8


                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                          Washington, D.C.  20549-1004

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934


Date  of  Report  (Date  of  earliest  event  reported):          May  4,  2004
                                                                  -------------

                            THE STEAK n SHAKE COMPANY
                            -------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)




                                                              
Indiana. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                 000-08445              37-0684070
                                          ------------------------  ----------------------
(State or other jurisdiction . . . . . .             (IRS Employer
of incorporation). . . . . . . . . . . .  (Commission File Number)  Identification Number)


36 S. Pennsylvania St., Suite 500
Indianapolis, Indiana. . . . . . . . . .                     46204
----------------------------------------  ------------------------
(Address of principal executive offices)                (Zip Code)




Registrant's  telephone  number,  including  area  code:     (317)  633-4100
                                                             ---------------





ITEM  12.  RESULTS  OF  OPERATIONS  AND  FINANCIAL  CONDITION.

On May 4, 2004, The Steak n Shake Company (the "Registrant" or "Company") issued
a  Press  Release  announcing  its fiscal year 2004 second quarter results.  The
information  in  the  Press  Release  is  attached  hereto  as  Exhibit  99.1.




                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant  to  the  requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant  has  duly  caused  this  report  to  be  signed on its behalf by the
undersigned  thereunto  duly  authorized.

     THE  STEAK  N  SHAKE  COMPANY



     By:     /s/  Jeffrey  A.  Blade
             -----------------------
             Jeffrey  A.  Blade,  Senior  Vice  President  and
             Chief  Financial  Officer


Dated:  May  4,  2004




                                  Exhibit Index

Number  assigned
in  Regulation  S-K
Item                         Description  of  Exhibits
----                         -------------------------
(X)     99.1    Press  Release  dated  May 4, 2004, announcing fiscal year 2004
                second  quarter  results.




Exhibit  99.1

      THE STEAK N SHAKE COMPANY REPORTS FISCAL SECOND QUARTER 2004 RESULTS

           EARNINGS PER SHARE INCREASE 16.0%, SAME STORE SALES UP 8.7%

     INDIANAPOLIS,  May  4,  2004  /PRNewswire  --  The  Steak  n  Shake Company
(NYSE:SNS)  today  announced  its  revenues  and  earnings for the fiscal second
quarter  ended  April  7,  2004.

Highlights  of  the  second  quarter  include:
----------------------------------------------

-     Total revenues increased 9.4% to $163.8 million compared to $149.7 million
      last  year
-     Same  store  sales  for Company-owned restaurants increased 8.7% over last
      year
-     Net  earnings  increased 17.1% to $8.0 million from $6.8 million last year
-     Diluted  earnings  per  share  grew 16.0% to $0.29 from $0.25 last year

Net  sales  for  the  fiscal  second  quarter grew 9.4% to $162.5 million versus
$148.5  million  in  the  same  quarter  last  year.  Same-store  sales  for
Company-owned  restaurants  increased 8.7% from the same period a year ago.  The
same-store  sales  increase  marked  the  fifth consecutive quarter that Steak n
Shake  has  reported  positive  same  store sales for Company-owned restaurants.

The  Company  continues  to  focus on five key fundamentals that are linked in a
Virtuous  Cycle  which  include:  developing effective field leaders, improving
associate  satisfaction  and  training, growing guest counts, improving margins,
and  expanding  the  brand.

Peter  Dunn, President and Chief Executive Officer commented, "We continue to be
encouraged  by  progress being made implementing the Virtuous Cycle.  During the
second  quarter we continued to invest in manager training to better support and
enable  our leaders and continued to focus on increasing associate satisfaction,
including  progress  on  training  initiatives and reducing turnover.  These
efforts,  coupled  with  strong marketing initiatives, including better consumer
insight,  new  product  news, local marketing and the continuing addition of new
television  markets, drove increases in guest counts.  The resulting strength of
same  store  sales  drove  labor  efficiencies  that  generated lower restaurant
operating  costs  as  a  percent  of  sales."

Net  income for the fiscal second quarter was $8.0 million, or $0.29 per diluted
share, as compared to $6.8 million, or $0.25 per diluted share in the prior year
period.

For  the  first  half of fiscal year 2004, total revenues increased 10.5% to
$278.3  million  compared to $251.7 million in the prior year.  Same store sales
for  Company-owned  units  increased  9.7% over last year.  Net earnings for the
first  half of the year  totaled  $12.6  million,  a  23.0% increase over the
prior year net earnings of $10.2 million.  Diluted earnings per share for the
first half of the year rose 21.1% to $0.46, versus  $0.38  in  the  prior  year.

As  of  April  7,  2004, there are 415 Steak n Shake restaurants operating in 18
states, of which 59 are franchised.  During the quarter, the Company opened four
new  restaurants  in the Dallas, Chicago, Rockford, IL and Columbus, OH markets.
For  the  first  half  of  the  year,  Steak  n  Shake  opened  nine new
restaurants,  including  two  franchised  units.  As  previously  reported,  the
Company  anticipates  opening  a  total  of  15-20  new  stores  in fiscal 2004,
including  franchised  locations.

As  a result of the strong same store sales, the Company will raise its guidance
for  the  full year, increasing its estimate of diluted earnings per share range
to  $1.00  to  $1.04  from  the  previously  issued  range  of  $0.98  to $1.02.

