Steak ’n Shake $0.21 Bitcoin Bonus for Employees Faces Backlash

Highlights:

• Steak ’n Shake will give workers a $0.21 Bitcoin bonus for each hour worked. 
• Employees may earn about $800 in two years, but critics call it too small. 
• The chain also added $10 million in Bitcoin to its growing Strategic Reserve.

American fast food chain Steak ‘n Shake will launch a new employee incentive program on March 1, 2026. Hourly staff at company-operated restaurants will earn a Bitcoin bonus of $0.21 per hour worked. Payments will be processed through a partnership with the Bitcoin wallet app Fold.

At first glance, the bonus announcement looked progressive. However, details quickly drew criticism. The BTC earned by workers will vest only after two years, meaning employees cannot access or sell it until the vesting period ends.

Steak ‘n Shake Employee Bonus Raises Concerns

Reaction online was immediate. 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 the move as tone-deaf, given rising living costs and financial pressures on hourly workers.

For a standard eight-hour shift, the bonus equals about $1.68. A full-time worker could earn roughly $33 per month. Over two years, the total adds up to around $800, not including Bitcoin price changes. The $0.21 figure was chosen to symbolize Bitcoin’s fixed supply cap of 21 million coins.

The company presented the program as a way to “take care of our employees.” Critics argue the symbolism does little to offset the practical limitations. Many pointed out that Steak ’n Shake workers usually earn between $12 and $15 per hour, making the Bitcoin bonus a marginal raise of about 1% at best.

Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Expansion

Recently, Steak ’n Shake added $10 million worth of Bitcoin to its Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. The purchase signals a deeper connection with digital currency after months of testing payments across the United States.

The announcement was made on Saturday through an official X post. It mentioned that Bitcoin payments began about eight months ago. Since then, same-store sales have reportedly increased. All Bitcoin received from customers is moved into the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, with the latest addition valued at $10,000,000.

“We have created a self-sustaining system — growing same-store sales that grow the SBR. Improving food quality expands Steak n Shake’s reach and leverages Bitcoin into a new and delicious dimension,” the company said.

Last May, Steak ’n Shake rolled out Bitcoin payments across all US stores using the Lightning Network. After introducing this option, sales began to rise. The company reported a 15% month-over-month increase in growth during the fourth quarter last year. In October, the company announced a donation plan. It will give 210 satoshis from each Bitcoin Meal to Open Sats Initiative Inc for 12 months. The total donation amount was not shared.