This time, Jacob and I chose a spot almost between my house and his… a little closer to him, which I didn’t mind one bit. We landed at Shake Shack, a place I’d heard about for years but had never actually tried.

When we walked in, it was quiet. They had just opened for the day, so instead of the buzz you expect from a popular burger spot, it felt still. A little impersonal at first, too. No one greets you because there really isn’t anyone to greet you, they’re all cooking. There are just iPad style ordering screens waiting for you to figure it out.

I’ll be honest, ordering everything separately on a screen felt like a small chore. Burger. Add to cart. Fries. Add to cart. Drink. Add to cart. It’s not hard, just not warm. But maybe that’s just me showing my age a little.

We kept it simple. No appetizers. Just burgers and fries. I ordered the avocado burger but had them hold the bacon. It came topped with avocado and their ShackSauce, which was actually really good once I found it. The sauce was mostly on one side of the burger, so my first few bites were a little underwhelming. After I rotated it and everything evened out, though, it was much better. 

The fries were solid. Crispy, but not too crispy, seasoned well, and thankfully not overloaded with salt. Just enough to make you reach for another one without regretting it. By the time we left, the place was standing room only. I was grateful we’d gotten there early because people were clearly waiting for tables to open up as soon as someone stood to leave.

It was good. I’m glad we experienced it. But some places hit just right, and some feel like a checkmark. This one felt more like a checkmark. And that’s okay.

Because sometimes Burger Bounce isn’t about finding “the best burger.” Sometimes it’s just about meeting in the middle.. geographically and otherwise.

Jake’s take:

Meeting in the middle between the two of us, we decided it best to try out Shake Shack, a location that I’ve been hearing about for years but have never visited myself. We attempted to try this one a little while back as well, but it was so incredibly packed that we ditched the idea and went elsewhere. By contrast to the previous attempt, we arrived so early that it was a veritable ghost town. That was fine by us, as parking was difficult enough at this location due to the odd structure of the lot. Making our way inside, this was one of those spots with an automated system for placing your order, made strange by the fact that there was no one else to contend with. I’m sure this would save time otherwise, but here it felt strange. Doubly so since, apparently, Shake Shack doesn’t have meals! I had to place my order for burger, side, and drink all independently of one another, before then telling the system which number we were taking as we pulled one out of a large bin so that the server could eventually find us. Not to mention one of my biggest pet peeves: tipping a computer. The oldest I will ever sound is asking why I need to add a tip to a bill through a computer doing everything for me? Especially for a fast-food joint with a drive-thru. Ludicrous.

No appetizers for us, as it’s fast-food. I, of course, received a regular set of fries and ordered their SmokeShack burger without cheese. I’m always a little disappointed when a place doesn’t offer anything other than American cheese, though I can at least understand it. American cheese is composed in such a way that it melts like butter, making it optimal pairing for burgers and things like that. I just can’t stand the taste, really. So no cheese, but it still arrived with smoked bacon, cherry peppers, and something that they refer to as “ShackSauce”. I must say, the peppers were so overwhelming on the meal that I couldn’t tell you anything else about the burger. Was the patty good? What did the sauce taste like? Did the bacon even add to the meal, or did it detract? Honestly, no clue, I was dealing with the peppers. The fries were some of the best I’ve had at a place like this though, they were salted in just the right way, and they were firm without being stale or burnt. Best I can say for the meal, unfortunately, as the burger was a bit of a letdown.

But how could I visit the Shake Shack and not get one of their shakes? Easily. But I did it anyways! I went ahead with standard chocolate, nothing too special about that. They have tons of fancy options to go ahead and try; options that might be more appealing to individuals that have these often and want to try something new. But I only ever drink soda and have sweets like this as part of the Burger Bounce, so I had no intention of going too wild. And you know? This was the best thing about the meal, frankly. It was more bitter than I would’ve expected, not that it was a bad thing necessarily. I would’ve been more put off if it was unnaturally sweet. But for what it was, richer than what I normally allow myself. So, for my two cents, the shakes are the best part of Shake Shack. I guess that’s why they focused on that as part of their branding instead of their burgers.

I love reading Jake’s take!

With love,

Mindy