In almost every household and for fast-food restaurants and offices alike, microwave ovens are considered an essential item. People use microwave ovens to quickly heat up various foods, but why is the American restaurant chain Steak’n Shake planning to remove all microwaves from its stores by April?
Steak’n Shake, headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, is a chain restaurant known for its American fast-food offerings, including steakburgers, hand-dipped milkshakes, and thin ‘n crispy fries. In a statement released on February 12 on its social media platforms such as Instagram, the chain announced its decision to remove microwaves, aiming to enhance food quality and adopt more traditional cooking methods.
“Fine dining does not require microwaves,” Steak’n Shake wrote. “This is one of our steps to improve food quality and uphold traditional cooking methods. Please enjoy real food.”
According to the chain’s statement, it is expected that by April 15, all Steak’n Shake stores will no longer use microwaves.
The restaurant typically offers a nostalgic dining atmosphere, affordable prices, and emphasizes quick service and freshly made dishes, often receiving good reviews on platforms like TripAdvisor.
In recent years, Steak’n Shake has undergone a series of reforms to make its menu healthier, including switching from vegetable oil to beef tallow at the beginning of 2025.
In March 2025, Steak’n Shake announced the switch from vegetable oil to beef tallow for cooking oil and posted on social media saying, “Steak’n Shake is honored to support MAHA and (Junior) Minister Kennedy! Vegetable oil, your days are numbered. We aim to lead the trend and make a change! #MAHA.”
U.S. Health Minister Junior Robert F. Kennedy thanked the restaurant for “its leadership role in the ‘Making America Healthy Again’ (MAHA) movement.”
Beef tallow is a favorite of Kennedy’s, who has openly advocated for food establishments to use beef tallow instead of what he calls “one of the unhealthiest ingredients in food,” vegetable oil.
Despite Kennedy’s support for beef tallow, some experts do not recommend it, including registered dietitian Kristina Cooke of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Cooke stated that she “does not recommend replacing vegetable oil with beef tallow.” She explained that while consuming small amounts of saturated fats is harmless, it can raise cholesterol levels and lead to metabolic syndrome and various cardiovascular diseases. “Most people consume too much saturated fats, not too little,” she added.
As a response to Kennedy’s MAHA initiative, Steak’n Shake began offering customers glass-bottled sugary Coca-Cola in August 2025.
“The U.S. deserves the best!” the restaurant wrote on Instagram when announcing the availability of Coca-Cola in glass bottles. “We will continue our journey with MAHA.”
(Adapted from a report by USA Today)