A Georgia Steak ‘n Shake has become an unlikely epicenter of national attention after its owner unveiled a powerful billboard tribute to slain activist Charlie Kirk.
Wayne Robinson, president of Wayne Robinson Holdings and owner of the Rome, Georgia Steak ‘n Shake, said he felt compelled to act the day after Kirk’s assassination on September 10.
“I’ve always been a follower of Charlie,” Robinson told Fox News Digital. “He was bringing so many of those young people to Christ. … He touched me, and when the assassination happened, it was something that really wore heavy on me.”
The result was a bold roadside billboard featuring Kirk’s name, the years 1993–2025, and the words: “Stand up, speak out, stay bold.”
A Viral Moment
What began as a local gesture quickly spread across the country. After Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene shared the image online, it went viral, amassing millions of likes on X and drawing people from across the nation to the small-town burger chain.
“People from outlying areas [are] saying they’re going to drive to my store just to eat lunch, eat dinner, just to pay respect,” Robinson said, adding that the post itself has drawn about 58,000 local comments.
Some customers proudly posted: “Eating at Steak ‘n Shake because they put up a Charlie Kirk billboard.” Another added, “They should be rewarded for this with our business.”
From Rome to the Nation
The buzz grew so large that Steak ‘n Shake’s corporate office reached out. While Robinson admits he skipped the usual approval process, executives told him the owner liked it so much he asked if they could have permission to do this across the nation.
“They said, ‘You’re supposed to get everything OK’d through corporate, but we really like it,’” Robinson recalled. “It reached the owner, and he liked it so much he asked if they could do this across the nation.”
A Movement Beyond Food
Though still grieving, Robinson believes Kirk’s influence lives on. “He has started a revival across the country that has been so needed,” he said. “I don’t think he would have ever thought, in his wildest dreams, the response that would have taken place after he was assassinated. But the movement is great … and I just appreciate all that he did.”
The Steak ‘n Shake tribute joins a wave of memorials, from stickers at an Idaho frozen yogurt shop to a petition urging Starbucks to add Kirk’s favorite tea to its menu.
For Robinson, though, the billboard was about one thing: making sure the man he admired is never forgotten.
