Updated February 2024! You’ll have to skip the shake half of this diner-style, fast-food restaurant hybrid. But the savory menu at Steak ‘n Shake holds quite a few dairy-free surprises, especially if you custom order. Our dairy-free guide includes various burgers, sides, and even breakfast options, along with a smattering of vegan eats.
Meal photo by @tastingsanantonio via Steak ‘n Shake Facebook
Steak ‘n Shake Dairy-Free Menu Guide with Allergen Notes & Vegan Options
Butter Note: The Liquid Margarine (used for grilling the meat and buns), Frying Oil, and Cooking Spray are all dairy-free, but do contain soy. They do top some of their burgers with real dairy butter, so make sure no real butter is used in preparation or as a garnish for your burger.
Fryer Note: Some fried items at Steak ‘n Shake do contain milk, and they may be made in shared fryers with non-dairy items, like their fries. Check at your location if concerned about potential cross contamination. Steak ‘n Shake uses a soy oil blend for frying.
Other Allergen & Dietary Notes: All items listed below are made without egg, peanut, or tree nuts, unless otherwise noted. Their burgers can be made without egg if you substitute egg-free sauce. They use soy oil for grilling and frying at Steak ‘n Shake, so soy oil and soy lecithin are found throughout their menu, including in most of their sauces. Steak ‘n Shake does not offer a gluten-free bun. You can order a burger without bun, chili, and/or fries. For vegan options, see the Vegan Menu Guide at the bottom of this post.
Burgers
- Original Steakburger – Single, Double, or Triple (no cheese, sub dairy-free bun) (contains egg)
- Bacon Steakburger – Single or Double (no cheese, sub dairy-free bun) (contains egg)
- Frisco Melt (no cheese) (contains egg)
- Garlic Steakburger (no cheese, no butter) (contains egg)
- Western BBQ ‘n Bacon Steakburger (no cheese)
Heads Up! As mentioned above, make sure they use the dairy-free liquid margarine, not real butter, when preparing your burger and bun. The savory seasoning for the burgers at Steak ‘n Shake is dairy-free. They only contain egg due to the mayo or sauce. You can omit it or substitute an egg-free sauce from below.
Dairy-Free Cooked Burger Toppings: Bacon, Caramelized Onions, Crispy Onions
Hot Dogs
- Steak Frank
- Chili Frank (no cheese)
Chicken
Heads Up! The Chicken Fingers at Steak n’ Shake do contain milk.
Kids Menu
- Hot Dog Meal
- Steakburger Meal (sub dairy-free bun)
- Kids’ Fries
- Applesauce
Heads Up! The Chicken Fingers at Steak ‘n Shake do contain milk.
Sides
- Thin ‘n Crispy Fries
- Genuine Chili
- Chili 5-Way (no cheese)
- Chili Mac
- Chili Fries (no cheese)
- Applesauce
Heads Up! The Onion Rings at Steak ‘n Shake do contain milk.
Bread & Buns
- Brioche Bun
- Knotted Bun
- Sourdough Bread
- Steak Franks Bun
Heads Up! The Steakburger Regular Bun, Wheat Bread, Biscuits, and Flour Tortilla contain milk. As noted above, make sure your bread is grilled with the liquid margarine or oil, not real butter.
Sauces & Seasonings
- Barbecue Sauce
- Buffalo Sauce (contains egg)
- Chili Mac Sauce
- Frisco Sauce (contains egg)
- Fry ‘n Steakburger Seasoning
- Garlic Salt
- Garlic Spread (contains egg)
- Ketchup
- Liquid Margarine (for grilling)
- Mustard
- Mustard Pickle Relish
- Reduced Calorie Mayonnaise (contains egg)
- Savory Seasoning (for Steakburgers)
Desserts
Heads Up! At this time, Steak ‘n Shake does not offer any vegan milkshakes, or any other dairy-free desserts.
Steak n’ Shake Vegan Menu Guide
- Thin ‘n Crispy Fries
- Applesauce
Vegan Bread & Buns
- Brioche Bun
- Knotted Bun
- Sourdough Bread
- Steak Franks Bun
Vegan Toppings
- Caramelized Onions
- Crispy Onions
- Dill Pickles
- Lettuce, Tomato, Onions
Vegan Sauces & Seasonings
- Barbecue Sauce
- Fry ‘n Steakburger Seasoning
- Garlic Salt
- Ketchup
- Liquid Margarine (for grilling)
- Mustard
- Savory Seasoning
This Post is for Informational Purposes Only
Menus, ingredients, kitchen procedures, management, food sourcing, and restaurant protocols are subject to change at any time. Always read the menu and discuss your dietary needs with the staff before ordering. Make sure they can accommodate your situation. This post is for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as advice.
There is always a risk for potential cross-contamination of allergens in any commercial kitchen. If cross-contamination is an issue for you, always speak with the manager to ensure that your meal can be safely prepared. Listings here do not guarantee that a restaurant is safe enough for your individual needs. Only you can make that decision.
Each location of a chain restaurant has different management and staff, and some might have different owners. This means differences in processes, ingredients used, menu options, and food sourcing can occur. Always verify the safety of your order for your needs at your current location.
Where to Find Steak n’ Shake
Steak ‘n Shake had a rough 2020, transitioning from a table-service to self-service model, while fighting to stay open 24 hours a day, seven days per week. They kicked off the year with 620 locations, but ended up permanently closing more than 82 of them. 2021 continued to be rocky, when an investment group tried to launch a takeover. But Steak ‘n Shake has remained steadfast. They still have over 400 restaurants open in the U.S. (primarily in the Midwest, South, West, and Mid-Atlantic regions), Europe, and Middle East. See their website below for addresses, hours, and online ordering.
Website: www.steaknshake.com