Another popular international restaurant will be arriving in Japan on November 13th. Shake Shack, a New York-based hamburger restaurant (2-1-15 Kita-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo), will open in the ginkgo-lined area of the Meiji Jingu Gaien area.

Shake Shack first opened in Madison Square Park in New York in 2004. The popular chain has received numerous awards, including the 2014 Zagat NYC award for "New York's Most Popular Restaurant" and Time magazine's "17 Most Influential Burgers of All Time." Currently, the chain has expanded overseas to 12 states, the District of Columbia, London, Istanbul, Dubai, and Moscow, marking its first foray into Asia.

While the restaurant is positioned as an American dining establishment offering hamburgers, its signature "Shack Burger" is priced at 680 yen, making it more affordable than comparable gourmet burger restaurants. On the other hand, the company is committed to sourcing safe and secure ingredients, such as using 100% all-natural, hormone-free Australian Angus beef for its burger patties. According to Shake Shack CEO Randy Garutti, the store walls are made from recycled snow fences and local cypress wood, and the tables are made from scrap wood from bowling lanes, creating a simple design while making extensive use of recycled materials. Furthermore, thanks to their popularity spreading through word of mouth on social media, they have been able to offer high-quality ingredients at affordable prices. The company's corporate mission is "Stand For Something Good," and based on the philosophy of "making everything related to Shake Shack better," they not only source ingredients and design stores, but also collaborate with local communities and donate a portion of their sales.

The main menu consists of three types of burgers: the "Shack Burger," the "Smoke Shack" (880 yen), made with applewood-smoked bacon and topped with cherry peppers and Shack sauce, and the vegetarian-friendly "Shroom Burger" (930 yen), which is wrapped in two types of cheese and deep-fried. There are also the "Shack Curd Dog" (580 yen), a hot dog made with 100% beef or pork sausage, "Fries" (280 yen), and "Cheese Fries" (400 yen), which are crinkle-cut fries made with Yukon potatoes.

For dessert, a Japan-only menu item has been introduced. Based on the rich ice cream "Frozen Custard" made in-store daily, this is mixed at high speed to create the original ice cream "Concrete," which is vanilla custard topped with yuzu miso caramel, matcha macaroons, matcha, and kinako (roasted soybean flour). The first Japanese store will offer four types of drinks, including the "Park" (480 yen), as well as the "Black Sesame" shake, which also uses frozen custard.

The store will also stock original goods such as tenugui towels and pens, and will also sell limited edition tote bags commemorating the first Japanese store. There are no plans to open any stores in Japan in the future.