Very Good Shakes, but Mediocre Burgers
Written: Apr 02 '01 (Updated Oct 28 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Quick service, Good Shakes
Cons: Burgers are not what you expect; Prices are High for what you get.
The Bottom Line: Steak and Shake offers a unique atmosphere and very tasty shakes, but average food overall and higher prices than other fast- food.
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| Bryan_Carey's Full Review: Steak 'n Shake |
Steak and Shake is a fast- food/diner style restaurant that was founded by Gus Belt, in Normal, Illinois, in 1934. This restaurant has been expanding rapidly and it now has about 376 locations in seventeen states throughout the south and midwest. This chain is fully independent and it’s traded on the New York Stock Exchange, under the ticker symbol SNS. The corporate headquarters is located in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Menu Selection:
This restaurant’s signature food items are its shakes and its steak burgers; hence the restaurant name, Steak and Shake. There are about 12 different beef burgers and sandwiches on the menu. The burgers are made with a mixture of sirloin, strip, and t-bone steak. Besides burgers, they also offer patty melts and a few other beef sandwiches.
If beef is not to your liking, there are also a few chicken sandwiches to choose from, and two different turkey sandwiches. With each sandwich platter, you can select a couple of side dishes. Your choices include chili, cottage cheese, baked beans, and a few others.
There are six different dinners on the menu: Steak and Shake dinner; Chicken Fingers; Frisco Melt; Fish Dinner; Chicken melt; and Chili Mac Supreme. Each dinner includes the main course, plus side dishes.
If you’re a vegetarian, Steak and Shake doesn’t offer much to choose from. They have several large salads, but only one, the Garden Salad, is without meat. The others all have meat on them. They also have a kid’s menu and a few desserts.
Atmosphere:
Steak and Shake has the appearance of a 1950’s style diner on the inside, with bright colors and an open view of the grill, so you can see the preparation of your food. There are booths, tables, and a bar area, for seating. Each restaurant holds about 60 people.
Service:
You can expect to be served your meal pretty quickly at steak and shake- usually in less than five minutes. That’s because this restaurant is really a fast- food establishment. You are served by a waitress, so you don’t have to stand in line to order your food. But this doesn’t mean that Steak and Shake is a full- service restaurant. It’s somewhere between fast- food and full- service.
Pricing:
The prices at Steak and Shake are a little higher than other fast- food restaurants. If you order a burger and fries, with a drink, you will pay about $5.00. If you order a platter, which includes two side dishes, you can expect to pay about $6.00. And, unlike other fast- food restaurants, you need to leave a tip. So, the total bill for two people will cost you about $12 to $15 dollars, which is about 50% higher than other fast- food, but not as expensive as a full- service restaurant. You pay a little more because of the service.
Steak and Shake restaurants all have drive- through service, and it’s one of the few fast- food restaurants that are open 24 hours per day.
Bottom Line:
Steak and Shake’s food is average. They like to brag about the fact that the burgers are made with steak, but they are really not that great. I don't like the fries either, because they are cut too thin. I like the chicken, and the shakes are very good, but the remaining food is just average. It’s better tasting than other fast- food, like McDonalds, but not as good as some of the others, like Wendys. Personally, I don’t think it’s worth the additional 50% in cost to be able to sit down and have a waitress serve my fast- food.
Overall, Steak and Shake gets a marginal recommendation from me. I like the chicken sandwiches, and the hand- dipped milkshakes are very good, but the burgers are a letdown. I expect better tasting burgers, especially when a restaurant adulates itself so much, by promoting its superior "steak burgers".
Steak and Shake is a good place to visit from time to time, when you don’t feel like waiting in line to place your order at the counter. It’s ok, but not a place you will likely want to visit again and again.
Be Sure to Click the Links Below to Read Reviews of Other Full- Service Restaurants:
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Mexican
Chi- Chi’s
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Chipotle
Recommended:
Yes
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