A Franchise Restaurant opportunity nearly seven decades in the making.

The first Steak n Shake  restaurant opened in Normal, Illinois back in 1934. Gus Belt, the founder of Steak n Shake, was a quality restaurant owner whos restaurant gas station called Shell's Chicken. Central Illinois had plenty of chicken and beer restaurants so Gus soon realized he needed to be unique and different, hence Steak n Shake was born.

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The "Steak" stood for STEAKBURGER™ sandwich. Gus would wait for the busiest time in his counter-only restaurant, wheel in a barrel of steaks (including round steak, sirloin steak, and T-bones) and grind the steaks into burgers right in front of the guests. There, food was prepared at a grill out front, not hidden in back – “in sight, it must be right” meant you could be sure food was made just the way you ordered it.

And it’s the same today – your food is cooked to order and delivered on china right to your table by friendly servers. It’s not nostalgia that’s kept us doing things this way for over 70 years. It’s just that we’ve always believed it must be right.

History

Since the passing of Gus Belt back in 1954, the Steak n Shake franchise has gone through many transitions which have greatly contributed to its immense success today.

In January 1969 Edith Belt sold Steak n Shake to Longchamps Inc., a steakhouse company from the East Coast. Longchamps then sold its majority stock interest to the Franklin Corporation in September 1971. Robert Cronin, as chairman of Steak n Shake, led an aggressive program to satiate the intense demand for Steak n Shake and the company grew to 130 units in 1975.

In 1981, Cronin sold his interest to E.W. Kelley and Associates. Because of his marketing acumen, E.W. "Ed" Kelley is considered the "modern day" founder of Steak n Shake. Under his direction, Steak n Shake began growing again in 1990, sparked by the knowledge that a successful brand must evolve in order to prosper. By the time of Mr. Kelley’s passing on July 4, 2003, the restaurant chain had more than doubled in size. Steak n Shake currently operates over 430 restaurants (45 of which are franchised) in 19 different states—a convincing testament to Mr. Kelley’s drive, wisdom and business skills.

Menu

Though we are best-known for our world famous steak burgers, we offer a diverse menu to satisfy a variety of tastes. Included you’ll find our signature melts, genuine chili, grilled specialties of spicy chicken and turkey club to tuna salad and fish fillets. Our home-style soups, gourmet salads and signature fountain drinks are always sure to please. And let’s not forget our large assortment of home cooked breakfast specials for those early risers.

Benefits of franchising

The benefits of franchising with Steak n Shake can't be duplicated:

• Proven Concept - Founded in Normal, Illinois in 1934, the Steak n Shake concept has withstood all types of economic circumstances and continually emerged stronger and stronger.

• Growing - Since 1996, Steak n Shake system-wide sales have grown from $268 million to $549 million. In the past decade, the chain has tripled in size.

• Huge, Untapped Development Potential - Steak n Shake currently operates over 430 restaurants in just 19 states. Looking ahead, we forecast that Steak n Shake has the potential to develop over 1,000 units nationwide.

• Unique Niche Positioning - There is no single offering that is a head-on alternative to our restaurant and drive-thru concept. Steak n Shake serves a distinct niche in the mid-scale, casual dining segment of the restaurant industry. With an average check of $6.57 per person, Steak n Shake offers a superior value to competing casual dining and family-style concepts. Steak n Shake restaurants are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and serve breakfast during breakfast hours.

• Core Products that Generate a Strong Loyal Following - The core of the Steak n Shake menu includes Steakburgers, thin and crispy French Fries, Chili, and Hand-dipped Milk Shakes. It is not unusual to meet a guest at a new restaurant opening that has driven 50+ miles to visit "their closest Steak n Shake."

• Product Development - Steak n Shake has a pipeline of new products that build on core products consumers love. Future innovations will include more milkshake innovation, burger news, and health conscious offerings.

• World Class Marketing - The Steak n Shake marketing is directed toward building brand loyalty and is not price-driven or reliant on low price discounting.

• Unparalleled Operations Support - A Steak n Shake Manager of Field Operations will help you open your restaurant and will be available for consultation with day-to-day operations. To help ensure a smooth restaurant opening experience, Steak n Shake will provide your first training hours via seasoned Steak n Shake trainers/staff. You will also receive our Operating Standards System, Manager-in-Training and Management Development Programs.

Liquid Capital Required: $500,000 min.
Net Worth: Minimum 1.5 million
Financing Assistance: Yes
Training & Support: Yes
Successful multi-unit restaurant or retail operations experience required