate crypto enthusiasm and the realities of low-wage work.

Despite the backlash, Steak ’n Shake continues to double down on its Bitcoin strategy, including pledging donations of 210 satoshis for every “Bitcoin Meal” sold to support open-source development.

Whether the bonus plan evolves or remains symbolic may determine whether it’s remembered as a genuine experiment—or a misfire in the fast-food chain’s crypto playbook.