Steak ‘n Shake, which has over 400 fast-food locations across the country, recently turned heads when it announced a major change at its restaurants.
Last week, the fast-food chain announced in a press release that it would be removing seed oils from its food, which requires altering the recipes of multiple menu items.
“We are working with our various suppliers to achieve this goal,” said Steak ‘n Shake in the press release. “Some changes, such as switching to the use of butter, will be implemented quickly. Others will take more time, such as altering the recipe of our buns, which contain seed oils.”
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Steak ‘n Shake’s fries, onion rings and chicken tenders will now be cooked in 100% beef tallow, which is seen as a healthier alternative to seed oils.
“The beef tallow has no additives, preservatives, or chemicals,” said Steak ‘n Shake.
The move from Steak ‘n Shake comes during a time when foods that contain seed oils, such as canola, vegetable, sunflower, corn, etc., have recently drawn scrutiny from consumers on social media for being overly processed and contributing to inflammation in the body.
Steak ‘n Shake employees preparing orders for customers.
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“Seed oils are chemically processed, which may include cleaning, pressing, bleaching, deodorizing, refining and, in some cases, adding a chemical solvent hexane for oil extraction,” said dietitian Julia Zumpano while speaking to Cleveland Clinic. “The processing of these oils strips the seeds of their nutrients and could potentially add harmful ingredients.”
Steak ‘n Shake’s new commitment to cut seed oils out of the picture even received praise from Robert F. Kennedy Jr., U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services.
“Steak ’n Shake has been great,” said Kennedy in a recent interview with Fox News. “We’re very grateful to them for RFK’ing the french fries.”
Steak ‘n Shake’s beef tallow fries still contain harsh ingredients
Despite now frying food in beef tallow, Steak ‘n Shake’s fries still contain harsh chemicals and seed oils.
In a recent Instagram video from health influencer Bobby Parrish, who visited a local Steak ‘n Shake to ask about the ingredients in the restaurant’s fries, he unveiled that the fries are pre-cooked in either soybean oil or canola oil, along with corn syrup, and are frozen before they are fried in beef tallow.
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According to Steak ‘n Shake’s website, here is the full list of ingredients in its fries:
COOKED IN RESTAURANT WITH 100% BEEF TALLOW OIL – NO ADDITIVES, PRESERVATIVES, OR CHEMICALS, INGREDIENTS FROM MANUFACTURER: POTATOES, BATTER MIX (MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, RICE FLOUR, CORN FLOUR, DEXTRIN, SALT, LEAVENING (BICARBONATE OF SODA, SODIUM ACID PYROPHOSPHATE, MONOCALCIUM PHOSPHATE). DEXTROSE AND/OR CORN SYRUP SOLIDS, XANTHAN GUM). VEGETABLE OIL (SOYBEAN OIL AND/OR CANOLA OIL), DEXTROSE. DISODIUM DIHYDROGEN PYROPHOSPHATE TO MAINTAIN NATURAL COLOR), WE HAVE MADE A COMMITMENT TO REMOVE SEED OILS FROM OUR RESTAURANTS. WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR VARIOUS SUPPLIERS TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL.
In the recent press release, Steak ‘n Shake said that cooking its menu items in beef tallow is only the “first step.”
“We are just beginning since manufacturers are currently par-frying these products with vegetable oil prior to freezing and shipping them to us,” said Steak ‘n Shake. “Making frying oil tallow again was just our first step. In the spirit of transparency, we will continue to update you as we pass important milestones on our journey.”
Steak ‘n Shake’s latest move aligns with a growing consumer trend
Steak ‘n Shake’s decision to move away from seed oils also comes during a time when the fast-food industry is struggling to attract customers. Fast-food chains such as McDonald’s, Domino’s Pizza, and Starbucks have recently seen a dip in sales.
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According to a recent survey from LendingTree, 78% of Americans view fast food as a luxury since it has increasingly become more expensive. Even 62% of Americans said they’re eating less fast food due to rising prices, and 56% said they choose to make food at home when they want an easy and cheap meal.
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Steak ‘n Shake’s decision to focus more on healthier ingredients could help it attract more customers as Americans are also increasingly becoming more health-conscious, a trend that took off after the Covid pandemic.
A recent survey conducted by the International Food Information Council found that 79% of American consumers said that they take into consideration whether or not a food product is processed when making a decision to purchase it.
Also, 63% of Americans say they avoid processed foods, while more than half follow a vegan, vegetarian, or plant-based diet in an effort to be healthier.
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