Shake it up

There’s no shortage of burger joints in Birmingham, but Shake Shack Chief Operating Officer Zach Koff said the restaurant is defined by its “really thoughtful ingredients.”

Shake Shack’s first Alabama location is under construction at The Summit, scheduled to open in late summer. The restaurant chain started in New York in 2004 and now has roughly 170 locations around the world, from the east and west coasts of the U.S. to countries like Japan, Bahrain, the United Kingdom, Russia, Turkey and South Korea. Koff, who opened the company’s fourth location and has been with Shake Shack eight years, said they have had their eye on Birmingham for a while.

When a location opened at the Summit, Koff said it was a perfect fit.

“I think people go there to do exactly what we help do, which is have a place to gather and go out,” Koff said.

The 3,500-square-foot space will eventually hold indoor and outdoor seating, including some tables made from reclaimed bowling alley lanes. Koff said recycled and sustainable materials are an important part of the construction process.

“You wouldn’t believe how cool of a place it is to get a $5 cheeseburger,” he said.

Shake Shack’s menu is built around burgers made with hormone- and antibiotic-free Angus beef and a potato roll. Other staples include chicken sandwiches, hot dogs, fries, beer, wine and the restaurant’s namesake: milkshakes, frozen custard, floats and ice cream cones.

Though Shake Shack started as a roadside burger stand, Koff said the “fine dining” background of several of the creators translates to “all of the love and attention and care that you would receive at a fine restaurant” in the food.

Koff said Shake Shack is currently on the hunt for local food vendors to provide locally-sourced ingredients for some of the menu items, including the custard.

“You’ll find us including a lot of cool, local food items into our custard menu,” he said.

Shake Shack also seeks out local charities to support with some of their menu item proceeds, Koff said, such as the Fresh Air Fund in New York or beach cleanup efforts in Florida. Koff said the charity for Birmingham has not yet been chosen.

After the Summit location is established, Koff said Shake Shack will begin looking for the right opportunity for a second restaurant in Birmingham. Grand opening events will also be announced later in the summer.

“We go to cities knowing there’s always more than one,” Koff said.

“We built this company to be the one great roadside burger stand … and then we realized we had something,” Koff said. “[We have] roots that then translate into some of thebest-tasting burgers.”