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):          July  28, 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  July  28,  2004,  The  Steak n Shake Company (the "Registrant" or "Company")
issued  a  Press  Release announcing its fiscal year 2004 third 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:  July  28,  2004




                                  Exhibit Index

Number  assigned
in  Regulation  S-K
Item                         Description  of  Exhibits
----                         -------------------------
(X)   99.1    Press  Release  dated  July 28, 2004, announcing fiscal year 2004
              third  quarter  results.





Exhibit  99.1


       THE STEAK N SHAKE COMPANY REPORTS FISCAL THIRD QUARTER 2004 RESULTS

           SAME STORE SALES INCREASE 6.3%, NET EARNINGS INCREASE 4.6%

     INDIANAPOLIS,  July  28,  2004  /PRNewswire  --  The  Steak n Shake Company
(NYSE:SNS)  today  announced  its  revenues  and  earnings  for the fiscal third
 quarter  ended  June  30,  2004.

Highlights  of  the  third  quarter  include:
---------------------------------------------

-     Total  revenues  increased  7.7%  to  $130.6 million versus $121.3 million
-     Same  store  sales  for  Company-owned  restaurants  increased  6.3%
-     Net  earnings  increased  4.6% to $7.4 million from $7.1 million last year
-     Diluted  earnings  per  share  were  $0.27  compared  to  $0.26

Net sales for the fiscal third quarter grew 7.6% to $129.6 million versus $120.3
million  in  the  same  quarter last year, while same-store sales increased 6.3%
from  the  same  period  a  year  ago.

Net  earnings  for the fiscal third quarter 2004 were $7.4 million, or $0.27 per
diluted  share compared to $7.1 million, or $0.26 per diluted share in the prior
year  period.

The  Company  continues  to focus on five key fundamentals which are linked in a
Virtuous  Cycle.  These  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 are encouraged
by  consumer  acceptance  of  our  new  Side  by Side  milk shakes, which helped
contribute  to our sixth consecutive quarter of positive same store sales.  This
trend is notable considering the strong comparison to third quarter results from
the  prior year. We invested in training and staffing to launch this new product
successfully  and  this  is  already paying dividends in strong sales momentum."

Mr.  Dunn  continued,  "In  the  third  quarter we continued to face significant
increases  in food commodity costs, primarily beef and dairy, that resulted in a
higher  cost  of  sales.  These  costs  were  partially offset by strong expense
control."

For  the first three quarters of fiscal year 2004, total revenues increased 9.6%
to $408.9 million compared to $373.0 million in the prior year, driven by a same
store  sales  increase  for  Company-owned  units of 8.7%.  Diluted earnings per
share  for the first three quarters of the year rose 12.5% to $0.72 versus $0.64
in  the  prior  year.

As  of  June  30, 2004, there were 416 Steak n Shake restaurants operating in 18
states, including 357 Company-owned restaurants and 59 franchised units.  During
the  quarter,  the  Company opened one new restaurant in the St. Louis, Missouri
market.  Subsequent  to  June  30,  2004,  the  Company  has  opened  three  new
restaurants  in  Peoria,  Illinois,  Dallas,  Texas,  and  St.  Louis, Missouri.


During the current fiscal year, the Company has opened thirteen new restaurants,
including  two  franchised  units,  consistent with previous guidance of opening
15-20  new  stores  in  fiscal  2004,  including  franchised  locations.

Based on results through the first three quarters of fiscal 2004, the Company is
reaffirming  its guidance for the full year of diluted earnings per share in the
range  of  $1.00  to  $1.04.  This  guidance  is  predicated  on commodity costs
remaining  stable  at  current  price  levels  and  continued  same  store sales
momentum.

Investor  Conference  Call  and  Webcast
The  Steak n Shake Company will broadcast its investor conference call live over
the Internet at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, 4:00 p.m. Central Time today, Wednesday,
July  28,  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  or  by  dialing  1-877-297-4509.

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

                                                   TWELVE          FORTY
                                                 WEEKS ENDED    WEEKS ENDED
                                                -------------  -------------
                                                  6/30/2004      7/2/2003       6/30/2004      7/2/2003
                                                                                 
                                                  (UNAUDITED)   (UNAUDITED)    (UNAUDITED)    (UNAUDITED)
----------------------------------------------  -------------  -------------  -------------  ------------
REVENUES
    Net sales. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $129,554,552   $120,348,440   $405,554,148   $370,168,267
    Franchise fees . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     1,072,392        920,086      3,335,778      2,827,188
                                                -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------
                                                 130,626,944    121,268,526    408,889,926    372,995,455
                                                -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------

COSTS AND EXPENSES
    Cost of sales. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    31,078,420     27,535,883     95,022,327     84,116,836
    Restaurant operating costs . . . . . . . .    63,097,306     58,454,340    199,530,025    183,472,715
    General and administrative . . . . . . . .     9,401,563      9,250,148     32,022,576     29,280,217
    Depreciation and amortization. . . . . . .     5,686,004      5,689,377     18,632,401     18,370,086
    Marketing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     5,365,982      4,270,375     16,766,903     14,135,871
    Interest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     2,942,780      3,127,195      9,925,948     10,351,655
    Rent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     2,152,591      1,936,308      6,686,627      6,307,498
    Provision for store closings . . . . . . .      (394,369)             0       (394,369)             0
    Pre-opening costs. . . . . . . . . . . . .       345,035        375,196      1,323,956      1,462,376
    Other income, net. . . . . . . . . . . . .      (390,687)      (429,662)    (1,415,508)    (1,505,893)
                                                -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------
                                                 119,284,625    110,209,160    378,100,886    345,991,361
                                                -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------

EARNINGS BEFORE INCOME TAXES . . . . . . . . .    11,342,319     11,059,366     30,789,040     27,004,094

INCOME TAXES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     3,925,000      3,970,000     10,775,000      9,674,000
                                                -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------


NET EARNINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $  7,417,319   $  7,089,366   $ 20,014,040   $ 17,330,094
                                                =============  =============  =============  =============

NET EARNINGS PER COMMON AND
 COMMON EQUIVALENT SHARE:
    Basic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $       0.27   $       0.26   $       0.73   $       0.64
    Diluted. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $       0.27   $       0.26   $       0.72   $       0.64

WEIGHTED AVERAGE SHARES
 AND EQUIVALENTS:
    Basic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    27,462,379     27,030,336     27,356,558     26,997,199
    Diluted. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    27,778,480     27,178,997     27,704,779     27,059,148















            CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION

                                                           6/30/2004
                                                                  
                                                          (UNAUDITED)     9/24/2003
--------------------------------------------------------  ------------  ------------
ASSETS
    Current assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $ 60,889,752  $ 39,255,997
    Property and equipment - net . . . . . . . . . . . .   368,716,677   360,878,710
    Leased  property - net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     3,690,258     3,721,063
    Other assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     4,910,103    10,779,813
                                                          ------------  ------------

    Total assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $438,206,790  $414,635,583
                                                          ============  ============

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
    Current liabilities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $ 65,835,849  $ 61,795,680
    Deferred income taxes and credits. . . . . . . . . .     2,721,135     2,897,887
    Obligations under capital leases . . . . . . . . . .   143,025,993   145,124,559
    Senior note. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    15,203,175    16,203,175
    Shareholders' equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   211,420,638   188,614,282
                                                          ------------  ------------

    Total liabilities and shareholders' equity . . . . .  $438,206,790  $414,635,583
                                                          ============  ============