Known largely for some truly standout milkshakes as well as those irresistibly buttery hamburger buns, Shake Shack has made a name for itself in the fast casual niche of dining. It’s blossomed into a nationwide brand that can lay claim to 358 locations across the country as of September 2024. Even though Shake Shack has locations from coast to coast, that doesn’t mean you can rely on finding their signature burgers and some strangely great cheese sauce in every state.
According to the data provider ScrapeHero, there are 34 states and territories home to at least one Shake Shack, including seven locations in Washington, D.C. The restaurant’s home state of New York boasts the greatest number of locations with a total of 55 -– good enough for about 15% of all Shake Shack locations in the United States. Completing the top five are California (47), Texas (30), New Jersey (25), and Florida (21). An interesting outlier, Atlanta, Georgia, is tied for having the third-most Shake Shack locations for a city, even though Georgia doesn’t crack the top 10 states.
You won’t find Shake Shack everywhere
As it currently stands, there are a total of 17 states that do not have a Shake Shack at all. These states are Alaska, Arkansas, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wyoming, and Vermont -– so if you get a craving for Shake Shack while you’re traveling across middle America, we have bad news for you.
One of the more eyebrow-raising states to appear on this list is the northeastern state of Vermont. While admittedly America’s top maple exporter isn’t exactly known for being a haven for restaurant chains, the fact that it shares a border with Shake Shack’s home state makes its absence quite conspicuous. A similar sentiment can be given to Maine, another state relatively close to Shake Shack’s home turf that doesn’t contain a single location. As for the other states, you could chalk Shake Shack’s absence up to a lack of substantial population for many cases. As well, Shake Shack tends to be more concentrated in states in roughly the northeastern quarter of the country (with the very populous California and Texas being two exceptions), so there’s perhaps a degree of a cultural divide as you drift further outside of this region. Either way, you’ll have to search elsewhere for some top-tier fast casual food in these instances -– and no, fast food won’t give you the same experience.
How does Shake Shack choose its locations?
Maybe there isn’t a Shake Shack near you, if there’s even one in your state at all. If that’s the case, how do you know whether or not to expect a Shake Shack to pop up in a location near you in the future? Shake Shack, thankfully, is pretty clear with its requirements regarding potential new locations. According to its own webpage about bringing Shake Shacks to new locations, it lists three “must-haves” for standalone stores: the potential for outdoor dining spaces, space allotted for curbside parking and pickup, and (perhaps most importantly) a high degree of visibility and accessibility. In this last category, the company cites major cities and urban/suburban areas specifically, which may be a concern if you live in an area without any major city centers.
It should also be noted that Shake Shack itself might be hesitant to expand at this point in time. In the fall of 2024, nine locations closed their doors after underperforming, according to Shake Shack itself. Notably, these locations were in the populous states of California, Texas, and Ohio –- so expansion into a potentially risky and less populous locale might not be on its radar right now.
