The brief entry we ran that mentioned the Shake Shack reminded us of this item in recently launched food magazine Crave New York. In it, food writer Andrea Strong spends a day working at the smallish stand in Madison Square Park:
With the feverish desire that Shake Shack has generated—it averages 600 people per day—I was curious about what really goes on inside that hut in the park. And so, on a sunny day in late April, I spent the day in the approximately 20-by-30-foot box in Madison Square Park. I am still exhausted.
It's an interesting article that sheds light on the crew that feeds hundreds of hungry New Yorkers a day.
1 p.m. Danny Meyer enters. He walks over to [grill cook Corey] Steptoe, and they high-five elbows. He comes over to see how I am holding up. I am covered in custard and my face is flushed and greasy. "Are you having fun?" he asks. "Sure, this is great!" I reply, hoping to sound convincing. Though I'm having fun, I'm thinking, I'd last about a week in here: It's madness. He smiles and seems to sense my true feelings. "I know it's busy," he says. "Usually the dining room is the governor, setting a cap on the number of meals you will serve, but here we don’t have a dining room so there is no governor. The whole city is the dining room. They come, we feed them."
The one thing I can't get behind at the Shake Shack is that it modeled its custard after Ted Drewes in St. Louis:
In researching the concept that would become Shake Shack, [co-owner Richard] Coraine [business partner of the more well-known Danny Meyer] set out on a two-month cross-country road-food orgy, eating frozen custard and burgers from Maine to California, with stops at In-N-Out Burger and every frozen-custard joint he could find, including Ted Drewes in Meyer's hometown of St. Louis, which became the model for their secret frozen-custard recipe.
I was born in Wisconsin, the Dairy State, and often visit family who live there. Repeat: The Dairy State. Ain't no way that St. Louis–style frozen custard is better than Milwaukee's Leon's or Kopp's. (St. Louis is also second rate to Milwaukee in the beer department, too.)
Pardon my French fries but are you fucking kidding me with that smack-talk? Have you ever been to Ted Drewes? Or are you basing your observations on the fact that because you are from Wisconsin (and therefore a complete fucking moron) you can unequivocally state that Leon's or Kopp's are better without having tried that which you are bashing.
Which brings us to beer. Dude, there is only one king of beers and we all know what that is...it sure as shit ain't Milwaukee's Best. If I were from a city that touted that piss as its "Best" beer, I would be too busy contemplating suicide to have time to post on a burger blog.
ps- lick my ballz
"Steptoe leans into the grill and flips over a row of burgers and then reaches down, to pull fresh patties from the refrigerated drawers and tosses them on the grill."
What?... They are using patties now. Last time i was there they scooped the meat onto the grill and squashed the ball with the spatula. This gave them a nice irregular shape and a loose packed texture. Do the new patties stand up to the scoop/squish pattys of yesterday?
How are they toasting their buns now?
Sounds like I need to visit nyc again soon to reinvestigate.
Adam, Adam, Adam. Must we get into regional discussions? Beer, Baseball (remember the '83 Series??), Burgers, Custard.... Shall I go on? Just because they may DRINK more beer in Wisconsin than Missouri, doesn't mean they brew it better. And let's talk about the tiny hamburger craze that's been raised on your site lately. Hmmm. Don't think White Castle Slyders have ever brightened Wisconsin's doorstep. But they're an institution in STL. Kind of like the best-selling beer IN THE WORLD. I'm pretty sure I'd rather say, "Got AB stock?" instead of "Got milk"!! Take a road trip and discover the best before you mouthe off about it. And Slim? Clean up your foul language when you represent the classiest city in America.
Heh. I actually grew up in KC, so I couldn't resist getting in a jab at the cross-state rival city of my youth (remember the '85 Series?), even if it was through a third-party state.
OK. I'll budge a little: I can't say Budweiser is really all that great, but Miller sucks more.
You're a good sport, Adam. You'll notice I didn't mention football! And, though I grew up in STL, I spent summers on a cattlefarm outside of KC, and would go down to the Plaza at Christmas. So I get what you're talking about. It so happens that Danny Meyer and I both went to the same high school (Go Burroughs!). He was a year or two ahead of me, but we've watched his success in NY with pleasure. Before this becomes a disgusting love fest, I'll sign off. Suffice it to say that I enjoy the website. Thanks.
