Popular burger joint Steak ‘n Shake has become an early adopter of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s crusade to “Make America Healthy Again” – and liberals can’t stand it.
The fast food chain with more than 450 locations announced earlier this year that, beginning in March, its famous shoestring fries would be “RFK’d” and cooked in beef tallow instead of vegetable oil. Additionally, starting this month, its “buttery blend,” used in “select burgers and sandwiches” would no longer contain seed oils, but would be made from “100% Grade A Wisconsin Butter,” according to a company news release. Steak ‘n Shake is also working to phase out its use of seed oils in precooked fries.
The decision stems from a growing concern over the use of seed oils in food, which have been linked to diabetes, brain fog, digestion issues, obesity, and inflammation. These oils are commonly used in cooking and include canola oil, soybean oil, and vegetable oil. Mainstream medical organizations have previously warned about the harms of seed oils due to high levels of omega-6, a type of fat.
“Omega-6s are found in oils such as corn, safflower, sunflower, soy and vegetable and products made with those oils,” the Arthritis Foundation has stated. “Excess consumption of omega-6s can trigger the body to produce pro-inflammatory chemicals, and the American diet tends to be very high in omega-6s.” A MedLinePlus article similarly warned about the harms of margarine, which is made from a blend of seed oils.
The restaurant’s social media team has been having a ball celebrating the changes, even hosting the health-conscious RFK to eat at one of its restaurants. “Steak ’n Shake has been great,” Kennedy said at the event. “We’re very grateful to them for RFK’ing the french fries.”
In one post, the company shared an image of a red MAGA-style hat with the phrase, “Make Frying Oil Tallow Again.” In another post, Steak ‘n Shake joked about a “conspiracy” against beef tallow fries, responding to a tweet about the “best fries” which excluded Steak ‘n Shake.
Steak ‘n Shake’s embrace of the “MAHA” movement is clearly a reflection of the cultural zeitgeist following President Donald Trump’s sweeping victory last year. But some on the left apparently can’t handle it.
For instance, Matt Seitz of RogerEbert.com, the website of the late famed film critic of the same name, penned this headline: “Steak ‘n Shake Goes Nazi.” According to Seitz, hosting RFK for some beef tallow fries is “bootlicking behavior,” and opposing seed oils is now tantamount to “fascist pandering.”
Seitz further fumed that the restaurant “seems to have virtually put on a brown shirt and swastika armband, then taken it off after some backlash. Time will tell whether they threw them out or are just keeping them in a drawer until the heat dies down.”
MSNBC host Chris Hayes, meanwhile, called the MAHA movement a “shtick” before criticizing RFK for eating at Steak ‘n Shake while there was a measles outbreak in Texas. Such a blatant non sequitur is indicative of the anti-Steak ‘n Shake hysteria on the left.
Various other social media posts likewise underscored just how very upset liberals are that Steak ‘n Shake isn’t continuing to feed potentially harmful foods to their customers just to spite Trump and RFK.
“Friendly reminder @SteaknShake supports a nazi fascist,” one user posted on X. Popular online liberal commentator Brian Tyler Cohen called RFK and Steak ‘n Shake an “absolute joke.”
Ironically enough, it was once liberals who were leading the charge to make American food healthier to address the obesity and chronic disease epidemics plaguing the country. In the past, progressives pushed for healthier eating habits, stricter food regulations, and a closer look at the nutritional content of what Americans were consuming. From Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move!” initiative to local campaigns advocating for the elimination of trans fats and the reduction of sugary drinks, liberals were at the forefront of improving public health through better food choices.
Now, however, it seems that their zeal for health has been overshadowed by a politically motivated disdain for anything associated with Donald Trump. In their rush to dismiss anything linked to the president, they’ve found themselves opposing an initiative that could help Americans live healthier lives just because it comes with a red MAGA (or MAHA) hat.
Now it is conservative voices, including Michael Knowles of The Daily Wire and Alex Clark with Turning Point USA who are at the forefront of highlighting the harms of seed oils and other harmful foods. They’ve helped make MAHA an important issue in particular among younger voters – a cohort that Trump gained significant ground with last year.
Americans of all political stripes should take an interest in what is in their food, particularly given the prevalence of nutrition-related diseases. Eating healthy and getting in shape should not be a partisan issue. But as the debate over healthier food options rages on, the growing division over something as simple as Steak ‘n Shake’s switch to beef tallow fries underscores a deeper issue within our political discourse.
If we truly want to make America healthier, it’s time for all of us – regardless of political affiliation – to put aside the rhetoric and focus on what matters: the well-being of our nation. Steak ‘n Shake’s choice to embrace healthier ingredients should be a step forward, not a point of contention. Americans from all walks of life should recognize that the pursuit of better health should transcend politics.
Matt Lamb is an AMAC Newsline Contributor and is an associate editor for The College Fix. He previously worked for Students for Life of America, Students for Life Action, and Turning Point USA. He previously interned for Open the Books. His writing has also appeared in the Washington Examiner, The Federalist, LifeSiteNews, Human Life Review, Headline USA, and other outlets. The opinions expressed are his own. Follow him @mattlamb22 on X.
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