I hate lines and I hate crowds.* I haven't yet visited the Shake Shack this year because of the throngs of idiots willing to wait an hour and a half for a burger. And I've never understood why on earth New Yorkers would wait in a ridiculous line for a rotten CUPCAKE, of all things (non-New Yorkers, click here for an explanation—and be prepared to feel smugly superior: Magnolia Bakery line). Gargh.
I can think of only one thing worse than standing in either of these lines: Standing in a perfect storm of lines. A burger-PLUS-cupcake line.
Florence Fabricant reports:
Burgers and Cupcakes: Mitchel London has changed his cafe, Mitchel London Foods, into this new spot that serves, yes, only hamburgers and cupcakes from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. There is a breakfast menu Monday through Saturday (the catering company in this location is still Mitchel London Foods): 458 Ninth Avenue (36th Street), (212) 643-1200.
Mitchel London is either evil, genius incarnate, or, better yet, an EVIL genius. Hand over fist, my friend. Hand over fist.
when are cupcakes going to be less popular? what will the next craze be? i'd be really happy if shake shack style frozen custard shacks opened up all over town.
I don't know what the next craze will be. Wanna do some research, figure it out, and then open a stand in some park or a little corner shop serving whatever it is?
I've been to Shake Shack about 5 times this year. Last year, when I first had one, I didn't really know what the b f d was. It was good ok, but to make people irrational and stupid...I didn't understand this. And mind you, the fries sucked last year. This year, the burgers have gotten better...much better. The fries are now on par with the level of the burgers (even cheese fries stay crispy...even after the long ride back to the office). I would personally never want to wait in a line with folks who have too much time on their hands. Not me. But make it a point to go off hours. It's the best when there's only a few people there. You all know you're sharing something special especially without the crowds. There's nothing like a Shake Burger sans crowd, sans hype. All you taste is "the perfect meat to bun ratio." I'd hate to see you not be eating shake shack burgers because of the silly crowds. The shack burgers need you. They're asking: "Why hasn't Adam come to see me yet?" You really need to get yourself over there and eat a few. Go late in the evening with EDOW and "Hot Kate" and/or bring all your friends and make the line your own. By the way, pass on the new frank. It's expensive and not worth nearly double the price of the Chicago dog. Chicago dogs...yum!
ConduitGroup: Yeah. I'll go during off hours. Have been meaning to. Once we start getting summer hours at work, I'll go mid-afternoon, post-2 p.m. I love the Shack, just hate the lines and the hype -- which is a bit hypocritical in that we blog and hype the Shack here on AHT as much as anyone else. (To that end, I've instituted a bit of an unofficial moratorium on Shack posts.) Glad to hear the fries are better this year. I thought they were pretty unmemorable last year, and I don't think the shakes are worth writing home about, either. But that's just me.
THOSE JACKASS THAT ARE STANDING IN LINE ARE THE SAME ONES WHO ARE IN SUCH A HURRY IN THE MORNING TO GET A COFFEE AND BAGEL AT THE CORNER DELI AND PUSH AND SHOVE ON THE SUBWAY ALWAYS IN A HURRY, NOW I KNOW WHY, FOR A CRAPPY BURGER (OVER PRICED) AND SOGGY FRIES!!
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10 Comments:
when are cupcakes going to be less popular? what will the next craze be? i'd be really happy if shake shack style frozen custard shacks opened up all over town.
Hamburger ganda at 8:13PM on 05/17/06
I don't know what the next craze will be. Wanna do some research, figure it out, and then open a stand in some park or a little corner shop serving whatever it is?
Adam Kuban at 8:19PM on 05/17/06
I've been to Shake Shack about 5 times this year. Last year, when I first had one, I didn't really know what the b f d was. It was good ok, but to make people irrational and stupid...I didn't understand this. And mind you, the fries sucked last year. This year, the burgers have gotten better...much better. The fries are now on par with the level of the burgers (even cheese fries stay crispy...even after the long ride back to the office). I would personally never want to wait in a line with folks who have too much time on their hands. Not me. But make it a point to go off hours. It's the best when there's only a few people there. You all know you're sharing something special especially without the crowds. There's nothing like a Shake Burger sans crowd, sans hype. All you taste is "the perfect meat to bun ratio." I'd hate to see you not be eating shake shack burgers because of the silly crowds. The shack burgers need you. They're asking: "Why hasn't Adam come to see me yet?" You really need to get yourself over there and eat a few. Go late in the evening with EDOW and "Hot Kate" and/or bring all your friends and make the line your own. By the way, pass on the new frank. It's expensive and not worth nearly double the price of the Chicago dog. Chicago dogs...yum!
Hamburger conduitgroup at 8:42PM on 05/17/06
ConduitGroup: Yeah. I'll go during off hours. Have been meaning to. Once we start getting summer hours at work, I'll go mid-afternoon, post-2 p.m. I love the Shack, just hate the lines and the hype -- which is a bit hypocritical in that we blog and hype the Shack here on AHT as much as anyone else. (To that end, I've instituted a bit of an unofficial moratorium on Shack posts.) Glad to hear the fries are better this year. I thought they were pretty unmemorable last year, and I don't think the shakes are worth writing home about, either. But that's just me.
Adam Kuban at 9:43PM on 05/17/06
THOSE JACKASS THAT ARE STANDING IN LINE ARE THE SAME ONES WHO ARE IN SUCH A HURRY IN THE MORNING TO GET A COFFEE AND BAGEL AT THE CORNER DELI AND PUSH AND SHOVE ON THE SUBWAY ALWAYS IN A HURRY, NOW I KNOW WHY, FOR A CRAPPY BURGER (OVER PRICED) AND SOGGY FRIES!!
Hamburger MIKE SMITH at 10:29PM on 05/17/06
Does someone need some anger management? And by the way, it's "jackasses."
Hamburger conduitgroup at 4:53AM on 05/18/06
Adam, we totally want to do something with your burger fans and our cupcake fans! I will shoot you an email!
Hamburger Nichelle at 8:22AM on 05/18/06
Nichelle: Sounds great. It'll be all West Side Story. Sharks vs. Jets. Cupcakes vs. Burgers. Or not.
Adam Kuban at 8:48PM on 05/18/06
Burgers + cupcakes = brilliant. I hope the next big craze that comes to the city will be Rita's Water Ice.
Hamburger Jennarator at 10:11PM on 05/18/06
LIVING for burgers n cupcakes. Just ate there. they alose have really good onion rings too.
Hamburger Mike at 7:35PM on 08/16/06