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):          November 12, 2003
                                                               -----------------

                            THE STEAK n SHAKE COMPANY
                            -------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                   Indiana          000-08445          37-0684070
                   -------          ---------          ----------
             (State  or  other    (Commission  File   (IRS  Employer
              jurisdiction of      Number)             Identification Number)
              incorporation)


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  November 12, 2003, The Steak n Shake Company (the "Registrant" or "Company")
issued  a  Press  Release  announcing  its  fourth  quarter and fiscal year 2003
results.  The  information  in  the  Press Release is attached hereto as Exhibit
99.1.

The Company has included the non-GAAP financial measure of adjusted net earnings
and  adjusted  diluted  earnings  per  share in the Press Release.  Adjusted net
earnings consists of net earnings adjusted for the provision for store closings.
The  Company  believes  adjusted  net earnings and adjusted diluted earnings per
share  are  measures  that  should  be  presented in addition to net earnings as
determined  in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP")
because  they  provide  useful  measures of comparing ongoing operations between
past,  current,  and  future  periods.  Additionally,  the  Company believes the
provision  for  store closings is unusual in nature, and would not be indicative
of  ongoing  operating  results.

A  reconciliation  of  adjusted  net earnings to net earnings in accordance with
GAAP  is  as  follows:



                                                          TWELVE WEEKS ENDED            YEAR ENDED

                                                         9/24/03     9/25/02      9/24/03      9/25/02
                                                                                 
Net earnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $3,609,041  $5,947,243  $20,939,135  $23,089,208
Provision for restaurant closings, net of income taxes   3,360,000           -    3,360,000            -
Adjusted net earnings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $6,969,041  $5,947,243  $24,299,135  $23,089,208
                                                        ==========  ==========  ===========  ===========





A  reconciliation of adjusted diluted earnings per share to diluted earnings per
share  in  accordance  with  GAAP  is  as  follows:




                                                        TWELVE WEEKS ENDED     YEAR ENDED

                                                        9/24/03   9/25/02   9/24/03   9/25/02
                                                                          
Net earnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $    .13  $    .22  $    .77  $    .83
Provision for restaurant closings, net of income taxes       .13         -       .13         -
Adjusted net earnings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $    .26  $    .22  $    .90  $    .83
                                                        ========  ========  ========  ========







                                   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/  James  W.  Bear
             --------------------
             James  W.  Bear,  Senior  Vice  President
             and  Chief  Financial  Officer


Dated:  November  12,  2003




                                  Exhibit Index

Number  assigned
in  Regulation  S-K
Item                         Description  of  Exhibits
----                         -------------------------

(__) 99.1  Press  Release,  dated  November  12,  2003,  announcing fourth
           quarter  and  fiscal  year  2003  results.








Exhibit  99.1


THE  STEAK  N  SHAKE  COMPANY
REPORTS  ITS  FISCAL  YEAR  2003  RESULTS.


     INDIANAPOLIS,  November  12,  2003  -  The Steak n Shake Company (NYSE:SNS)
                                                                            ----
reported today its revenues and earnings for the full fiscal year (FY 2003 ended
September  24,  2003)  and  for  the  fiscal  Fourth  Quarter.

Highlights  of  the  year  and  fiscal  Fourth  Quarter  are:

-     Same  store  sales  increased  4.9%  for the year and 12.4% for the Fourth
Quarter.

-     System-wide  sales  increased  8.2%  for  the  year  to  $592,599,961  and
increased  15.0%  to  $150,046,385  for  the  Fiscal  Fourth  Quarter.

-     Revenues  for  the  Fiscal  Year increased 8.7% to $499,103,555 and Fourth
Quarter  revenues  increased  15.1%  to  $126,108,100.

The Company identified nine under-performing restaurants to close and recorded a
provision  for restaurant closings of $5,200,000 ($3,360,000 net of income taxes
or $.13 per diluted share.)  Because of this event, Net Earnings for the Quarter
were  $3,609,041  and  $20,939,135 for the year.  Diluted Earnings per share for
the Quarter were $.13 and $.77 for the year.  While the chain experienced record
growth  for the year, these nine restaurants did not perform to expectations due
to  trade  area  changes,  location challenges or physical facility issues.  The
potential  for these closings was reported in July 2003.  The Company determined
that  it  is  in  the  long-term best interest of the shareholders to decisively
discontinue operations in these restaurants that represent less than 1% of total
sales.

Closing  these  restaurants is the result of the Company's increased emphasis on
ensuring  that  every asset earns more than the cost of capital.  As a result of
this  decision,
on-going  Earnings,  Cash Flow and Return on Assets are expected to improve.  In
addition,  management will be able to focus more on assets with higher potential
as  well  as  on  future  growth.



