When my wife and I moved to Rockford, IL in 1998, one of the first signs to welcome us as we drove in from Belvidere was a Beef-a-Roo sign. “Beef ... with Cheese”, the marquee proclaimed, almost as if this were something unusual. Not much earlier, I was joking with my wife about a fellow at work who declined a Snapple drink at an Hewlett-Packard session, joking “I don’t want a Cheese Snapple”, simultaneously making fun of what then was Snapple’s dizzying array of flavored drinks and the tendency of adding cheese to everything on the menu. That’s why I still remember that midwestern welcome.
Anyway, Beef-A-Roo’s burgers and fries are pedestrian. The beef sandwich is a level above Culver’s and two above Arby’s but below any real delicatessen. The cheese is as pictured, depending on taste either disgusting or a guilty pleasure.
I don’t see them making it nationwide, as Culver’s expansion in the Southwest continues, Jack-in-the-Box everywhere, and lots of non-beef alternatives compete for the fast food dollar.
The big loser might be Steak ‘n Shake, which is too bad as their burgers are better, especially their Wisconsin Butter Burger, but the service is abysmal at all locations.
Our local Steak n Shake has great service in Florida.
“ The big loser might be Steak ‘n Shake, which is too bad as their burgers are better, especially their Wisconsin Butter Burger, but the service is abysmal at all locations.”
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Here in Woodstock, GA our Steak ‘n Shake has awesome service and always has a good amount of customers and during peak hours a wait.
I went to a Shake and Steak yesterday, the first time since Wuhan hit. They no longer have waitresses but have kiosks to order and pay for what you want. Credit & Debit cards, no cash, or at least I didn’t see cash as an option. Their double steak burger was still good.
If I want a fresh hot burger, I go to Culvers. Everywhere else here in Freeport, you don’t know how long the burger has been sitting there
I ask Beef-A-Roo where is the tomato?