Oh, my. Country Day? Gasp! Just kidding. Went to Burroughs, taught at what is now MICDS. What a small little high school world it is in STL. Go Cardinals!
I'm from Milwaukee and I've got news for you...Miller and Bud are both watered-down swill. How a city with such a huge German population ruined beer so brilliantly is beyond me. The smaller Wisconsin breweries (Leinenkugels and Sprecher) are much better but really the big name Millers, Buds, Coors, etc. are simple beers for middle-American half-wits to drink while they watch Jim Belushi comedies and vote for idiots.
I know, I know. Miller sucks. So does Bud (though I actually think it has a slight edge over Miller.) I agree with you, Pastoralia: I don't know how a city full of Germans ruined beer.
I knew full well when I talked smack against St. Louis beer that both cities' signature beers sucked. I was just playin' around, lookin' to start shit.
Opinions are like assholes, everyone has one but nobody wants to here from them. Anyone who can say a certain "type" of beer sucks over another is obviously an uneducated sloth whom lacks the ability to judge and appreciate somthing for what it is. 90 degrees out on my vacation and I have chores to do? Oh yeah, I'm gonna suck down a couple of ice cold budlights and enjoy the shit out of them. 10 degrees out, snowing, watching the tube with some buds? Well then, it's time for a classic German stout and maybe a stogie to accompany. There is a time and place for everything, Jackasses, learn to live!
Well, sir, regarding frozen custard, I've lived in StL for some years. Now I'm in NYC and can testify to the fact that the custard at Shake Shack, whilst passable as a summertime treat, is in NO WAY comparable to Ted Drewes. All apologies to Mr. Meyer, your restaurants are all excellent. It's just not in the same rarefied air, literally and figuratively.
As to Wisconsin vs Saint Louis, I hear Connecticut has excellent custard. Which is to say, regionalism is perfectly fine. I'll eat 'em all.
Okay this thread ended over 4 years ago, but I must weigh in here.
Connecticut does not have custard. I may have seen it once or twice, and when I tried it it was FAIL.
Kopps dominates everyone in custard. In fact, if you go to Shake Shack in Madison park in NYC, you will see that the entire concept is a shameless rip off of Kopps 76th street location in Milwaukee. From the stainless steel design, fonts, to the burger type, and then the menu offering.
Shake Shake is a 2nd rate Kopps. Sorry Danny boy, but there is not other way to say it, you ripped of the best. You think because your source is in Milwaukee nobody will find out, HA! I know it, and I busted you.
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13 Comments:
Pardon my French fries but are you fucking kidding me with that smack-talk? Have you ever been to Ted Drewes? Or are you basing your observations on the fact that because you are from Wisconsin (and therefore a complete fucking moron) you can unequivocally state that Leon's or Kopp's are better without having tried that which you are bashing.
Which brings us to beer. Dude, there is only one king of beers and we all know what that is...it sure as shit ain't Milwaukee's Best. If I were from a city that touted that piss as its "Best" beer, I would be too busy contemplating suicide to have time to post on a burger blog.
ps- lick my ballz
Hamburger St. Louis Slim at 4:44PM on 06/09/05
"Steptoe leans into the grill and flips over a row of burgers and then reaches down, to pull fresh patties from the refrigerated drawers and tosses them on the grill."
What?... They are using patties now. Last time i was there they scooped the meat onto the grill and squashed the ball with the spatula. This gave them a nice irregular shape and a loose packed texture. Do the new patties stand up to the scoop/squish pattys of yesterday?
How are they toasting their buns now?
Sounds like I need to visit nyc again soon to reinvestigate.
test123 at 12:36AM on 06/10/05
Adam, Adam, Adam. Must we get into regional discussions? Beer, Baseball (remember the '83 Series??), Burgers, Custard.... Shall I go on? Just because they may DRINK more beer in Wisconsin than Missouri, doesn't mean they brew it better. And let's talk about the tiny hamburger craze that's been raised on your site lately. Hmmm. Don't think White Castle Slyders have ever brightened Wisconsin's doorstep. But they're an institution in STL. Kind of like the best-selling beer IN THE WORLD. I'm pretty sure I'd rather say, "Got AB stock?" instead of "Got milk"!! Take a road trip and discover the best before you mouthe off about it. And Slim? Clean up your foul language when you represent the classiest city in America.