Net  Earnings, exclusive of the provision for restaurant closings ("Adjusted Net
Earnings"),  were  $6,969,041  for  the  Quarter  and  $24,299,135 for the year.
Adjusted  Diluted  Earnings per share for the Quarter were $.26 and $.90 for the
year.  The  Company  believes  that  Adjusted  Net Earnings and Adjusted Diluted
Earnings  per  share are Non-GAAP financial measures that should be presented in
addition  to Net Earnings and Diluted Earnings per share in accordance with GAAP
because  they  provide  useful measures of comparing on-going operations between
past,  current  and  future  periods.  In  addition,  the  Company  believes the
provision  for restaurant closings is unusual in nature and is not indicative of
ongoing  operating  results.

After adjustments for the provision for store closings, the Non-GAAP results are
as  follows:

-     Adjusted  Net  Earnings  for the Fourth Quarter were $6,969,041, a gain of
17.2%,  and  Adjusted  Diluted  Earnings  per  share were $.26, a gain of 18.2%.

-     Adjusted  Net  Earnings  for  Fiscal Year 2003 were $24,299,135, a gain of
5.2%,  and  Adjusted  Diluted  Earnings  per  share  were  $.90, a gain of 8.4%.


The  increasing  momentum  of same store sales and earnings versus prior year is
based  in  large  part on the progress the Company has made on five key business
fundamentals.

-     Supporting  and  Enabling  Effective  Field  Leadership

-     Improving  Associate  Satisfaction  and  Training

-     Growing  Guest  Counts

-     Continually  Improving  Margins

-     Expanding  the  Brand

Progress continues in reducing management turnover and in meeting staffing goals
to  support  both  current  operations  and  future  expansion.

Progress  has  been  made  in improving associate satisfaction through increased
training,  enhanced benefit offerings, and associate involvement in the planning
process,  which  have  all  contributed  to  turnover  reduction.

Guest  counts  have grown progressively throughout the Year due to optimized and
integrated marketing programs via consumer research, new products like the three
new  Milk  Shakes,  new  television  marketing  and  credit  card  acceptance.

Once  new  guests  visited,  their  experiences  were  faster and friendlier via
improved  service  execution  as  evidenced  by  expanded  guest  satisfaction
measurements.

The  significant  growth in guest counts for the Quarter and Year were fueled by
investments  in  incremental  marketing,  consumer  research,  credit  card
availability,  field  bonuses,  mystery  shopping,  training  and  new  market
development.  In  FY 2004, the Company will continue investing in associates and
guests.  The  forward looking Earnings objective for Fiscal Year 2004 is between
$.98  and  $1.02  Diluted  Earnings  per  share.

As  of  September 25, 2002, there were 404 Steak n Shake restaurants of which 56
were  franchised.  As  of  September  24,  2003,  there  were  413 Steak n Shake
restaurants  of  which  57  were  franchised.  Subsequent  to the expected store
closings,  there  will  be  410  Steak  n  Shake  restaurants  of  which  58 are
franchised.  This  estimate includes three Company restaurants and one franchise
restaurant  that  have  opened  since  the  beginning of FY 2004.  This does not
include  the  three  Company  restaurants  that  were razed and rebuilt at their
current  locations during Fiscal Year 2003.  In Fiscal 2004, the Company expects
to  open  15-20  restaurants,  of  which  several  will  be franchise locations.

To  date,  the Company has purchased about 3,400,000 shares as authorized by its
4,000,000  Share  Stock Repurchase program.  No additional shares were purchased
in  the  Fourth  Quarter.

Steak n Shake is a full service, casual dining restaurant serving a core menu of
its  famous  Steakburgers,  thin  'n  crispy  French  Fries  and  old  fashioned
hand-dipped  Milk  Shakes.  Menu variety includes sandwiches, such as the Turkey
Melt  and  the Grilled Chicken Breast, as well as 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.  Restaurants  are  open  24  hours  a  day,  seven  days  a  week.

This press release contains various "forward looking statements" which represent
the  company's  expectations or beliefs concerning future events.  Investors are
cautioned  that  reliance  on  "forward  looking  statements" involves risks and
uncertainties,  and  although the Company believes that the assumptions on which
the "forward looking statements" contained herein are based, are reasonable, any
of these assumptions could prove to be inaccurate and, as a result, the "forward
looking  statements"  based  upon  those  assumptions  also  could be incorrect.
Investors  are  referred  to  the  full  discussion  of  risk  and uncertainties
associated  with "forward looking statements" contained in the company's filings
with  the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission.

