Steak and Shake Customer Service Issues

I have frequented the Steak and Shake on Montgomery Road in Cincinnati, Ohio for years, usually once a month. During my recent visit, a waitress with dark hair instructed my husband and me to sit anywhere but proceeded to ignore us. The contrast in service between her and the older waitress with short brown hair, who was working diligently, was stark. In frustration, we left without being attended to, despite my efforts to address the issue with the young waitress. Disappointed by the lack of management oversight, apparent staff indifference, and declining cleanliness standards, I have decided not to return and will caution my friends and family as well. Given the rising concerns regarding food safety, I believe it's best to prepare meals at home.

I went to the restaurant with my football team on Saturday for lunch. We had to wait a bit to be seated, and once we were seated at table 33, we waited over 25 minutes to be greeted by our server, Madison. Even though the food came out quickly, there were issues with our orders and drinks. The service was lacking as our server didn't follow through on requests, didn't bring extra sauce as requested, and disappeared during our meal. We had to ask for help from the bus boy, Berto, multiple times. Overall, the experience was disappointing, and I was unable to provide feedback as they didn't return our receipt. Giving 2 stars felt generous considering the poor service we received.

The service we received recently was extremely disappointing. It took 10 minutes before our order was taken, then another 15 minutes to receive our food. The server even mentioned she was sick and shouldn't be working that day. Afterward, she disappeared, and we had to ask another waitress for ketchup as it wasn't on the table. Despite waiting for 20 minutes without the waitress checking on us, we overheard her using inappropriate language while speaking to a colleague. Unable to order more food due to the lack of service, we resorted to using the Stake 'n Shake app, but unfortunately, the food we received was both incorrect and cold.

The quality of SNS restaurants in Kalamazoo, MI and Portage, MI has declined noticeably. Issues with food, customer service, cleanliness, maintenance, and overall experience are affecting these establishments. During recent visits, I have observed unclean tables upon entry, confusion among hosts regarding seating, incorrect orders with unwanted items like fries, delayed service for additional items like shakes and chili, and a shortage of staff leading to poor service. Managers seem absent or distant, adding to the disorganized atmosphere. The thick chili I requested seemed more like paste and was served in a less-than-full container. The absence of a visible cashier creates delays when settling the bill. Despite enjoying the food, the overall experience has become disappointing, making me consider removing SNS from my list of preferred dining options.

I received a complimentary birthday shake with a purchase, so I decided to buy another shake. However, I was not allowed to use it during happy hour, which was not specified in the offer. I find it frustrating that some companies do not honor their advertised promotions or coupons. I am considering sharing my experience on social media to expose companies that engage in such practices. It seems like legal action could be taken for misleading advertising. Customers should not be treated this way. The coupon did not mention any exclusions like happy hour, which I believe is deceptive.

My wife and I recently visited your Mattoon, Illinois location via the drive-thru. Despite only one car ahead of us, we waited for half an hour. Upon reaching the window, we encountered an employee arguing with others, suggesting issues with the drive-thru times. Our order was processed at 4:18 on October 24, [redacted]. The food we received had stale buns, a burnt burger according to my wife, and my meal was cold. After checking Facebook reviews, it appears this is a common occurrence at that branch. I hope this feedback leads to re-training as the staff did not display a good attitude towards customers. On a brighter note, we appreciate the great service at your Terre Haute, Indiana location. It's disappointing to see Steak 'n Shake's reputation tainted by a weak link at one site. -Curtis

Dear Community, I am currently a master student at Skema Business school in France, studying Business Development. Our team has an innovative idea to print fun facts on toilet paper rolls for different age groups and professions, as well as for hotels and restaurants. We would like to know your opinion on this concept and if you think it would be a good fit for establishments like Steak 'n Shake. Any guidance on who to contact for more information would be greatly valued for our research. Thank you! Kiki

Last Saturday, I visited the Steak n' Shake drive-thru at 3:40 pm. I experienced a wait time of over 30 minutes. Upon reaching the window, there was an additional 5-minute wait for two shakes and fries, which were not prepared yet. The unsalted fries were disappointing. When I mentioned my 30-minute wait to the worker, they indicated they were not allowed to inform customers of the wait time. Additionally, I had to remind them to take my payment. I contacted Steak n' Shake to address my concerns, and I was assured that someone would follow up with me, but I have not received any communication from them yet.

Last Saturday, I visited the Steak n' Shake drive-thru at 3:40 pm. I ended up waiting for over 30 minutes in line. Upon reaching the window, I waited an additional 5 minutes for my two shakes and fries, which were not ready. The fries I received were unsalted. When I mentioned the wait time to the worker, she said they couldn't inform customers about the wait. Moreover, she forgot to ask for payment, and I had to remind her. I called Steak n' Shake to complain, and they assured someone would contact me that day, but I have not received any follow-up yet.

During my lunch visit on 11-5-18 at 10 am, I was escorted to a table by one server. However, another older server reprimanded the young girl for seating me, claiming she was also a server. I believe the focus should be on providing prompt service rather than who seats the customer. Later, the same server instructed the young girl not to seat any more customers to ensure she could earn more money while waiting for another server to arrive. She justified this by mentioning the young girl's lower wage from working the drive-thru. I think discussing these issues openly on the sales floor while customers are dining is inappropriate. It made me feel uneasy and devalued, turning our experience into merely a question of tips. I hope such incidents are not a regular occurrence.

