Shake Shack Just Launched Two New Major Items
Booze-flavored food — and, on the flip side, food-flavored booze — has been a major trend across the snack and fast-food industries over the last few years.
From Coors Light (TAP.A) – Get Molson Coors Beverage Company Class A Report's beer-flavored Chillollipops to the 80-proof vodka inspired by Arby's Crinkle Fries.
But given the "naughty" factor of alcohol, such products are usually limited to snacks and limited-time promotions.
Even if they don't have actual alcohol in them, major fast food companies often steer clear of main menu items with references to spirits.
At most, we will sometimes see a milkshake with a hint of bourbon or rum flavor in it.
What's This Bourbon Sandwich All About?
Shake Shack (SHAK) – Get Shake Shack, Inc. Class A Report is often the one to push the limits of what is "good PR."
At the start of 2022, the New York City-based burger and frozen custard joint introduced a milkshake that did not directly reference marijuana but nodded at it amid increasing legalization and societal acceptance.
The name "Wake And Shake" can be seen as a riff on the cannabis community's term "wake and bake" for smoking marijuana first thing in the morning.
Now, Shake Shack introduced two new bourbon-inspired sandwiches to its roster.
Both the Bourbon Bacon Cheddar Burger and Bourbon Bacon Cheddar Chicken Sandwich feature a sweet-and-savory bourbon bacon jam made with Maker's Mark Kentucky bourbon.
The bourbon is known for its notes of vanilla, caramel and oak that are meant to complement what would otherwise be a simple burger and chicken sandwich.
Both sandwiches will come on a toasted potato bun and have white cheddar while the burger will also come with crispy shallots.
The main feature, however, is the jam — if you look at the photos, you can see that it is a major component rather than a small spread.
Prices will vary depending on location — blame widespread food innflation — but start at $8.09 for the Bourbon Bacon Cheddar Chicken Sandwich and $8.49 for the Bourbon Bacon Cheddar Burger.
"Take a second to savor our newest menu additions," Shake Shack wrote in a tweet announcing the new additions.
The burgers will come to Shake Shack locations on May 6 but are available on Shack App from May 3.
Shake Shack has also been on a major expansion path and recently announced plans to open as many as 15 restaurants in Thailand.
Early App Access Is A Major Strategy
While three days isn't very long to wait for a burger one plans on trying, the strategy of first making a burger available online and on the fast-food chain's app is becoming common.
Many a fast-food chain has been falling all over itself trying to drive customers to use their apps.
At the moment, McDonald's Mc dominates the world of online apps, and 2.2 million people downloaded its app in February.
But as research from Apptopia shows, downloads spike when a fast-food chain releases a new online-only product or promotion.
When Yum! Brands (YUM) – Get Yum! Brands, Inc. Report-owned Taco Bell launched its $10 monthly Taco Lovers' Pass in January, subscriptions soared to 1.4 million.
The following months, subscriptions dropped by 16.7% but the Tex-Mex chain is still averaging 100,000 more daily active app users than it did before launching the promotion.
"You've seen it in a number of other industries where the consumer does want to interact more and more online because it is easier and it is more personalized," Taco Bell's Chief Digital Officer Zipporah Allen told TheStreet in a February interview.