Shake Shack (rock) – Get a free reportIt takes an idea from the fast food company McDonald’s (mcd) – Get a free report. When all things considered imitating a leader isn’t such a bad idea, but what if a leader didn’t quite knock it out of the park?
Shake Shack just entered the fast food market in 2004, but already serves nearly 80 different countries with over 360 locations and generated $900 million in revenue in 2022. Shake Shack’s growth is undeniable, and it rivals McDonald’s in revenue per restaurant with $4 million per store. The company plans to open up to 70 new locations in 2023, according to Eat This, Not That!.
One thing is for sure, Shake Shack shouldn’t look to McDonald’s for its ice cream operations, because the giant chain’s McFlurry machines are often down. Any restaurant that says “shake” in its name should definitely have ice cream and shake machines. Shake Shack frozen desserts are probably some of the best out there. McDonald’s tests different marketing campaigns and also new and different products but it keeps its core menu in place for customers. One of McDonald’s latest experimental products proves that it can simultaneously fail and succeed at something.
Shake Shack is introducing a meatless burger for the first time
McDonald’s tried to compete against Burger King (QSR) – Get a free reportImpossible whopper, with a mac plant sandwich. McPlant has been tried and tested, and has not been widely accepted in the US markets. However, it has made it to the permanent list in some places outside the United States, such as the United Kingdom.
The Burger King Impossible Whopper is made with plant-based burgers from Impossible Foods, and the McPlants patty is made from Beyond Meat. (BYND) – Get a free report. Shake Shack caters to customers who may have tried a McPlant or Impossible Whopper and were disappointed or looking for something new.
Shake Shack debuted at Veggie Shack after years of testing, and it may have finally found its match. The veggie burger is made with mushrooms, sweet potatoes, carrots, farro, and quinoa. The new Veggie Shack is topped with American cheese, crispy fried onions, pickles and Cheeks sauce all on toasted potato bun. The burger will sell for $8.29, but prices may vary by location.
Shake Shack already had another vegan burger, the Shroom Burger, which has sautéed portobello mushrooms and is filled with melted cheddar and Monster cheese. Shake Shack fans are already asking for their burgers to be served with vegan cheeses, and one can only hope that one day all dietary restrictions and choices will be accommodated, but having good vegan options is definitely a great start.
Follow where others have failed
Shake Shack jumped at the opportunity after McPlant’s failure because he had been working for several years to get the right recipe for his Veggie Stack. While the Veggie Shack is in the news, something equally exciting, perhaps a little more exciting, has also debuted a non-dairy drink and custard.
Anyone with a dairy issue who craves a milkshake is bound to be ecstatic over the new menu addition. Non-dairy chocolate shake and frozen custard made with NotMilk. NotMilk is a plant-based milk made with pineapple juice, pea protein, chicory root fiber, coconut oil, cabbage juice and is 100% lactose free.
Shake Shack says NotMilk tastes, cooks and mixes just like real milk. The non-dairy chocolate milkshake is hand-spun, contains 850 calories and will sell for $6.29, while the non-dairy chocolate custard will sell for $4.29 and has only 400 calories for one scoop. Prices may vary by location. While the shakes are non-dairy, the ingredients still contain nuts, so no one with a nut allergy will try the Shake Shack’s custard or creamy shake.