Steak 'n Shake Sees 19% Sales Growth After Adopting Bitcoin Payments
Steak 'n Shake, a U.S. burger chain, has seen significant growth in same-store sales since adopting Bitcoin payments via the Lightning Network. According to the company's official X account, franchise partner locations experienced a 19% increase in Q3 2026, building on previous quarters' double-digit growth. This is notable, as most restaurant chains have not achieved such large increases with crypto adoption.
The chain began accepting Bitcoin payments at all 393 U.S. locations on May 16, 2025. Adoption of the Lightning Network reduced payment processing costs by 50% compared to credit cards, according to Speed, the company that provided the payment solution.
While Steak 'n Shake's growth can be attributed in part to improvements in food quality and communication strategy, Michael Boes, Chief MAHA Officer, has stated that Bitcoin payments have become a primary driver of performance recovery. However, verifying the direct impact of Bitcoin payments on sales growth remains challenging due to differences in aggregation methodology.