Updated Feburary 2022! 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.
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 hundreds of restaurants open in the U.S. (primarily in the Midwest, South, West, and Mid-Atlantic regions), Europe, and Middle East.
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.
Allergen Notes: 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. For egg-free, hold the mayo, and see our sauces below for which options contain egg. All of their dairy-free breads are made without egg. Steak ‘n Shake does not offer a gluten-free bun. You can order a burger without bun, chili, and/or fries, and for breakfast you can get hashbrowns, eggs, and breakfast meat without gluten. Peanuts and tree nuts are used in some of their dessert items, but are not ingredients in any items below.
Vegan Options: Realistically, the fries, hash browns, bagels, and toast with dairy-free dipping options or spreads are the only good vegan options at Steak ‘n Shake. They do not have a veggie burger at this time.
Burgers
- Original Steakburger (sub dairy-free bun) (contains egg)
- Bacon Lovers Double Steakburger (no cheese) (contains egg)
- Frisco Melt (no cheese) (contains egg)
- Garlic Double Steakburger (no cheese) (contains egg)
- Grilled Portobello Steakburger (no cheese) (contains egg)
- Jalapeno Crunch Double Steakburger (no cheese) (contains egg)
- Prime Steakburger (no cheese) (contains egg)
- Royale Steakburger (no cheese) (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, Portobello Mushrooms
Hot Dogs
- Steak Frank
- Chili Frank (no cheese)
Chicken
Heads Up! The Chicken Fingers and Chicken Bites do contain milk. It doesn’t look like they make chicken sandwiches anymore.
Kids Menu
- Egg, Bacon or Sausage ‘n Toast Breakfast
- Steakburger ‘n Fries (sub dairy-free bun and drink)
- Kids’ Fries
- Applesauce
Heads Up! The Mini Corn Dogs and the Chicken Fingers do contain milk.
Sides
- Thin ‘n Crispy Fries
- Genuine Chili
- Chili 3-Way
- Chili Mac
- Chili Fries (no cheese)
- Applesauce
Heads Up! The Onion Rings at Steak ‘n Shake do contain milk.
Breakfast
- Classic Egg Breakfast (with dairy-free items)
- Homestyle Breakfast (with dairy-free items)
- Kids’ Egg, Bacon or Sausage ‘n Toast (with dairy-free items)
- Bagel
- Farm Fresh Eggs (NOT cholesterol-free and NOT scrambled),
- Crispy Hash Brown Patty
- Shredded Hash Browns
Heads Up! The Scrambled Eggs at Steak ‘n Shake do contain milk, and are used in most of their breakfast items. The Pancakes and the Sausage Gravy (served with biscuits) also contain milk.
Bread & Buns
- Brioche Bun
- Knotted Bun
- Rye Bread
- 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
- Chili Mac Sauce
- Chipotle Sauce (contains egg)
- Creamy Peppercorn Sauce (contains egg)
- Frank’s Redhot Sauce
- Frisco Sauce (contains egg)
- Garlic Mayonnaise (contains egg)
- Garlic Salt
- Garlic Spread (contains egg)
- Grape Jam
- Ken’s Barbecue Sauce
- Ken’s Maple Bourbon Sauce
- Ken’s Tartar Sauce (contains egg)
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mustard Pickle Relish
- Pico de Gallo
- Reduced Calorie Mayonnaise
- Salsa
- Strawberry Jam
- Truffle Aioli Sauce (contains egg)
Desserts
Heads Up! At this time, Steak ‘n Shake does not offer any vegan milkshakes, or any other dairy-free desserts.
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
Their are around 500 Steak ‘n Shake locations in the U.S. See their website below for addresses, hours, and online ordering.
Website: www.steaknshake.com
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