A "gun-friendly" restaurant?

[JTHunter]

A couple of weeks ago, I posed a question to the managers of two local Steak & Shake restaurants. I asked them if they knew whether or not customers were allowed to wear their firearms in the restaurants in those states where it is legal. They didn't know and suggested contacting "corporate".
In trying to find out, the Steak & Shake website lead me to Biglari Holdings, a company that also owne Western Sizzlin' steakhouses. There I found a street address so I wrote to ask them. Here is that letter:

Sardar Biglari
Chairman of the Board & CEO
17802 IH 10 West, Suite 400
San Antonio, Texas 78257

Dear Mr. Biglari,

Recently, a manager in one of your Steak & Shake franchises was asked a question that he was unable (or unwilling) to answer. He suggested contacting corporate to try and find the answer.

In searching up the Steak & Shake website, there was no “Contact Us” option to be found. However, there was the link to Biglari Holdings, which also failed to have a “Contact Us” option, hence this letter.

In reading the information at the Holdings website, I came across this piece of information which may have a bearing on the question, particularly, the first two sentences.

III. Ethical Standards

A. Compliance with Applicable Law

Compliance with the law is essential to the Company’s ethical obligations. Covered Persons must obey the laws of the United States and of the states, counties and cities in which the Company conducts business. (emphasis added) While a Covered Person may not know the details of every rule and regulation to which the Company’s activities are subject, all such persons should know enough about the applicable law to know when to seek the help of a supervisor or the Company’s legal counsel.

Based on those two sentences, my question to you sir is, in the 49 States that allow either “Open Carry” or “Concealed Carry” of firearms, do your restaurants and franchises comply with those laws, or do you deny potential customers entry if they are lawfully armed? Remember, this applies only to those people that are already in compliance with the laws in their areas. Anybody intent on causing mayhem in one of your restaurants is most likely already violating the law in some fashion and no sign on the door is going to hinder them in any way.

I have no desire to see one of your operations in the news the way Luby’s Cafeteria in Killeen, Texas did years ago, but if your restaurants do deny potential customers entry on that basis, it makes one wonder just how well that “compliance” is actually followed.

I ask you again, do your restaurants allow law-abiding customers to bring their firearms with them or not?

Sincerely yours,

Last Friday, I got an answer. I scanned the letter and have attached it here for you to read.
I'm not quite sure what to make of it.
Steak & Shake reply.jpg

[jonmerritt]

That comes out as "If you are law abiding, welcome to our establishment"!

[Johnny Dollar]

That comes out as "If you are law abiding, welcome to our establishment"!

Agree. Sounds firmly in the green light zone to me.
A bit esoteric but they are saying ,carry on!

[armoredman]

They said," as long as your legal, it's copacetic, Jack". Of course, they used legalese to say it.

[cambeul41]

I don't see this a even slightly ambiguous. Follow the law and behave appropriately, that is all that they ask.

What I do not quite understand is why you brought up the subject in the first place. Carrying a gun is my default. I choose not to carry openly, but I conceal rather casually instead of being a "concealed means concealed" type. It does not occur to me to ask.

[JTHunter]

I don't see this a even slightly ambiguous. Follow the law and behave appropriately, that is all that they ask.

What I do not quite understand is why you brought up the subject in the first place. Carrying a gun is my default. I choose not to carry openly, but I conceal rather casually instead of being a "concealed means concealed" type. It does not occur to me to ask.

Cam - look at my "location" - I CAN'T carry a loaded weapon. We can only "container carry" which means a latchable container (such as a fanny pack) with the gun completely unloaded.
You can have the mag or speedloader in with the gun but no ammo can be in it.
Considering how close we came this year to getting legislation through the State House, and considering how panicky people get at the sight of a gun, I've started asking some local businesses their feelings on the subject.

[cambeul41]

JTHunter -

My apologies for being an inattentive reader. You are in Illinois and know perfectly well what the laws, and therefore the rules, are there. You were just curious about the Steak and Shake rules elsewhere. Am I more on target now?

Am I correct about the corporate response being clear?

[NEOKShooter]

Why do you not know what to make of it? It's pretty clear.

[armoredman]

Sorry, JT, only thing that says Illinois in your post is on the letter, and it's all by itself, assuming it's below where you whited out you address. Then if you can't carry legally, then the restaurant says you follow state law. When you guys get the law changed, they will either re-evaluate their stance or continue to honor the law as it will be.
I wish you best of luck!

[Chuck Dye]

I would not have asked, it being easier to get forgiveness than permission, at least the first time. That, and the question may draw unwanted attention to the issue.

The best answer I have heard to such a question was words to the effect of "It is our policy to not have a policy. We expect you to take responsibility for your behavior and be prepared to take the consequences, too." Works for me!

[Joist]

Sorry, JT, only thing that says Illinois in your post is on the letter, and it's all by itself, assuming it's below where you whited out you address...

armoredman: JTHunter's location is given just below his GRM username: Just east of St. Louis, MO.

East of St. Louis lies the Mississippi River, then Illinois.

[JTHunter]

Granted, we can't carry as others do, but there is what is known as "container carry". The center console of your vehicle qualifies IF it has a latch.
A "fanny pack" may qualify.
The bugger of it is that the gun must be completely unloaded with no ammo in the chamber nor magazine in the gun. The mag CAN be in the same location, just not IN the gun. "Speed-loaders" for revolvers are a bit different but the same rules apply.
You can read about it in the FAQ's on the ISP website. It's about 2/3 of the way down the page.
One of the reasons I wrote was that, as close as we came this year, as long as Quinn is in office, we're screwed.
I wanted to find out though what Steak & Shake's stance is considering other states where some carry is allowed. Several people on this site (and others) have posted info about other businesses that turn out to be anti-carry/anti-gun and I like Steak & Shake and was curious. I don't know where any are located in St. Louis so I asked the local ones. I was also hoping for member feedback from other states to see if they had encountered any resistance at those two restaurants.

[NEOKShooter]

I was also hoping for member feedback from other states to see if they had encountered any resistance at those two restaurants.

I never encounter resistance when I carry concealed. No one knows I'm carrying. It's concealed.

But no worries about me getting resistance at Steak & Shake. Although we agree about the RKBA we definitely disagree about hamburgers