Hamburger Liz at 1:33PM on 06/10/05
Whoa. It's gettin' hot in heeere.
Heh. I actually grew up in KC, so I couldn't resist getting in a jab at the cross-state rival city of my youth (remember the '85 Series?), even if it was through a third-party state.
OK. I'll budge a little: I can't say Budweiser is really all that great, but Miller sucks more.
Adam Kuban at 2:13PM on 06/10/05
You're a good sport, Adam. You'll notice I didn't mention football! And, though I grew up in STL, I spent summers on a cattlefarm outside of KC, and would go down to the Plaza at Christmas. So I get what you're talking about. It so happens that Danny Meyer and I both went to the same high school (Go Burroughs!). He was a year or two ahead of me, but we've watched his success in NY with pleasure. Before this becomes a disgusting love fest, I'll sign off. Suffice it to say that I enjoy the website. Thanks.
Hamburger Liz at 2:21PM on 06/10/05
Hey Liz-
Thanks for stepping in and stepping up. Go Country Day!
Hamburger St. Louis Slim at 4:02PM on 06/10/05
Oh, my. Country Day? Gasp! Just kidding. Went to Burroughs, taught at what is now MICDS. What a small little high school world it is in STL. Go Cardinals!
Hamburger Liz at 1:05PM on 06/13/05
I'm from Milwaukee and I've got news for you...Miller and Bud are both watered-down swill. How a city with such a huge German population ruined beer so brilliantly is beyond me. The smaller Wisconsin breweries (Leinenkugels and Sprecher) are much better but really the big name Millers, Buds, Coors, etc. are simple beers for middle-American half-wits to drink while they watch Jim Belushi comedies and vote for idiots.
Go Packers!
Hamburger pastoralia at 1:45PM on 06/21/05
I know, I know. Miller sucks. So does Bud (though I actually think it has a slight edge over Miller.) I agree with you, Pastoralia: I don't know how a city full of Germans ruined beer.
I knew full well when I talked smack against St. Louis beer that both cities' signature beers sucked. I was just playin' around, lookin' to start shit.
Adam Kuban at 2:57PM on 06/21/05
Opinions are like assholes, everyone has one but nobody wants to here from them. Anyone who can say a certain "type" of beer sucks over another is obviously an uneducated sloth whom lacks the ability to judge and appreciate somthing for what it is. 90 degrees out on my vacation and I have chores to do? Oh yeah, I'm gonna suck down a couple of ice cold budlights and enjoy the shit out of them. 10 degrees out, snowing, watching the tube with some buds? Well then, it's time for a classic German stout and maybe a stogie to accompany. There is a time and place for everything, Jackasses, learn to live!
Hamburger Chris at 9:19AM on 06/22/05
I disagree Chris- life is too short for shitty beer. And bad hamburgers (since that was what this post was originally about)
Hamburger pastoralia at 9:32AM on 06/23/05
Well, sir, regarding frozen custard, I've lived in StL for some years. Now I'm in NYC and can testify to the fact that the custard at Shake Shack, whilst passable as a summertime treat, is in NO WAY comparable to Ted Drewes. All apologies to Mr. Meyer, your restaurants are all excellent. It's just not in the same rarefied air, literally and figuratively.
As to Wisconsin vs Saint Louis, I hear Connecticut has excellent custard. Which is to say, regionalism is perfectly fine. I'll eat 'em all.
Hamburger dbdtron at 1:03PM on 07/27/05
Okay this thread ended over 4 years ago, but I must weigh in here.
Connecticut does not have custard. I may have seen it once or twice, and when I tried it it was FAIL.
Kopps dominates everyone in custard. In fact, if you go to Shake Shack in Madison park in NYC, you will see that the entire concept is a shameless rip off of Kopps 76th street location in Milwaukee. From the stainless steel design, fonts, to the burger type, and then the menu offering.
Shake Shake is a 2nd rate Kopps. Sorry Danny boy, but there is not other way to say it, you ripped of the best. You think because your source is in Milwaukee nobody will find out, HA! I know it, and I busted you.
Fraud.
BeanoCook at 6:45AM on 01/22/10