Shake Shack is getting a make-over. Take a look at the drive-thrus coming this year.
Grace Dean,Mary Meisenzahl
- Shake Shack is opening its first ever drive-thru later this year.
- It's launching app and web delivery nationwide, too.
- The chain plans to open up to 90 new restaurants over the next two years – take a look at them.
Shake Shack is redesigning its restaurants as demand for drive-thru and digital ordering continue to boom during the coronavirus pandemic.
The fast-casual chain is opening its first ever drive-thru in Orlando, Florida, later this year, and plans to debut new delivery and collection methods, too.
These include digital-focused ways of pre-ordering and collecting orders through what it dubs the "Shack Track." This will include walk-up windows, drive-up windows, curbside pickup, and in-Shack pickup shelves through the app.
Over the next few months, it's launching app and web delivery nationwide, too.
Online sales are booming for the company. Digital sales made up more than half of Shake Shack's sales in the last three months of 2020, compared to just 23% in March. Fourth quarter sales via Shake Shack's app and website more than tripled year-over-year.
And despite the challenges of the pandemic, Shake Shack opened 20 new restaurants in 2020. It plans to open up to 90 new restaurants on "top-tier" real estate sites in urban and suburban locations over 2021 and 2022, and more than half of these will have curbside, walk-up, or drive-up facilities.
Shake Shake's news comes as fast-food and fast-casual brands across the country are optimizing drive-thrus. Drive-thru orders have grown across the fast-food industry since the pandemic closed many dining rooms. McDonald's, already a drive-thru heavy hitter with 25,000 worldwide, says that 70% of sales in top markets are drive-thru orders. Even salad chain Sweetgreen is jumping on the trend.
Here's what the Shake Shack drive-thrus will look like.
The Orlando Vineland Pointe Shake Shack, opening at the end of 2021, will have dine-in options, including a large outdoor patio ...
... and notably, Shake Shack's first-ever drive-thru lanes, with a separate lane for orders made on the app.
Shake Shack plans to roll out up to eight drive-thru sites across the US by mid-2022. Restaurants will have digital menu boards, a two-lane ordering system, and a separate pick-up window for ease of convenience.
Along with the drive-thru, Shake Shack will roll out separate lanes for customers who have pre-ordered digitally.
And if you're on foot, you'll be able to use Shake Shack's in-store pick-up ...
... which allows you to collect your order contact-free.
More walk-up collection services will be rolled out, too.
The chain added eight walk-up windows to existing locations in 2020.
Shake Shack ramped up its curbside pickup options in 2020 as customers avoided dining rooms.
Customers pre-order on the app, park in a designated "Curbside" spot, and have it brought out to their car for contactless pay and hand-off.
The chain launched curbside pickup in July. Since then, it's expanded this to almost 70 restaurants and has served around 150,000 unique customers via curbside pickup.
Customers also spend more on each order when they use curbside pickup, Shake Shack said.
The chain is launching delivery, too.
In early 2021, you'll be able to order Shake Shack for delivery via its website and app, after a successful pilot within its iOS app at three sites in Miami.
The chain is partnering with Uber Eats for this, meaning you'll order through Shake Shack's app or website but the order will be fulfilled and delivered by Uber Eats.
You'll be able to track how far away your order is, too.
In the January presentation, Shake Shack emphasized its focus on new collection and delivery options going forward.
"While we will always build and welcome guests to our signature community gathering places, we also strive to offer guests new ways to get Shake Shack however and whenever they want it," Andrew McCaughan, Shake Shack's chief development officer, told Insider.
"We are excited to bring the Shake Shack experience to guests in a new way, pairing our classic community gathering experience with the ability to enjoy our menu within the comfort of their own cars."
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