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Steak 'N Shake Set to Serve Up Burgers and Shakes at First NYC Outpost

By Mathew Katz | January 11, 2012 7:06am
The original double cheese steakburger at Steak 'n Shake.
The original double cheese steakburger at Steak 'n Shake.
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DNAinfo/Mathew Katz

MIDTOWN — Look out, Shake Shack.

Steak 'n Shake, the iconic Midwestern purveyors of steak burgers and shakes, is opening its first Manhattan outpost Thursday.

Normally a sit-down restaurant serving blended milkshakes, burgers and crispy fries, the new Midtown Steak 'n Shake Signature location at 1695 Broadway near W. 53rd St. is an experiment for the company, taking a fast-food approach that suits busy Manhattanites on lunch break.

For the shake-obsessed, the restaurant is offering free meals for a year to the first 150 customers in the door when the new eatery opens at 10 a.m. on Thursday.

A spokeswoman said the restaurant does expect a line.

"There are a lot of consumers who grew up with Steak 'n Shake but now reside in New York City," said the company's chairman and CEO, Sardar Biglari, in a statement.

"We are reconnecting with them as well as introducing the brand to all burger aficionados who seek authenticity and distinction in quality and taste."

The restaurant's signature meal, the Original Double Cheese 'N Fries, won't see a price jump because of the move to Manhattan and will remain priced at $3.99. 

The new location will also serve a specialty burger not found at its Midwestern outposts — the Signature Steakburger, a 100% organic, 6-ounce steak burger made with cuts of rib eye and New York strip and served with fries for $5.99.

Burger-lovers counting carbs can also opt for a patty wrapped in lettuce served with guacamole.

The new burger joint, open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to midnight, will also serve a selection of wine and Brooklyn Brewery beers.

Steak ‘n Shake management said they hope to open even more franchised locations around the city, possibly making them a formidable competitor to the city’s homegrown burger spot, Shake Shack.

In a New York Times article on the new Steak 'n Shake, Shake Shack founder Danny Meyer admitted that the chain was the inspiration for his restaurants.

Edna Basnero, 44, from Ohio, said she grew up on Steak ‘n Shake and was looking forward to trying their fast-food spin-off.

“I’ll be here opening day,” she said as she was waiting in line to see "The Late Show with David Letterman" at the Ed Sullivan Theater next door.

“I might even show up early. I can eat a lot of burgers in a year — winning that might be worth waking up early.”