Steak 'n Shake's giant flag initiative meets growing appetite for patriotic displays

The chain announced last week that it would install the Stars and Stripes at locations across the U.S. The flags will be as large as possible while still complying with local regulations.

"The flag installations have begun at Steak 'n Shake," the company noted in an X post. "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."

Fox News Digital reached out to Steak 'n Shake for comment about the initiative but did not immediately hear back.

Per the company's website, the flags are between 30-by-60 feet and 40-by-80 feet, and are placed on 130-foot-tall poles.

"A large percentage of our employees and also customers are veterans, and we want to honor them, their dedication to our country and to our local communities," CEO Marcus Lemonis said at the time. 

"After some careful maneuvering, the pole was secured in front of the dealership building, and we raised our U.S. flag, measuring 80 ft. x 40 ft., for all to see," according to the site. "Look around the next time you're driving on I-45 North and you are sure to see it waving proud!"

Acuity Insurance, based in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, has a 400-foot flagpole that's visible on Interstate 43 between Milwaukee and Green Bay.

The company's website states that the 9,800-square-foot flag weighs 250 pounds.

"At 70 by 140 feet, the flag is the world's tallest symbol of freedom," the site reads. "Flags are taken down at the first sign of wear, such as tearing along the seams. A professional seamstress uses an industrial-grade sewing machine kept at Acuity to make repairs."

Wayne Robinson, a Steak 'n Shake franchisee in Rome, Georgia, told Fox News Digital that he's had a large American flag at his restaurant since he built it in 2006. 

The 12 x 25 flag flies on a 40-foot-tall pole.

Not only is Steak 'n Shake in good company with the large flags, it's also in the good graces of its targeted base.

David Johnson, CEO of Strategic Vision PR Group, told Fox News Digital that Steak 'n Shake's move exemplifies how brands are reading the national mood.

Displaying large American flags, Johnson said, "reinforces [Steak 'n Shakes'] alignment with [conservative] values, strengthens its emotional connection with its target audience and differentiates itself from competitors."

Brand expert Crystal Gorges echoed Johnson's thoughts, noting that Steak 'n Shake "has a long history as a classic American roadside brand."

"Flying big flags is a simple but powerful way to remind people of that heritage," she told Fox News Digital. "From a branding perspective, it is a bold move to stand out at a time when many companies avoid clear cultural signals."

She added, "Of course, when a company makes such a visible statement, it has to feel genuine for customers to embrace it."

The chain's announcement went viral and attracted attention from both sides of the political aisle. One X user called it a "brilliant marketing ploy."

"I have never been inside a Steak 'n Shake, and flying a big a-- American flag will not make me go in there," the person wrote. "The MAGA idiot masses will flock there."

Another person said, "Love a good American flag. But if Steak 'n Shake is going full MAGA, I'm done with them."

But the vast majority of reactions to the flag were positive, attracting praise from some of the largest conservative-leaning accounts on X.

"Be sure to patronize establishments that proudly declare their love of America," he added.

Fox News Digital's Sophia Compton contributed to this report.