Contact:     Victor  F.  Yeandel
          Vic.yeandel@steaknshake.com
          ---------------------------
          www.steaknshake.com
          -------------------
          (317)  633-4100


                                                                              11





                                         THE STEAK N SHAKE COMPANY
                                    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS

                                                         TWELVE                         YEAR
                                                       WEEKS ENDED                      ENDED
                                                       -----------                      -----
                                                  9/24/2003     9/25/2002      9/24/2003      9/25/2002

                                                 (UNAUDITED)   (UNAUDITED)
                                                ------------  -------------   -------------  -------------
                                                                                  
REVENUES
    Net sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $125,108,570   $108,719,354   $495,276,837   $455,359,393
    Franchise fees. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       999,530        846,372      3,826,718      3,655,070
                                                 -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------
                                                  126,108,100    109,565,726    499,103,555    459,014,463
                                                 -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------

COSTS AND EXPENSES
    Cost of sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    29,379,202     24,893,843    113,496,038    105,325,485
    Restaurant operating costs. . . . . . . . .    62,051,457     53,275,602    245,524,172    222,433,486
    General and administrative. . . . . . . . .     8,628,230      7,564,883     37,908,447     34,214,802
    Depreciation and amortization . . . . . . .     5,828,761      5,617,143     24,169,474     23,095,399
    Marketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     4,720,613      3,814,735     18,856,484     16,062,012
    Interest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     3,286,191      3,432,175     13,390,635     14,072,120
    Rent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     1,724,890      1,507,513      8,308,972      7,407,722
    Provision for store closings. . . . . . . .     5,200,000              0      5,200,000              0
    Pre-opening costs . . . . . . . . . . . . .       426,668        719,940      1,889,044      2,212,381
    Other income, net . . . . . . . . . . . . .      (557,953)      (471,851)    (2,063,846)    (1,853,152)
                                                 -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------
                                                  120,688,059    100,353,983    466,679,420    422,970,255
                                                 -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------

EARNINGS BEFORE INCOME TAXES. . . . . . . . . .     5,420,041      9,211,743     32,424,135     36,044,208

INCOME TAXES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     1,811,000      3,264,500     11,485,000     12,955,000
                                                 -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------


NET EARNINGS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $  3,609,041   $  5,947,243   $ 20,939,135   $ 23,089,208
                                                 =============  =============  =============  =============

NET EARNINGS PER COMMON AND
 COMMON EQUIVALENT SHARE:
    Basic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $       0.13   $       0.22   $       0.78   $       0.83
    Diluted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $       0.13   $       0.22   $       0.77   $       0.83

WEIGHTED AVERAGE SHARES
 AND EQUIVALENTS:
    Basic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    27,052,774     27,276,383     27,010,024     27,814,485
    Diluted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    27,279,788     27,447,387     27,110,065     27,985,911



CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION


                                                    9/24/2003      9/25/2002
                                                 -------------  -------------
ASSETS
    Current assets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $ 39,255,997   $ 18,627,724
    Property and equipment - net. . . . . . . .   360,878,710    359,721,706
    Leased  property - net. . . . . . . . . . .     3,721,063      4,079,558
    Other assets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    10,779,813     13,466,001
                                                 -------------  -------------

    Total assets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $414,635,583   $395,894,989
                                                 =============  =============

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
    Current liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . .  $ 61,640,791   $ 50,291,476
    Deferred income taxes and credits . . . . .     2,897,887      5,599,138
    Obligations under capital leases. . . . . .   145,124,559    148,531,256
    Senior note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    16,203,175     24,418,571
    Shareholders' equity. . . . . . . . . . . .   188,769,171    167,054,548
                                                 -------------  -------------

    Total liabilities and shareholders' equity.  $414,635,583   $395,894,989
                                                 =============  =============




            A RECONCILIATION OF ADJUSTED NET EARNINGS TO NET EARNINGS
                     IN ACCORDANCE WITH GAAP IS AS FOLLOWS:

FY  2003  GAAP  -  NON-GAAP  NET  EARNINGS  RECONCILIATION




                                                            TWELVE WEEKS ENDED           YEAR ENDED

                                                           9/24/03      9/25/02      9/24/03      9/25/02
                                                         -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
                                                                                    
Net Earnings (GAAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $3,609,041   $5,947,243   $20,939,135  $23,089,208
Provision for restaurant closings, net of income taxes.   3,360,000            -     3,360,000            -
                                                         -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
Adjusted Net Earnings (Non-GAAP). . . . . . . . . . . .  $6,969,041   $5,947,243   $24,299,135  $23,089,208
                                                         ===========  ===========  ===========  ===========

Adjusted Net Earnings increase. . . . . . . . . . . . .       +17.2%                     +5.2%









           A RECONCILIATION OF ADJUSTED DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE TO
        DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE IN ACCORDANCE WITH GAAP IS AS FOLLOWS:

FY  2003  GAAP  -  NON-GAAP  DILUTED  EARNINGS  PER  SHARE  RECONCILIATION




                                                         TWELVE WEEKS ENDED        YEAR ENDED
                                                         ------------------        ----------

                                                          9/24/03    9/25/02   9/24/03   9/25/02
                                                         ---------  ---------  --------  --------
                                                                             
Diluted Earnings per share (GAAP) . . . . . . . . . . .  $    .13   $    .22   $    .77  $    .83
Provision for restaurant closings, net of income taxes.       .13          -        .13         -
Adjusted Diluted Earnings per share (Non-GAAP). . . . .  $    .26   $    .22   $    .90  $    .83
                                                         =========  =========  ========  ========

Adjusted Diluted Earnings per share increase. . . . . .     +18.2%                +8.4%