57 Steak ‘n Shake restaurants to close

Steak ‘n Shake, which got its start in Normal in 1934, is closing 57 of its restaurants — about 10 percent of the total.

The company is blaming fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, which forced the closure of all of the restaurant dining rooms, according to the company’s first-quarter report to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

The report does not say which specific restaurants are closing, although it lists 51 as company-operated, with another six operating at franchises. Most of the company’s restaurants are located east of the Rocky Mountains.

A manager at the Steak ‘n Shake on South Halsted in the University Village neighborhood said Tuesday that there were no plans to close that restaurant.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected our operations and financial results,” according to the report, adding, the “pandemic could cause disruptions to our supply chain. Moreover, we cannot predict how the outbreak of COVID-19 will alter the future demand of our products.”