The One Burger Topping Shake Shack's CEO Refuses To Use
Shake Shack comes from humble origins, but it has quickly grown into a burger behemoth. According to Adweek, the original version of the restaurant was a hot dog cart set up to raise funds for the restoration of Madison Square Park. It's since become a widespread franchise, with locations in many states and a handful of foreign countries.
Despite its widespread success, though, Shake Shack has a relatively small menu. It sells crispy, crinkle-cut fries, which can be enjoyed with a side of cheese sauce. There are a few chicken options (nuggets and a chicken sandwich). And, of course, there's the famous ShackBurger, which features an Angus beef patty, your choice of toppings, and the signature Shack sauce, all sandwiched in a potato bun.
However, despite having a menu full of solid staples, Shake Shack is no stranger to experimenting with different options. Celebrity chef David Chang caused a record-breaking Shake Shack line with his Shrimp Stack burger, per Eater NY. And Mothership reports that Shake Shack has collaborated with the renowned Peranakan restaurant Candlenut to create a Buah Keluak Burger, which features a curry sauce. During the run of the eighth season of "Game of Thrones," the burger chain offered a secret menu of dragon-themed foods. But while shrimp, spices, and Valyrian fixings have all appeared on the chain's burgers, there's one ingredient that's simply too much for the Shake Shack CEO.
Don't expect to find a peanut butter burger at Shake Shack
Though Shake Shack is beloved by plenty of fans, one ingredient the franchise experimented with sparked a bit of controversy. In a 2014 interview with Bon Appétit, Shake Shack founder and current chairman Danny Meyer discussed his shock at learning that his chain was selling a burger topped with bacon and peanut butter. He lamented the inclusion of the latter topping, stating, "I think you can use a burger as a canvas for anything sensible. But I do draw the line at peanut butter."
But despite Meyer's aversion to the combination, fans who found themselves intrigued by the prospect of a peanut butter burger were still able to get their fix. For years after the sandwich was discontinued, clever customers could order a side of peanut butter sauce and drizzle it over a ShackBurger to their hearts' content, per #HackTheMenu. However, this hack was made impossible in 2018, when Shake Shack removed peanut butter from the U.S. menu entirely due to allergy concerns (via Twitter).
Whether the idea of a peanut butter burger makes your stomach rumble or inspires a sense of morbid curiosity, it's too late to try Shake Shack's take on this creative combination. But if you want to bring a jar of Jif into the nearest location, well ... you do you.
Peanut butter burgers are a real thing
Slathering a burger with this famous nutty spread may sound strange. But the peanut butter burger actually has quite a storied history, both at Shake Shack and elsewhere.
The peanut butter burger was first introduced to consumers at a drive-in in Selina, Missouri, where it was sold as the guberburger, according to Atlas Obscura. As HeraldNet explains, "the interplay between the nutty taste of the peanut butter and the savory and seasoned hamburger leaves you hungry for another."
If you spot a peanut butter burger on a restaurant menu, it's more than likely going to be topped with bacon, too. New Orleans-based chef Ryan Pfeiffer swears by the combination (via The Takeout), as does Chicago-based chef Jon Ashton (via Parade). The Shake Shack team was clearly onto something with its short-lived peanut butter bacon burger, even if founder Danny Meyer wasn't on board.