Where:
181 Taicang Road, Xintiandi, Shanghai (pinned on Monsieur Baozi Map)
Ⓜ️ South Huangpi Road
💵 100¥/Pers

I had to try Shake Shack, the popular New York burger brand, for a long time. Present in fifteen countries including the USA, Shake Shack made a sensational entrance into the Chinese market in early 2019 with a well-established conquest plan. The brand starts in Shanghai, China’s most modern and open city as well as an essential relay to the brand, to efficiently infiltrate the rest of the country later.

I tested the shop in Xintiandi (one of the actual three outlets in Shanghai) a few days after their re-opening after the Coronavirus outbreak. Due to the events, I had no waiting to order at all. However, be prepared to queue at peak times in the coming weeks as things are slowly getting back to normal.

ShackBurger (47 single / 68 double)
The bun is ultra-soft, the meat is well grilled and tastes good, the whole is never dry and quite satisfying. As a frequent customer of gourmet burgers (Beef & Liberty in Shanghai, PNY in Paris, etc.), I found the portion not fulfilling enough, and I regretted not having taken a double. But it’s also a bit of my fault for not taking into account the low price of the burger (50RMB) that said a lot about the portion.

Crinkle-Cut Fries (with/without cheese 34/25)
The fries are ultra crispy and quite bland. A dose of cheese probably would add some taste. I regretted not taking one of their hot dogs instead of fries.

Overall, it is undoubtedly a very good burger that Shake Shack serves us. It is also a very strong brand that capitalizes heavily on its image and its online presence and has been able to take advantage of China’s enormous potential so far. I am curious to follow the development of the brand in the rest of the country, in the years to come.