There's a real buzz about the opening of a new gourmet burger bar...and that’s just the hand-held device that will let customers know their meal is ready!

American chain Steak ‘n Shake launches in Frodsham Street at 10am on Sunday, December 11, as the first UK franchise opens here in Chester.

Customers will have the choice of dining in at the 110-seat restaurant or taking away.

Every meal will be cooked fresh to order within five minutes and in front of their eyes, with every customer handed an electronic device. When their meal is ready it will buzz to let them know their meal is ready for collection.

The Steak 'n Shake team, including owners Barry and Sarah Bellamy, getting ready for the opening of the Frodsham Street restaurant.

The business has been set up by husband and wife Barry and Sarah Bellamy who admit prices will be more expensive than McDonald’s but promise another level of quality.

Sarah said the company mantra was a ‘premium product along with fantastic service at the lowest possible price to the customer’.

She continued: “It’s all fresh produce. McDonald’s is like frozen chips, frozen everything. Ours is all fresh produce. The fruit and veg that comes in every day is premium quality. Everything is made on site so all the sauces, the guacamole, the salsa.

“It’s also good with regards to food traceability. If anyone said ‘I’m allergic to x,y or z’ you could say ‘Well, because it’s all made here we know exactly what’s gone into it’. There’s nothing processed.”

Aside from the in-store electronic buzzers, Sarah hopes the restaurant will feed into the buzz she hopes will arrive for the Frodsham Street end of the city once the delayed work to improve the street-scape is complete.

“There does seem to be a buzz. I think there’s going to be a bit of buzz about Chester and Frodsham Street in particular. The fact the works are taking so long is a bit tricky but I think once it’s done. Everything they’ve got planned and the fact it’s going to be this new gateway into Chester; I think it’s going to give some life back to this end of town.”

The business has created 40 new jobs for local people who are currently learning their trade from company trainers flown in from France, Spain and the US. And while the American fast food giant has outlets in France, Portugal, Spain and Italy, the Chester restaurant will be the first in the UK.

The Steak 'n Shake logo

Among the gourmet burgers on the menu will be a Guacamole Steakburger, a Western BBQ ‘n Bacon Steakburger and Sarah’s favourite, a spicy Jalapeño Crunch Steakburger. For vegetarians there’s a Veggie Melt, with homemade guacamole, pepper jack cheese, mushrooms and red onion on fresh sourdough bread.

The shakes feature a generous scoop of artisan ice cream and are more like a dessert than a drink with a variety of flavours including old favourites like strawberry and banana but made with fresh fruit.

There is also a licensed bar selling Heineken lager, wine and prosecco.

Sarah added: “There are lots of restaurants where you can go and pay £16 for a main course but there isn’t anything that fills the gap between McDonald’s and Burger King and Kentucky and the higher end restaurants. We’re much more reasonable than Ed’s Diner was. So I believe we fill a gap in the market place.”

The decor will include wallpaper featuring historic photographs showing the original Steak ‘n shake restaurant established in Normal, Illinois, USA, in 1934.

Social media sites will give details of latest offer and competitions. Follow the eatery on Twitter: @SteakNShake_UK