Time’s almost up Mike Lemaster, 40, finishes a cigarette just before 11 a.m. Wednesday at Steak ’n Shake, 2624 S. Western Ave. This month, the restaurant has prohibited smoking between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m. “It’s definitely a good idea,” he said. “It gives people who want to smoke a time to smoke, and a time for people who don’t want to smoke.” Jeff Morehead / jmorehea@marion.gannett.com
Time’s almost up Mike Lemaster, 40, finishes a cigarette just before 11 a.m. Wednesday at Steak ’n Shake, 2624 S. Western Ave. This month, the restaurant has prohibited smoking between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m. “It’s definitely a good idea,” he said. “It gives people who want to smoke a time to smoke, and a time for people who don’t want to smoke.” Jeff Morehead / jmorehea@marion.gannett.com

By Katie Albright, Star Press 
kalbright@marion.gannett.com

George Blair supposes that after smoking for 20 years, he’s paid his dues.

“People always say that former smokers are awful because we’ve already paid the toll,” the general manager of Steak ’n Shake said with a laugh.

Now, the restaurant at 2624 S. Western Ave., along with several other Marion eateries are following the trend taking hold in cities such as Fort Wayne and Bloomington: They are forcing smokers to put their cigarettes away or step outside, putting new policies in place to enforce non-smoking hours.

Copyright © 2025 Chronicle-Tribune