Steak 'n Shake — Restaurant in Florida

I was very pleasantly surprised by our first stop at a Steak 'n Shake. I expected fast food. It was like fast food (better, actually), only it was a sit-down restaurant. This place is decorated like a diner - red with stainless steel. The servers were very friendly. Ours addressed us as "Mister" and "Maam." When we asked for extra napkins, he pleasantly got more. He was a very courteous and attentive server.

The food was terrific. We ordered a couple of their steakburgers - the classic and the garlic double cheeseburger. They're thin fresh-made patties seared to crispy/juicy hamburger goodness... very similar to what you'd find at Culver's. Actually, this restaurant most resembled Freddy's Frozen Custard and Steakburgers - from the decor, to the burgers, to the fries and their own seasoning - it was almost identical to Freddy's.

Their thin fries were delicious as well. Steak 'n Shake offers their own seasoning (a Lawry's and pepper-like combination) that tastes great on the hamburger and the fries. They do offer Cajun or Parmesan or Vinegar seasoning on the fries for an additional charge. After trying the parmesan, I'd suggest just ordering your fries straight-up. It wasn't worth the upcharge to have some seasoning sprinkled on the fries.

The prices here were pretty unbelievable for a sit-down restaurant. They have a variety of meals (hamburgers, hotdogs, etc. with fries) for $3.99. Their shakes are great as well. We split a Heath and it was quite good. Don't expect a thick malt or Blizzard. These are shakes, and hence a bit milkier. You have to have a shake if you're going to Steak 'n Shake, and they have a variety of excellent flavors to choose from (Strawberry, Chocolate fudge, Butterfinger, and many more).

After our first trip to Steak 'n Shake I would...

I keep trying to give this place the benefit of the doubt because they seem to be short staffed or majority of said staff is elderly but my last several experiences have been so bad I honestly don't feel the need to return again. 1st: ordered a chicken sandwich and it was raw. I was pregnant, expressed my concern and nothing was done. Didn't return for a few months. 2nd: went with a friend and our kids for lunch. Waited 30 minutes for drinks, gave our orders. 2 full tables (4-6ppl each) were completely served before we saw any of our food. Server complained about being "overwhelmed" when she only had these 3 tables and the other server managed the other 4 small tables (2ppl per table, no one waiting to be seated or pay). Was given 10% off. Again didn't return for a couple months. 3rd: ordered dinner with a friend and our kids through drive thru. Did two 4-for-4s, a salad, a kid's meal and cheese fries. 2 orders of fries and the cookies in our deal meals missing. One of the burgers were under-cooked resulting in food poisoning. Called and spoke to a manager about rectifying the matter and was told to return for replacements and free shakes. This wasn't communicated with the other managers on duty and we were denied a portion of the replacement, they didn't even want to speak to the other manager and caused us to wait in the drive thru to speak with the one who made the deal with us. Not sure if he was just frustrated with already having to fully replace and inspect the replacement meals or if he was stressed from work since there was a line out the door to be seated and customers walking out from lack of service and refusing to pay, but we shouldn't have had to wait twice in the same night for a correction on a bad order. As said from my own experience, probably...

Look, I love and hate this place. Some days it’s great, but most days this place is sh**. 1) We ordered, (2 people, one frisco burger w/ chili cheese fries and a Wisconsin butter steak burger w/ fries) we then saw 3 groups get seated, orders taken AND their food came out before ours. It has now been a good 20-30 minutes since we ordered. 2) we ordered shakes. By the time we were finished with our food (another 20-30 min) we still have not gotten our shakes BUT we see these shakes sitting at the window for a good 15 min with no server touching them.

When we went up to the counter to pay, we told our server we never got the shakes. (It is not his fault. There was only two servers during a dinner lunch rush.) He apologizes then sees the shakes sitting on the window. He then realizes those were our shakes, but since he told the staff that they were to go instead of dine in when he gave us our food, he didn’t think they were ours. He then gives us these melted shakes. It was a bit obvious I was slightly displeased, so he took the shakes off.

I am a food manager. This is unacceptable. 1) only two servers during rush time 2) cooks in the back messing around and hugging, hitting, and slight rough housing (all of this means they are touching individuals) and none of them changed their gloves or washed their hands 3) back of the house staff not listening to the front of the house staff when it comes to simple instructions of what has changed to the order 4) the back of the house staff not cooking the orders in order. 5) trying to serve customers shakes / ice cream that is obviously, completely melted. 6) the employee lied multiple times to us about the shakes to make us not upset. Now, fair advice guys, we SEE everything in that place, there’s no use...