Ryan Winter, owner, opened his second Steak ‘n Shake in the Des Moines area on January 21 in suburban Waukee. The 2,750-square-foot restaurant is the first in the company to introduce Steak ‘n Shake’s redesigned, nostalgia-driven prototype.
Steak ‘n Shake – which operates 376 locations in 22 states — is the home of the Steakburger, extraordinary homemade milkshakes, and famous beef tallow fries.
Winter opened his first Steak ‘n Shake five years ago in West Des Moines.
The next generation design of the Waukee restaurant harkens to the franchise’s heritage store design and legacy reminiscent in many ways back to the classic 1950’s era. In addition to the iconic signage, the exterior also includes floor to ceiling dining room windows, tile work exterior walls, heritage black and white color scheme, and the addition of a themed drive thru experience coupled with latest technology digital menu board ordering system.
The restaurant interior greets guests with Steak ‘n Shake’s new old fashioned shake bar with nostalgic old mixer memorabilia and full “soda fountain” style back bar. Featured are Steak ‘n Shake’s full line of premium homemade milkshakes still served in the original frosted glasses topped with homemade whipped cream.
Inside the dining room, customers are greeted with a bright and welcoming layout to include a variety of booths, tables and chairs, and high-top seating options.
Other heritage touches include classic pendant lighting, heritage wall art including early Steak ‘n Shake newsletters, old store photos at each booth, and even a neon Route 66 sign reminding guests of the company’s 1934 founding along Route 66 in Normal, Illinois.