The ‘best cheesesteak ever’ can be found at a Modesto gas station
Have you ever taken a bite of something and started shaking your head because you can’t believe it’s as good as it is?
I experienced that when I tried a cheesesteak sandwich and a smash burger inside a gas station, of all places, on Tuesday afternoon.
With a coffee shop and two dining options inside, Shell on Oakdale Road has become a one-stop shop to fuel your car and yourself.
One of the eateries, Cheesesteak & Burger Factory, opened Thursday, Dec. 11. There’s also Giacomo’s Coffee and Crunchy Munchy Chicken inside the Shell Food Mart.
“What is going on inside this Shell station?” I asked Cheesesteak & Burger Factory owner Keith Richardson before I paid him a visit.
“A lot of activities,” he replied.
Richardson is from San Francisco and has had another restaurant, Keith’s Chicken-N-Waffles, in Daly City for nearly a decade.
He first moved to Modesto in 2001 but was still working a government job in the Bay Area. After a while, Richardson said the commute became tiring, so he went back to the Bay until he retired and moved to Modesto “permanently” in 2020.
Richardson said he likes Modesto because the slower pace is “kind of like retirement” for him. When I heard that, I had to chuckle because while he is retired from one job, he now owns two restaurants in two areas and is working on a third venture.
How is a gas station home to the “best cheesesteak ever”?
I learned about Cheesesteak & Burger Factory through a social media post by local food influencer Cuzzo Eats.
“They don’t even have their Instagram up but let me tell you, best cheesesteak ever,” he told me when I replied to the post.
Richardson said his approach is to start off slow, giving his staff time to prepare for when they do start getting busy. That approach includes building a relationship with the neighborhood and a word-of-mouth marketing strategy and growing from there.
That strategy worked for all of five days before I, a reporter, found out. Not that Richardson is complaining.
When you enter the Shell Food Mart, Cheesesteak & Burger Factory is straight ahead, toward the rear of the building. It shares a space with Giacomo’s — you place your coffee order with the cashier to the left and your cheesesteak order with the cashier to the right.
Richardson said the space was occupied by a burger spot previously, and when he noticed it closed, he contacted the owner to inquire about a lease.
“I started the cheesesteak place because there’s a lack of that type of food in the area,” he said. “I’m trying to change things up around here, just a little bit.”
How many kinds of cheesesteaks and burgers are on the menu?
Before he opened the cheesesteak spot, Richardson said he visited Philadelphia to try its sandwiches and get tips on how to make them authentically before he put his spin on it.
“We didn’t just say, ‘OK, we’re just going to open up a cheesesteak shop’ and not know where it comes from or even pay homage to the people that started it,” he said.
Richardson said he slices fresh sirloin steak for his sandwiches.
There are five styles of cheesesteak on the menu: the classic Philly, OG Factory Philly, spicy jalapeño Philly, chicken Philly and the chopped cheese. There are also loaded steak or chicken fries.
While Richardson said cheesesteaks are by far the most ordered menu item, specifically the classic Philly, smash burgers are also a main menu item — hence the name Cheesesteak & Burger Factory.
“I’m trying to sell a lot more smash burgers, but as I advertise later on, that part will probably grow,” he said.
The shop offers as many burgers as cheesesteaks: the Factory smash, double OG burger, spicy smash, barbecue bacon smash and mushroom Swiss melt.
Sides include fries, onion rings and tater tots. Dessert options are a banana pudding cup or a red velvet waffle.
You can take your order to go or eat at one of the three tables inside the gas station .
Restaurant and shop owner has third venture planned
As I mentioned earlier, Richardson’s “retirement” includes operating two eateries and plans for a third.
In a month or so, he will open a food trailer called Triple OG Eats. It will have a similar menu as Cheesesteak & Burger Factory with chicken items including tenders and sandwiches added.
“It’s basically taking the most popular restaurants like In-N-Out Burger, Raising Cane’s and Chick-Fil-A and wrapping them up all in one on one truck,” Richardson said.
The plans he submitted for the trailer are in review and a location has not yet been chosen.
Cheesesteak & Burger Factory is at 1728 Oakdale Road, open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
This story was originally published December 17, 2025 at 8:02 AM.
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