How To Do A Business Lunch At The Shake Shack

Shake Shack Line at 4 PM
Originally uploaded by Harris Graber.

I told a friend of mine the other night that I do business lunches at the Shake Shack. He looked at me like I was crazy and said, "but what about the line?"

The line can be used to your advantage. I generally suggest people meet me there at noon, we get in line and start our conversation, just like we'd be doing at a restaurant while we order and wait for the food.

Generally at that time of day, its about 20 minutes wait, unless its raining in which case, you need to find another place for your lunch.

After we order, we get a table, and there are almost always tables to be had, and continue our discussion.

Then the food comes, we eat, finish our conversation, and leave.

All in all, it's about an hour, the same as any other business lunch.

The difference is you get to spend that hour in the park and the burgers, hot dogs, fries, and shakes are great.

Comments (11) | Posted July 13, 2006

Comments

Note to self... go to Shake Shack and listen to people pitch Fred.

Posted by: Rick | Jul 13, 2006 3:52:42 PM

I like the Shake Shack lunch concept. I'll have to put my thinking cap on to see if I can come up with a Silicon Valley equivalent.

Posted by: Andrew Fife | Jul 13, 2006 4:24:18 PM

Man, every time you post about the Shake Shack I want (desperately) to go back to NY just to taste them!

Posted by: John Rothlisberger | Jul 13, 2006 7:40:33 PM

Hmmm...
Aureole during restaurant week or Shake shack??

Posted by: Achasd | Jul 13, 2006 9:30:36 PM

Regarding long lines and lunch ... I agree with you-- you can use standing in line to your definite advantage. LIke when you're trying to close someone on a deal where otherwise they would rush lunch along only to get the hell away from you. Here, they are captive at least until they get their food!

Posted by: Leslie Linevsky | Jul 13, 2006 10:46:52 PM

I wrote a post a couple of weeks ago about how to have a business meeting at Starbucks (http://bulldogfinancial.com/bullblog/?p=8), but fresh air and hot dogs sounds like a much better way to listen to a pitch than high priced coffee and rude baristas.

Posted by: Marc Nathan | Jul 14, 2006 8:48:37 AM

After we had our Shake Shack line meeting back in early April, I did it four more times before calling it a season. Don't want to wear it out.

Posted by: Bennett Zucker | Jul 14, 2006 9:13:10 AM

In fact, I would prefer just walking in the park. I like the "peripatetic" thing... walking/thinking/talking. Although, eating together is good for the "bonding" thing... :) What Fred describes comes very close to having both.

Posted by: Emil Sotirov | Jul 14, 2006 9:42:53 PM

Yes, great place for lunch meeting, though key item missing from above: first ask guest if they're a vegetarian.

The Shack is a world of difference from famous Tommy's in L.A. where the joke goes, "open 24 hours, they clean the grills when they close".

Posted by: Ken Berger | Jul 17, 2006 4:29:11 PM

Fred, may I take you to lunch at the Shake Shack? No-one else will go with me because of the line. (I question their priorities, but there you have it.) It would be a privilege and a pleasure - and a little bit rock and roll.
Best regards,
Nora McCauley

Posted by: Nora McCauley | Jul 18, 2006 11:12:57 AM

I thought you might be interested in a spotting of Brady Dougans of Credit Suisse at Shake Shack:

http://www.dealbreaker.com/2007/06/brady_dougans_marathon_trainin_1.php

Posted by: harsh shah | Jun 1, 2007 6:25:18 PM

A VC

Musings of a VC in NYC