West Alabama Businessman Bringing Steak n' Shake To Northport

NORTHPORT, AL — A new Steak ‘n Shake restaurant is coming to Northport later this year and the project’s developer says the road to bringing the popular chain to the area began with a chance encounter at a wedding.

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West Alabama businessman Ric Mayers told Patch he recently finalized an agreement with Steak ‘n Shake to develop a location near the intersection of Bridge Avenue and Lurleen B. Wallace Boulevard, with plans to open during the fourth quarter of 2026.

Mayers says the deal comes after years of unsuccessful attempts to bring the popular brand to Tuscaloosa.

“I tried to bring Steak ‘n Shake to Tuscaloosa back in 2012,” Mayers said. “They told me someone in Birmingham had the rights to it. I pushed a little harder and they said the same thing.”

Mayers said he checked back again in 2018 but was told plans were already in motion for development elsewhere in Alabama — plans he said never materialized.

More recently, he attempted to apply online for franchise rights but found the entire state unavailable on the company's website.

Mayers said the breakthrough came unexpectedly while attending a wedding of an advisor for President Donald Trump, where a Steak ‘n Shake food trailer had been set up outside the venue.

“I went out there to get something to eat and the guy handing out the food asked me what I knew about Steak ‘n Shake,” Mayers recalled. “I told him they had blocked me from doing Tuscaloosa and Alabama. He laughed and said, ‘Tell me about yourself.’”

After hearing Mayers’ story, the man revealed he was the company’s CEO and encouraged him to speak with the brand’s owner, who was also attending the wedding.

“I talked to [the owner] for about 30 seconds,” Mayers said. “He looked at me and said, ‘We’re going to do business together.’”

Following several months of negotiations, Mayers said the parties finalized an agreement that will allow him to develop the restaurant locally.

He said the new Steak ‘n Shake will be part of a broader restaurant development on the property.

Mayers said the Northport location will feature a vintage 1950s-inspired design intended to evoke the brand’s early years and a sense of nostalgia for patrons.

The restaurant will also include a drive-thru, something not typically associated with older Steak ‘n Shake locations, and a large outdoor patio.

Plans for the property also include hosting events such as classic car shows, further emphasizing the retro theme.

“We wanted it to feel like a blast from the past,” Mayers said. “We’re doing a lot of classic touches with the design.”

The outdoor patio and overall layout are being designed with families and youth sports teams in mind, he said, particularly those traveling to and from the nearby River Run Park.

“There’s going to be a massive patio where kids and families can sit outside,” Mayers said. “We’re building this for the regular crowd but also for the baseball and softball players and fans going to the sportsplex.”

Mayers said Mark Hearing is partnering with him on the project.

In addition to Steak ‘n Shake, Mayers said he is planning to announce other restaurant concepts for the development in the near future.

Another offering will be similar to 40 Love, an upscale steakhouse concept Mayers recently opened in Scottsdale, Arizona.

While Steak ‘n Shake is known for burgers, fries and milkshakes, Mayers said the company’s focus on ingredient quality was one of the biggest factors that attracted him to the partnership.

“They don’t use seed oils, and they’re focused on higher quality ingredients," he said. "That fits my values. It’s hard to bring new concepts to an area we all love,” he said. “But we’re excited we can do it.”

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