Having never been to a Shake Shack, yes, I was that guy that visited a restaurant within a few hours of opening. It’s a poor move for those expecting to find a restaurant in their groove, but this is fast food we’re talking about. Besides, I’ve been reading about Shake Shack for as long as blogs have existed, I have a hard-on for burgers, and I wanted to see what the noise is all about.
Once you navigate parking (which may be a challenge) you should expect a line, but it moves briskly, the orders taken by an army of smiling cashiers who were managing quite well for go-live day.
I sampled a number of items to get the full experience – the regular single burger, a take on a Chicago dog, chocolate s’mores concrete, fries, and a soda – $19 all in.
I enjoyed the burger. It’s piled high with toppings, a little over the top with the special sauce, but it satisfies that fatty/salty fast food itch, with just enough quality that I don’t self loathe. The quality of the large beef patty is noticeable, which puts it a slight cut above an In-N-Out burger to me.
Krinkle cut fries are hot and krinkly. No complaints.
The sleeper for me is the ‘dragged through the garden’ Chicago dog. This type of dog is a craving that is hard to satisfy in Atlanta and they do an excellent job. The toppings are snappy and plentiful.
The milkshake/concretes are good if you like that sort of thing – it was for my wife. I’m sure plenty of people will enjoy them. Me, I wanted a Brooklyn Beer Shakemeister Ale but they don’t have their license yet.
This place will be polarizing, with the lines and herd mentality that certain foodies avoid. But at this price point, and for this craving, I don’t think there’s a better option in the area. There are likely thousands of people in line around the world right now who agree.