Steak ‘n Shake, best known for its Steakburgers, signature thin patties and hand-dipped milkshakes, recently announced a ban on all microwaves across its 390 restaurants in the US. The streetside multi-cuisine restaurant, with its focus on high-quality, cooked-to-order food, has already begun to ditch the “ping” from its kitchens and expects to be completely microwave-free by April 15 this year.
Sharing the announcement on X, the fast-food chain wrote, "Steak n Shake is removing all microwaves from its restaurants. We expect every unit to be microwave-free by April 15. Quality restaurants don't need microwaves."
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The note continued, "It is part of our journey to improve food quality and use traditional methods of cooking only,” pointedly adding that the restaurant chain only focuses on “Eat Real Food."
Why Steak ‘n Shake Banned All Microwaves From Restaurants
The recent move has come into effect after taking several factors into account, especially statements by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins. As more Americans become conscious of simpler recipes and farm-fresh ingredients, Robert and Brooke emphasised prioritising whole, minimally processed foods instead of relying on microwavable, ultra-processed meals.
California chef and restaurateur Andrew Gruel also questioned why the restaurant chain was still using microwaves. “If they (Steak ‘n Shake) are for a one-off scenario, then I get it, but were they cooking their food in a microwave?” Gruel told Fox News Digital.
Andrew, however, also revealed that he keeps a microwave in his restaurants' kitchens and explained the reason behind it. “Staff uses it for their food sometimes,” he said, adding, “It's good for melting chocolate, making certain desserts, juicing limes. There are lots of tricks.”
In addition to this, a systematic review titled “Microwave Radiation and the Brain,” published in the National Library of Medicine in 2022, highlighted some health concerns related to using microwaves in food processing. “Microwaves can damage the brain (one of the two key components of the human CNS), particularly affecting the neurotransmitters which play an important role in passing signals inside the body,” researchers claimed.
They, however, also revealed that microwaves are “extremely useful in the medical field” – citing examples of tumour detection.
Previous Changes By Steak ‘n Shake
This is not the first time the restaurant chain has made changes to its food, prioritising quality over quantity.
In December 2025, it also switched to A2 milk, a few days ahead of President Donald Trump's administration's push to promote whole milk. FYI: Donald Trump signed the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act into law in January this year.
“Quality Alert: We are changing our Milk and Chocolate Milk to a2 starting December 1. Why a2 Milk? Easier on digestion—may help some avoid discomfort. From cows that only produce A2 type protein. Cows that are never treated with growth hormone rBST. We continue on our journey to improve quality,” Steak ‘n Shake wrote while announcing the same on its official X handle.
Last year, Steak ‘n Shake also transitioned to using 100% all-natural beef tallow for cooking, eliminating seed oils in its restaurants.