We recently visited a Steak ’n Shake location in south central Ohio to try the chain’s Liberty Meal, part of its promotions celebrating America’s upcoming 250th anniversary. The experience offered a mix of fresh, themed food and real-world service challenges common in today’s restaurant industry.
Steak ’n Shake launched the Patriot Milkshake earlier this year as an early tribute to the nation’s semiquincentennial. Available for $2.50 during much of 2026, the shake consists of vanilla ice cream topped with red, white and blue sprinkles, whipped cream and a dark chocolate Statue of Liberty piece. The July Liberty Meal deal priced two complete meals at $17.76 total. Each Liberty Meal includes a double grass-fed Steakburger, beef tallow fries and one Patriot Milkshake.
We upgraded to onion rings for an extra charge. The Patriot Milkshakes arrived first. They featured the expected red and blue sprinkles along with the small chocolate Statue of Liberty topper — a pleasant detail. The flavor struck us as similar to birthday cake or cheesecake and tasted good overall.
The burgers and fries came out fresh. We found the ingredients, including the pickles, to be high quality with noticeable freshness. We finished the burgers and did not detect a dramatic difference from the beef tallow used for frying, though the chain has promoted this change since early 2025 as part of efforts to improve quality and reduce seed oils.
Service reflected staffing realities. We waited about 30 minutes for the full order. The location used kiosk ordering with no table waitstaff, and employees noted they were working with only three people on duty. Staff stayed friendly throughout. While the food met expectations, the wait time made the visit feel less aligned with typical fast-food speed. For the price of two meals, we viewed it as a reasonable value without being exceptional.
Steak ’n Shake operates several locations across Ohio, including south central areas. The chain, known for its Steakburgers and milkshakes, has leaned into patriotic themes and quality upgrades such as grass-fed beef and beef tallow fries.
