Shake Shack

[Jenise]

Just read that the Shake Shack IPO has increased Danny Meyer's wealth by $400 million. NOT BAD. Have never been to one, but I understand it's more or less the In n' Out of the east coast--the better that most people agree is better than all others. Is that close to right?

Here's the press: Union Square Hospitality Group's Danny Meyer is now worth about $400 million according to several new reports. Business Insider does the math on the restaurateur who brought the world Shake Shack — and its highly successful IPO — and finds that Meyer's 21 percent share of the now-publicly traded company has nearly tripled since the stock price was released last Thursday. By the end of the day on Friday, Meyer's shares were worth about $386 million.

A combination of good fortune, service savvy, charisma, and smart stock trading have led to Meyers' coup. But the good news doesn't stop there. Employees of Shake Shack have made out like bandits over the weekend as SHAK held steady at $47 on Friday. CNN Money reports that 160 managers at Shake Shack were also awarded stock at a lower price last Thursday night, meaning they had also earned over double on the company's investment by Friday. Hourly employees were also offered stock options. It's well-known that Shake Shack employees start at $10 per hour, which is significantly higher than the minimum wage across the country.

A Shake Shack spokesperson confirmed to CNN Money that they would not be lowering their minimum wage in light of the IPO: "We believe that this enables us to attract a higher caliber employee and this translates directly to better guest service."

The menu is like a 1960s Wesson or a drive-thru in a Doris Day movie.

Research shows none closer than Boston, and Boston has too many other choices!

My only wish is to come up with the next fad.

[Jenise]

You and me both, Thomas.

It's basically a hamburger joint with better than average food of that persuasion. We went to one while we were in NY for our annual trip, I believe last year. Very busy and a fun kind of place.

There's one on the strip in Vegas across from the MGM Grand, next to Monte Carlo.

The one I know is in Manhattan in Madison Park -- across the street from EMP, Eleven Madison Park, another sort of place entirely. Whenever I have thought of going there, there have been 100 people standing in line and we've said "screw it" and gone somewhere else. But it's a really nice part of town, you look south and there is the Flatiron Building. When I was writing textbooks, my publisher was also right across the street in a big black skyscraper. There are some great old trees in the park as well as a few interesting statues and monuments.

The one in Madison Park is the original which was intended as an experiment for just one summer.

The burgers are consistently good. You can certainly find better in NYC but only at sit down places. The fries are a waste of space and calories. The shakes and concretes are very good but my favorite thing there is the Shack-cago dog (or however it's spelled).

The In and Out comparison is apt as the fries are just as bad here as they are there.

[Jenise]

The In and Out comparison is apt as the fries are just as bad here as they are there.

In n' Out's fries are superb if you catch them straight out of the fryer. But if they sit for four or five minutes, forget it. In fact, when we do In n Out, we eat the fries down (typically we share one order) before we tuck into the burgers.

Just read that the Shake Shack IPO has increased Danny Meyer's wealth by $400 million. NOT BAD. Have never been to one, but I understand it's more or less the In n' Out of the east coast--the better that most people agree is better than all others. Is that close to right?

Actually, way better IMHO than In 'n Out or Five Guys. Those two places are better than average fast food, but still essentially the same gray slab for a burger. Shake Shack's are much juicier and less dry with some of the crumbly texture of a good burger.

Just read that the Shake Shack IPO has increased Danny Meyer's wealth by $400 million. NOT BAD. Have never been to one, but I understand it's more or less the In n' Out of the east coast--the better that most people agree is better than all others. Is that close to right?

Actually, way better IMHO than In 'n Out or Five Guys. Those two places are better than average fast food, but still essentially the same gray slab for a burger. Shake Shack's are much juicier and less dry with some of the crumbly texture of a good burger.

I agree completely, wife comments the same.

[David M. Bueker]

There's a Shake Shack in The Mall of the Emirates.