Game Changer: Shake Shack Opening In Palo Alto

PALO ALTO, CA -- If you can read this without salivating or a sensory overload, you must have no pulse.

New York sensation Shake Shack is opening its first San Francisco Bay Area location in Cardinal land on Saturday at 11 a.m. The Shack, as it's referred to, will be nestled in the Stanford Shopping Center at 180 El Camino Real, Suite #950 in Palo Alto.

Shake Shack likes to think of itself as a modern day “roadside” burger stand known for its all-natural Angus beef burgers, chicken sandwiches and griddled flat-top dogs with no hormones. Mix those entrees with a fresh-made frozen custard, crispy-crinkle cut fries, and a diner has a slice of heaven in a hip, fun environment. The roadside joint has a global following.

The Stanford Shack will serve up all the Shake Shack classics like the ShackBurger, Chick’n Shack and crinkle-cut fries, plus a unique selection of menu items exclusive to Palo Alto.

For starters and probably an end-game, guests can enjoy the Golden State Double featuring two all-natural Angus beef patties from Richard's Grassfed Beef, white cheddar cheese, McVicker Pickles bread and butter pickles -- all sandwiched between a Tartine Bakery sweet potato bun.

The Stanford Shack will also be spinning up frozen custard concretes in collaboration with local purveyors Pie Dreams, Dandelion Chocolate and Manresa Bread, the latter a fixture in South Bay culinary locales.

Guests may also wash their burgers down with local brews from Fort Point Beer Company, 21st Amendment Brewery, Lagunitas Brewing Company and North Coast Brewing Co., along with Shake Shack’s exclusive Brooklyn Brewery ShackMeister® Ale. Wine lovers may enjoy a glass of Shack RedTM and Shack WhiteTM wine from the Gotham Project as well as a local wine list highlighting producers such as Broc Cellars, Hunt & Harvest, BREA Wine Company and Robert Sinskey Vineyards. The Stanford Shack is the only location where bottles will be available for purchase.

Shake Shack has found a partner with Cream Co., a curated aggregator connecting certified sustainable and regenerative ranches to the best chefs and restaurants in the Bay Area.

As part of Shake Shack’s mission to Stand For Something Good, the Stanford Shack will donate 25 percent of proceeds from opening day as well 5 percent of sales to La Cocina. The San Francisco-based non-profit services low-income food entrepreneurs, primarily women from immigrant populations and communities of color, to provide affordable commercial kitchen space, industry-specific technical assistance and access to market opportunities.

The 2,491 square-foot Shack will feature an outdoor covered patio and ample seating for guests. In keeping with Shake Shack’s commitment to green architecture and eco-friendly construction, the Stanford Shack’s tabletops will be made by CounterEvolution using reclaimed bowling alley lanes. Chairs will be designed by Uhuru using sustainable materials.

For swag -- the first 100 people in line when doors open at 11 a.m. will receive a complimentary custom Shake Shack travel bag.

Since the original Shack opened in 2004 in Madison Square Park, the company has expanded to more than 200 locations in 26 U.S. States and the District of Columbia, including more than 70 international locales including London, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Dubai, Tokyo, Moscow and Seoul.

Skip the line with the Shack App, a mobile ordering connection that lets you save time by ordering ahead. Guests can select their location, pick their food and choose a pickup time. Their meal will be cooked-to-order and timed to arrival. It's available on iOS and Android.

--Image courtesy of Shake Shack