Step 1 - Preliminary Information
Submission of the online Preliminary Information Form.
Steak n Shake will match your qualifications and geographic preferences against our criteria and available geography. Qualified applicants will receive a full Application and Uniform Franchise Offering Circular (UFOC).

Step 2 - Application
Submission of the Application. Read, study and review the UFOC for at least 10 days and then sign and return the confirmation of receipt page attached to the UFOC, along with the franchise application. Steak n Shake will review your application and determine if/how the due diligence process should continue.

Step 3 - Initial Meeting
We will set up a face-to-face meeting with Steak n Shake executives to discuss your group's qualifications and geographical preferences. This meeting will most likely take place in your current city or in the area you wish to develop your restaurant and is a good time for you to get answers to your remaining questions about Steak n Shake and provides us with an opportunity to assess whether there is a good fit with the Steak n Shake equity. This step will include a job preview for the potential candidate. If we mutually agree there is a good fit, then we will want you to visit us in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Step 4 - Headquarters Meeting
We will invite you to visit Steak n Shake headquarters in Indianapolis to spend a day interviewing with Steak n Shake's senior executives. During the course of the day you would meet with all or some of the following individuals: CEO, Senior VP Operations, Senior VP CFO, VP Operations, VP Marketing, VP Human Resources, Senior VP Franchising, and Senior VP Real Estate.

Step 5 - Approval as Franchisee
With favorable interview results, you will be approved as a
Steak n Shake Franchisee.

Step 6 - Site Approval
We will visit your market to assist with a market overview and work you through the site selection process and approval.

Step 7- Franchise Award- Execution of Unit Franchise Agreement
A Unit Franchise Agreement will be signed enabling you to build, open and operate your first Steak n Shake Restaurant. A $40,000 new unit fee will be payable to Steak n Shake at that time and you will be awarded a Steak n Shake Franchise.