A downstate Illinois boy loves the Steak ‘n Shake as a Puerto Rican loves rice and beans, an Egyptian loves falafel, a Brit loves banger and mash, an Indian loves tikki ki chaat, a Swede loves herring, a Finn loves reindeer jerky, and a Canadian loves bran muffins. These matters do not involve taste. They involve a deep-seated conviction that a food is absolutely right, and always has been, and always will be. These convictions are fixed at an early age. I do not expect to convert you.
I remember the very first one–now a Monicals and many late night visits there and going back even further, curbside service.
Bran muffins?
One of the reasons I moved back to Springfield.
A Monical’s? Man, that place went downhill.
Steak and Shake is infiltrating the suburbs. However, I’ve not seen one in the city proper yet since I moved. Most of the local diners would probably throw fits if one tried to move in.
I remember my first experience w/ Steak and Shake. I was visiting you in Normal for the weekend and got food poisoning from a burger 🙂 There went our big biking plans!
I don’t hold grudges tho. there is one near by that I go to every once in awhile.
There are definitely a few in the ‘burbs.
I went to one a few weeks ago. Meh.
I prefer Culver’s. But I’m willing to give it another chance.
I thought Hardee’s was the official downstate eatery. You can’t swing a dead cat without hitting one, and the only one that I know of in the Chicago area (and I am not even certain it’s still there) is in the food court at 69 W. Washington, which houses the County offices, but is also connected via tunnel to the Thompson Center.
I always figured it got it’s business form homesick Springfieldians working at the Thompson Center.
I heard a commercial recently for them. It mentioned the bow ties of the staff and the leather boots. It got my attention, I was like, hmmm, I don’t remember them wearing boots, and boots don’t go with bow ties anyway. When I started to say it out loud to my partner, I realized that the ad man had said leather booths. The funny thing is my partner was thinking the same thing, leather boots, I never noticed them.
ps…what does it say when the most commented on post you have is about steak n shake 😉
Priorities. Though it does relate to Rod since he has a huge thing for Steak N Shake.
I actually like Hardees now, but hated it growing up. It was certainly nothing special. Mainly I remember it for roast beef then. I ate it in College because it was the only fast food in the town I went to. Hell, there were only a few restaurants at all.
What’s really amazing is my friend Mark hasn’t joined in the discussion–he used to work there. And did you know you can buy the bottles of peppers?
$1 a bottle.
We used to sell tons of those back in my waitering days, plus plates, hats…hell, one guy even offered to buy the lovely Steak N Shake apron I was wearing. Seriously. He offered me $10. I said “Screw that, $20. I mean this apron is a f***ing valuable thing. I won’t just give it away for nothing.”
So Rod really can love the place.
And Dan, that’s not the worst thing from Steak N Shake. I was on the way there when I got a DUI. That’s my fault, not Steak N Shake, but it’s a personal piece of trivia. And it was the original Steak N Shake I was going to.
Mark–everytime Jennifer and I go to Steak N Shake, I carry on the tradition and point out that you can buy the bottles of peppers. She seems to think the point gets old.