Steak 'N Shake Wasn't Always A Burger Chain — Here's What It Served First

Two things come to mind when you go to burger chain Steak 'n Shake: steaks and shakes. However, the fast food restaurant's origin story isn't actually rooted in either of them. Its founder, Gus Belt, originally started out serving fried chicken and beer out of a gas station in Normal, Illinois. However, selling chicken out of a gas station was already a popular idea — in fact, that's how Kentucky Fried Chicken got its start — so he pivoted to beef. 

He announced his new direction by way of a brilliant marketing stunt, in which he'd roll in a barrel of steaks right in front of patrons, and then grind them as they watched. It was from this moment on that hamburgers — nay, Steakburgers — became the focus of his business model. In 1934, he eventually outgrew his gas station food counter, bought out local fast food chain Goal Post, and transformed it into the first Steak 'n Shake.

Switching from fried chicken and beer to burgers and milkshakes proved to be successful for Belt, and soon he franchised his concept to more locations. The appeal of his fresh, steak-based patties filled restaurants, and so he added curbside service to fulfill the demand. In Peoria, Illinois, he even made deliveries to boat docks.

Belt passed away in 1954, then his wife Edith took the reins for 15 more years to keep the business thriving. In 1969, Steak 'n Shake was sold to the Longchamps corporation, and over the decades the chain became a business commodity that passed ownership from the Franklin Corporation in 1971, to Kelley and Associates in 1981. In a 2008 proxy fight, investor and CEO Sardar Biglari took control of the company, with the chain being consolidated into Biglari Holdings Inc. as of 2010. As of this writing, the chain now has 392 locations across 293 cities in the United States, according to ScrapeHero.

Business expansion aside, the menu also expanded over the years. However, the most significant beef upgrade came attached to potatoes. In 2025, the chain ditched vegetable oil to deep fry its beloved shoestring fries in beef tallow. 

In its 92 year history with beef, Steak 'n Shake has thrived with its burger and milkshake model, appeasing fans and even inspiring the founding of Shake Shack. However, those who are old enough to be nostalgic for the days before Belt ground steaks can order the fried chicken fingers.