Middletown Steak ‘n Shake closure latest woe for restaurant chain in Butler County

The closure of the Steak ‘n Shake restaurant in Middletown due to hundreds of health code violations is only the latest woe in the area for the Indianapolis-based restaurant chain.

On Tuesday, the Middletown City Board of Health suspended the food service license at the restaurant located at 3170 Towne Blvd. for repeated multiple violations covering 21 inspections between July 2017 and March 2019. The suspension was issued following an appeal hearing before the health board.

The restaurant racked up 296 violations, including 36 critical violations. The suspension is until April 23 and the restaurant will be required to have written permission from the health board before it can reopen. The violations ranged from unsanitary conditions to serving food that was not cooked enough.

A message was left for comment at Steak ‘n Shake’s corporate offices.

If the restaurant fails to comply with requirements for reopening, it could lead to a further suspension or revocation of its food service license.

MORE: Steak ‘n Shake closes 2 Butler County locations until franchisee can be found

Last month, company officials said store closings in Hamilton, West Chester Twp., Deerfield Twp. and other communities were temporary as the burger chain transitions from corporate-owned to franchise-operated restaurants. Steak ‘n Shake closed its restaurants in Hamilton and West Chester on Jan. 25 and posted “closed for remodeling” signs.

Company officials told the Journal-News those closed restaurants would re-open under new franchise ownership, but no specific date is available at this time.

“The timing is based on when we have a franchise partner to run the unit,” Judy Kadylak, senior vice president for marketing at Steak ‘n Shake, told this news outlet.

MORE: Steak ‘n Shake says restaurant shutdowns here and elsewhere are temporary

The 621-unit Steak ‘n Shake chain operates 12 restaurants in the southwest Ohio counties of Butler, Warren, Hamilton and Clermont counties. There are now 11 area restaurants that are temporarily closed.

In August 2018, the 621-unit Steak ‘n Shake chain announced it would offer potential franchise partners who pay $10,000 and who commit to a six-month training program the chance to own what is now a corporate-operated Steak ‘n Shake restaurant.

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