Indianapolis-based burger franchise Steak ‘n Shake reports that accepting Bitcoin payments has driven significant business growth, with the company citing double-digit same-store sales increases since adopting the cryptocurrency in May 2025.
Bitcoin Adoption Correlates with Sales Acceleration
In a post on X Tuesday, the company highlighted its performance since integrating Bitcoin Lightning Network payments.
Ever since we started accepting Bitcoin in May 2025, we have achieved double-digit same-store sales growth! And this quarter has been extraordinary, with franchise-partners same-store sales gaining 19%. Come have a Bitcoin burger and Bitcoin shake to celebrate! Thank…
The firm added: “And this quarter has been extraordinary, with franchise-partners same-store sales gaining 19%.”
Payment Cost Savings Cited as Key Driver
Steak ‘n Shake began accepting Bitcoin via the Lightning Network last year and announced in January that it had added $10 million in Bitcoin to its strategic reserve. At the Bitcoin 2026 Conference in April, Chief MAHA Officer Michael Boes detailed how the payment method has become a core driver of the chain’s business performance.
According to Boes, same-store sales rose 11% quarter over quarter in Q2 2025 and accelerated to 15% in Q3 2025, outpacing major rivals including McDonald’s, Taco Bell, and Domino’s. He characterized this as the highest same-store sales growth of any restaurant in the industry, attributing the performance to Bitcoin Lightning transactions being cheaper and faster than traditional electronic payment methods.
The cost difference is substantial: when customers pay with Bitcoin instead of a credit card, Steak ‘n Shake saves roughly 50% on processing fees. Traditional credit card processors charge merchants between 2.5% and 3.5% per transaction.
Bitcoin is real money made with real energy,
Boes said at the conference.
Company Rejected Multi-Crypto Approach
The franchise also considered accepting other cryptocurrencies but abandoned the idea after a poll on X indicated customers believed only Bitcoin was necessary.