Investor  Conference  Call  and  Webcast
The  Steak n Shake Company will broadcast its investor conference call live over
the Internet at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time, 10:00 a.m. Central Time on Wednesday,
May 5, 2004.  Hosting the call will be Peter Dunn, President and Chief Executive
Officer, and  Jeffrey A. Blade, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial
Officer.  Interested  investors  and other parties may listen to a simultaneous
webcast of the  conference  call  by  logging  onto  the  Company's  website  at
www.steaknshake.com.  The  on-line  replay  will be available for a limited time
immediately  following  the  call.

About  Steak  n  Shake
Steak n Shake is a full service, casual dining restaurant serving a core menu of
its  famous  Steakburger  sandwiches, thin 'n crispy french fries, old fashioned
hand-dipped  milk  shakes,  chili,  home style soups, fresh salads, a variety of
desserts  and  breakfast.  All  of the food is prepared to the guest's order and
served  by friendly, well-trained associates.  Steak n Shake restaurants feature
full-service  dining  areas, counter service and drive-thru windows and are open
24  hours  a  day,  seven  days  a  week.

This  press  release  contains  various  forward-looking statements that reflect
management's  expectations  or  beliefs  regarding future events.  Investors are
cautioned  that  reliance on these forward-looking statements involves risks and
uncertainties.  Although  the  Company believes that the assumptions used in the
forward-looking  statements are reasonable, any of these assumptions could prove
to be inaccurate and, as a result, the outcome of the forward-looking statements
could  differ materially.  A list of the factors that could cause actual results
to  differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements are
contained  in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission,
such  as  its  annual  and  quarterly  reports.

Contact:  Jeffrey  A.  Blade
          Jeff.blade@steaknshake.com
          www.steaknshake.com
          (317)  633-4100






                                              THE STEAK N SHAKE COMPANY
                                    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS

                                                                                           
                                                                     SIXTEEN                    TWENTY-EIGHT
                                                                   WEEKS ENDED                   WEEKS ENDED
                                                          -------------
                                                            4/7/2004       4/9/2003       4/7/2004       4/9/2003
                                                           (UNAUDITED)    (UNAUDITED)    (UNAUDITED)    (UNAUDITED)
--------------------------------------------------------  -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------
REVENUES
    Net sales. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $162,483,948   $148,535,098   $275,999,596   $249,819,827
    Franchise fees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     1,306,221      1,137,072      2,263,386      1,907,102
                                                          -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------
                                                           163,790,169    149,672,170    278,262,982    251,726,929
                                                          -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------

COSTS AND EXPENSES
    Cost of sales. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    37,372,509     33,828,675     63,943,907     56,580,953
    Restaurant operating costs . . . . . . . . . . . . .    79,299,359     73,276,094    136,432,719    125,018,375
    General and administrative . . . . . . . . . . . . .    13,486,168     11,817,301     22,621,013     20,030,069
    Depreciation and amortization. . . . . . . . . . . .     7,393,649      7,362,835     12,946,397     12,680,709
    Marketing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     7,176,769      6,209,846     11,400,921      9,865,496
    Interest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     3,976,727      4,184,531      6,983,168      7,224,459
    Rent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     2,637,510      2,471,877      4,534,036      4,371,191
    Pre-opening costs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       599,033        459,157        978,921      1,087,180
    Other income, net. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      (511,135)      (592,818)    (1,024,821)    (1,076,231)
                                                          -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------
                                                           151,430,589    139,017,498    258,816,261    235,782,201
                                                          -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------

EARNINGS BEFORE INCOME TAXES . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    12,359,580     10,654,672     19,446,721     15,944,728

INCOME TAXES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     4,353,000      3,816,000      6,850,000      5,704,000
                                                          -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------

NET EARNINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $  8,006,580   $  6,838,672   $ 12,596,721   $ 10,240,728
                                                          =============  =============  =============  =============

NET EARNINGS PER COMMON AND
 COMMON EQUIVALENT SHARE:
    Basic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $       0.29   $       0.25   $       0.46   $       0.38
    Diluted. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $       0.29   $       0.25   $       0.46   $       0.38

WEIGHTED AVERAGE SHARES
 AND EQUIVALENTS:
    Basic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    27,401,944     27,011,227     27,311,206     26,928,998
    Diluted. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    27,804,115     27,019,027     27,673,192     27,007,785



            CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION

                                                             4/7/2004
                                                           (UNAUDITED)     9/23/2003
--------------------------------------------------------  -------------  -------------
ASSETS
    Current assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $ 45,355,311   $ 39,255,997
    Property and equipment - net . . . . . . . . . . . .   362,898,227    360,878,710
    Leased  property - net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     3,772,840      3,721,063
    Other assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    10,088,433     10,779,813
                                                          -------------  -------------

    Total assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $422,114,811   $414,635,583
                                                          =============  =============

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
    Current liabilities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $ 56,577,094   $ 61,795,680
    Deferred income taxes and credits. . . . . . . . . .     2,721,687      2,897,887
    Obligations under capital leases . . . . . . . . . .   143,977,564    145,124,559
    Senior note. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    15,203,175     16,203,175
    Shareholders' equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   203,635,291    188,614,282
                                                          -------------  -------------

    Total liabilities and shareholders' equity . . . . .  $422,114,811   $414,635,583
                                                          =============  =============