Shake Shack to Open in Philadelphia

The uproar has hardly died down from the opening of the Washington, DC Shake Shacks — the one in Dupont Circle opened last month and the one in Nationals Park opens tomorrow — and now Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group says the popular burger chain is coming to Philadelphia in 2012. The new location, near the city's famous Rittenhouse Square, will open "in the second half" of next year.

SHAKE SHACK’S COMING TO THE CITY OF BROTHERY LOVE
FIRST PHILADELPHIA LOCATION TO OPEN IN 2012!

NYC’s Beloved Burger, Hot Dog and Frozen Custard Stand Will Make Its Home in Center City

Monday, June 13, 2011 New York – Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG) plans to bring its Shake Shack to Philadelphia in 2012. One of NYC’s most lauded eateries and beloved gathering places, Shake Shack is a modern day "roadside" burger stand known for its delicious burgers, hot dogs, frozen custard, beer, wine and more.

Shake Shack’s Philly home is centrally located at 2000 Sansom Street (corner of 20th and Sansom), near beautiful Rittenhouse Square in Center City. The new Shack is slated to open in the second half of 2012.

“My colleagues and I are thrilled to introduce Shake Shack to Philadelphia,” said Danny Meyer, CEO of USHG. “We are incredibly excited to have the privilege to add our voice to the city’s vibrant culinary dialogue. Philadelphians are famously passionate about the things they love, and we truly hope they’ll embrace our ShackBurgers, hot dogs and frozen custard with that same enthusiasm.”

The Philadelphia Shake Shack will build upon the success of six siblings throughout New York City – Madison Square Park (the original Shack, founded in 2004), Upper West Side (2008), Citi Field – home of the New York Mets (2009), Theater District (2010), Upper East Side (2010) and Battery Park City (2011), as well as its locations in Miami Beach (2010), Washington, DC (Dupont Circle and Nationals Park, both in 2011) and Saratoga Race Course, NY (2010). Additionally, Shake Shack opened its first location overseas this spring in Dubai, UAE, with a second opening mid-Summer in Kuwait City.

Shake Shack was born from a hot dog cart in Madison Square Park created by Union Square Hospitality Group to support the Madison Square Park Conservancy’s first art installation “I ?Taxi.” The cart was a success and lines formed daily, so it re-opened for an additional two summers in 2002 and 2003. In July 2004 USHG was awarded the contract from New York City’s Department of Parks & Recreation and the Madison Square Park Conservancy to create a permanent food kiosk in the park. Shake Shack opened and instantly became a NYC institution with a loyal following, receiving numerous accolades from the press including The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Magazine, Food & Wine, Travel & Leisure, Food Network and The TODAY Show among others, and was voted one of the Most Popular Restaurants in New York according to Zagat.

Shake Shack is part of Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG), which includes several of New York City’s most celebrated restaurants: Union Square Cafe, Gramercy Tavern, Eleven Madison Park, Blue Smoke, Jazz Standard, Shake Shack, The Modern, Cafe 2 and Terrace 5 (located at The Museum of Modern Art), El Verano Taquería and Box Frites (both at Citi Field), Maialino, Untitled at the Whitney Museum of American Art, as well as Union Square Events and Hospitality Quotient, a learning business. USHG is best known for its blend of excellent food and its unique style of warm hospitality. Actively involved in the community, USHG and its employees are committed to extending its enlightened hospitality beyond the walls of its restaurants through its support of hunger relief and civic organizations as well as other causes. Meyer, his restaurants, and chefs have earned an unprecedented 24 James Beard Awards, as well as numerous other media accolades. Six of the company’s restaurants are included in Zagat’s list of the Most Popular Restaurants in NYC, including the #1, 3 and 5 spots. www.ushgnyc.com

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