âť“WHAT HAPPENED: Steak ‘n Shake has started installing large American flags at its locations nationwide, aiming to display the tallest and largest flags permitted by local governments.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Steak ‘n Shake, President Donald J. Trump, former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) frontman Elon Musk, and Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX).
đź“ŤWHEN & WHERE: Announced on October 5, 2025, with installations ongoing across the United States.
đź’¬KEY QUOTE: “Every Steak n Shake is getting the tallest and biggest American flag that local governments will allow! Steak n Shake proudly supports American values and traditions.” – Steak ‘n Shake
🎯IMPACT: The move has ignited widespread support online, with notable figures like Elon Musk praising the effort, while reigniting debates over flag-related legislation.
Fast food chain Steak ‘n Shake has begun installing large American flags at its restaurants across the country, according to a company post on X. They stated, “Every Steak n Shake is getting the tallest and biggest American flag that local governments will allow! Steak n Shake proudly supports American values and traditions.”
The announcement quickly went viral, accumulating 6.4 million views and nearly 200,000 likes. High-profile figures, including billionaire Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, responded positively. “I’m ordering from there tomorrow!” Musk wrote.
Steak ‘n Shake, based in Indiana, operates 397 restaurants across 24 states and territories in the U.S., employing over 10,000 people. Notably, the move follows President Donald J. Trump‘s August 25 Executive Order, which directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to prosecute individuals caught burning or desecrating the American flag on related charges such as crimes against property and the peace, or incitement.
Trump emphasized the symbolic importance of the flag, calling it “the most sacred and cherished symbol of the United States of America,” and reiterated his administration’s commitment to prosecuting flag desecration, which he described as “the clearest possible expression of opposition to the political union that preserves our rights, liberty, and security.”
In Congress, Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) introduced the Make American Flags in America Act of 2025, aimed at ensuring that all American flags procured by federal agencies are manufactured domestically. Cruz highlighted that loopholes have allowed foreign-made flags to be sold as American-made, urging Congress to pass his legislation to close these gaps.
The flag installations have begun at Steak n Shake.
Every Steak n Shake is getting the tallest and biggest American flag that local governments will allow!
Steak n Shake proudly supports American values and traditions. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/w19csgwy5H
— Steak ‘n Shake (@SteaknShake) October 4, 2025
Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.
