Steak 'n Shake Says Bitcoin Is Driving Its Growth — But Are Customers Actually Paying With BTC, or Is It Just a Marketing Play?

WHY IT MATTERS

Think of it like when stores first started accepting Apple Pay — at first, very few people actually used it, but the stores that adopted it early got a reputation for being modern and tech-savvy. That's essentially what Steak 'n Shake may be doing with Bitcoin. By saying 'we accept BTC,' they get free publicity and attract crypto-enthusiastic customers, even if most people still pay with cash or cards. For crypto newcomers, this matters because it shows Bitcoin is increasingly being recognized by mainstream businesses — but it also highlights that there's a difference between a company accepting Bitcoin and people actually using it day-to-day. Real adoption means people regularly spending crypto, not just companies putting a Bitcoin logo on their website for attention.