Tonight, my family and I had an issue at the Steak and Shake on South Hamilton Rd. We entered around 6:03pm hoping for a rare dinner out due to our tight budget. Although the restaurant wasn't crowded, we unfortunately experienced poor service. Our waitress, a young Caucasian female, only brought our drinks and then ignored us for over 30 minutes. When I asked some employees about it, they mentioned similar issues throughout their shift and even gave out free drinks to compensate for the service lapses. Feeling disappointed, we decided to leave and go to another restaurant. As a long-time fan of Steak and Shake, I was let down by the lack of attention and care we received. It's a shame that our evening ended this way, as I had hoped for a better experience for my family.

Store #[redacted] Review My family just moved to Tallahassee and we were loyal customers at Steak 'n Shake in Tavares. Despite driving over 40 minutes to get to this store, our experience was disappointing. We initially had a positive interaction with a kind young man who helped clean our table for our service dog. However, things quickly went downhill. Our waitress, "Myia W.," took our order at 4:30, but the food service was incredibly slow. My chili arrived around 4:55, and our main dishes arrived at 6:10, despite the restaurant not being busy. The waitress appeared confused, and the female manager on duty did not provide any helpful leadership. After many delays, we finally left at 6:26 after requesting the check multiple times. It even took several reminders to receive our complementary cookie. We used up our Gift Card and will not be returning to this location. This is our final visit. - Laurel James

On November 20, [redacted], around 11:15 PM, I visited the Portage, Indiana Steak 'n Shake with my family of seven. We were told to order takeout as it was close to closing time at 11:24 PM. Despite wanting to dine in, we were met with resistance. The employee mentioned we had to finish our meal quickly before midnight. When I asked to sit and eat after the tables were cleaned, she insisted only on takeout. She mentioned the manager was Charlotte. I felt disrespected and disappointed by the service received. I plan to report this incident and seek better handling of the situation to prevent such poor service in the future. It was an unpleasant experience, especially when I am a regular customer at Steak 'n Shake.

I visited the drive-through and ordered combo 4 with a milkshake. Three cars were in front of me in line, and I waited for 16 minutes before reaching the window. The employee didn't acknowledge the long wait or apologize. I received my hamburger and fries but had to wait for my drinks. Upon checking my order, I found the fries were cold and limp, the hamburger bun was hard and not warm, and I received a regular coke instead of diet. This experience at Steak and Shake on Haynes Bridge Rd in Alpharetta, GA, around 2:15pm, was disappointing. I usually treat myself to lunch once a week, and today was a letdown.

On Sunday, November 25th, at around 4:30 pm, I visited the Englewood Ohio Steak and Shake for a shake. Despite anticipating a short wait due to the busy time, it became frustrating. After being the next car in line for 15 minutes, the elderly woman ahead of me faced a long delay. When she knocked on the window after waiting for 22 minutes, a staff member rudely scolded her. The situation escalated, leading to honking from other customers. The service and attitude of the staff were unacceptable. I declined the melted shake handed to me and left. This is not the first negative experience at this location, so I will now choose Sonic. It would be beneficial for corporate to conduct a secret shopper visit to witness the poor customer service firsthand.

Tonight, I dined at the Ballwin, MO location with my daughter. There were four girls working, all gathered at the back of the restaurant chatting. Despite noticing us, they made no effort to assist. After a 5-minute wait, I approached them and mentioned the lack of service. One girl then instructed us to find our own seats. Disappointed by the poor treatment, I expressed that we would leave, but was met with dismissive behavior. As regulars at this location, we appreciate the attentive service when the store manager is around. Unfortunately, on occasions like tonight, the service and food quality suffer in the manager's absence. Due to this consistent inconsistency, we have decided not to revisit this Steak and Shake branch in the future.

Today, I visited Steak and Shake in Chesterfield Valley, Missouri at 12:20. Upon arrival, there were two waitresses and three cooks working. However, seven tables were dirty, causing a delay in seating. After 45 minutes, only three tables had been cleared. Additionally, a customer had to wait 20 minutes before being seated due to lack of attention from the staff. Despite being a regular customer who enjoys the food, I believe there is a need for better management to ensure customers are cared for. My wife and I ordered the four for four special, but we were not offered the cookies that were supposed to come with it. This has happened for the second time in two weeks.

Hello, I visited the Willoughby, Ohio restaurant last night. It’s rare for me to complain, but as a General Manager at a restaurant myself, I was considerably let down. The wait time in the drive-thru was excessively long, causing cars to leave behind me. Despite confirming my order twice, it was still incorrect. Even though the restaurant was not busy, my order was still wrong. Mistakes happen, but the main concern was the manager handling my bag without gloves. He touched money and then handled the food without proper hygiene. This was very upsetting and left me feeling disgusted. I didn’t eat the food and I suggest a hand hygiene training session at your restaurant. I appreciate your attention to this matter. Thank you.

I recently visited Steak and Shake in Indianapolis, at the Emerson and [redacted] location. I ordered a chicken with mushroom and Swiss sandwich and ate it in my car. When I went back inside, they were playing a song that I found inappropriate. I mentioned it to the assistant or manager, and she replied indifferently, saying she had no control over the music. I expressed my intention to report her for the disrespectful attitude. I suggested that the music choice reflected her taste rather than being selected by the management. In my experience, managers typically choose the music in establishments like this. If a customer is offended, it should be changed. The employee, a short black woman with braids working the drive-thru, was very disrespectful. I believe she should no longer work there. It's important to address these issues promptly.

I recently dined at the Steak and Shake in Apopka, Florida [redacted] after a long while. The restaurant is known for slow orders, but this time the food was quick. However, the customer service was lacking. My companion and I ordered parm garlic fries but received regular fries and were charged for both. Our waiter, Keeley, did not return after serving us our food, neglected drink refills, and failed to address the order mistake. The manager's handling of the situation was unprofessional. More attention needs to be given to customer service, even late at night. Despite the improvement in food wait times, I am disappointed and unsure about returning again. I hope to see better customer care as the next area of improvement.