Who founded Steak 'n Shake in Normal, Illinois?

Gus Belt founded Steak 'n Shake in Normal, Illinois. The restaurant opened in February 1934, when Augustus Hamilton “Gus” Belt converted his Shell’s Chicken gas station and restaurant into a hamburger stand.

Belt’s unusual selling point was the preparation of his burgers in view of customers. He wheeled in barrels of T-bone, sirloin, and round steaks and had them ground into patties, inspiring the slogan “In Sight, It Must Be Right.”

A common mix-up is confusing Belt with later owners or executives. His wife, Edith, continued running the business after his death in 1954, while later corporate owners moved the headquarters away from Normal. The original restaurant helped establish the chain’s steakburger-and-milkshake identity.