The Difference Between Us and Them

By Joe Morey Founder/Owner of Cheeseheads & Squeezer's Lemonade

Why Cheeseheads Is Fast-Casual, Not Fast Food

At Cheeseheads, we proudly call ourselves a fast-casual restaurant. You’ll find us right here in the Cedar Mall in Rice Lake. But let’s be honest right up front — we are not fast food.

And we are perfectly okay with that.

Fast food is built for speed above all else. Our food is built for quality, care, and flavor. That difference matters, and it’s the heart of who we are.

Fresh Takes Time — and It’s Worth It

Fast-food prices are low because the food is mass-produced. Patties arrive frozen on a truck, already formed, already seasoned, and already standardized. You rarely know what’s truly in them or where they came from.

Our burgers couldn’t be more different.

Our beef comes from Prime Cuts right here in Rice Lake, picked up fresh at the counter in a clear plastic bag. No mystery. No middleman. Just real, local meat. Every burger we serve is a 70 percent ground chuck and 30 percent brisket blend, chosen specifically for flavor, juiciness, and texture.

We don’t pre-season our meat days in advance. We season each burger right after it hits the grill, using our own special blend of herbs and spices, then smash it fresh to order. That smash-burger method creates crispy edges, deep flavor, and a juicy center you simply can’t replicate with a frozen patty.

That process takes a little more time — but one bite tells you why it’s worth the wait.

Crafted, Not Assembled

The same care goes into our Philly cheesesteaks and Italian beefs.

These aren’t pre-portioned, pre-wrapped sandwiches. Each one is cooked to order, chopped, folded, seasoned, and built with attention. No two are exactly alike, because they’re made by hand, with care, every single time.

We put love into our food. That may sound simple, but it shows when the final plate is set in front of you.

You Get What You Pay For

Yes, our prices are higher than fast food. That’s because premium ingredients cost more, and skilled preparation takes time. But when your order hits the table, you can see — and taste — the difference.

We take genuine pride in hearing comments like:

• “That was incredible.”

• “That’s the best burger I’ve had in town.”

• “You can tell this is made fresh.”

Seeing smiles across the counter is one of the best parts of what we do.

The Details Matter

Even our sides and drinks aren’t an afterthought.

Our crinkle-cut fries are hot, crispy, and tossed in our own seasoning blend that keeps people coming back for “just one more.”

Our fresh-squeezed lemonade is exactly that — fresh. Hand-made right in front of you, with real fruit flavors. We proudly stand behind it with a personal guarantee that it’s the best lemonade you’ll ever have.

If you haven’t yet, do yourself a favor and try our signature Brazilian Lemonade. It’s unlike anything else around.

Pizza Done the Right Way

Our pizzas follow the same philosophy. They’re homemade, carefully built, and baked with intention, not rushed through a conveyor oven. From the dough to the toppings, our pizzas are crafted — not cranked out.

A Note About Our Early Days

We also believe in being honest.

When we first opened, we moved fast to make the holiday markets at the mall. Those early weeks were exciting — but not perfect. Some items went out before every employee had full training, and a few things weren’t being made exactly the way we intended.

Since then, we’ve tightened everything up.

Our processes are dialed in. Our training is consistent. Our Italian beefs have been improved. Our specialty pizzas have been perfected. What we serve today is the result of learning, refining, and caring deeply about getting it right.

If you tried us early on, we invite you to come back and try us again. We think you’ll taste the difference.

Fast-Casual, Done Right

Cheeseheads isn’t about rushing food out the door. It’s about serving quality food made with care, right here in our community.

That’s the difference between us and them.

Winter Hours & Ordering Info

We are now operating under winter hours until April 1st:

Tuesday – Saturday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Closed Sunday & Monday

We offer dine-in, takeout, and delivery.

Call to order: 715-558-5612

Located in the Cedar Mall in Rice Lake

Thank you for supporting local, and thank you for letting us cook for you.