The Possible Reasons This Burger Chain's Prices Are Among The Highest In Fast Food

When you think of the priciest fast food option, it's likely that one specific chain comes to mind: Shake Shack. It has a lot of great qualities — delicious burgers (which we have ranked), tasty crinkle-cut fries, and milkshakes made with real ice cream and premium add-ins — but the prices are difficult to ignore. A classic Shack combo costs more than $15, while similar versions at Wendy's and McDonald's are around $12 and In-N-Out is under $10. 

Shake Shack has never come out and explained the reasoning behind its pricing, but we can look into what we know. The Values page of Shake Shack's website states that it buys premium ingredients from partners who prioritize quality. The company also emphasizes that it adheres to animal welfare standards — these include no added hormones and no antibiotics in any of the meat, as well as humane treatment of animals and the use of cage-free eggs — and such standards are part of the bigger picture of what exactly is sustainable food. Overall, these practices require higher labor costs and thus result in higher consumer prices. 

However, Shake Shack is not the only fast food company that can say it uses premium ingredients and practices that adhere to animal welfare standards. The In-N-Out website also boasts the quality of its meat, while the McDonald's site declares that animal welfare is a priority for it, too. So, there must be more to Shake Shack's pricing.

Shake Shack is branded as a fast casual restaurant rather than a regular fast food joint. The main difference between fast casual restaurants and fast food joints is that fast food prioritizes speed — this often means heating up frozen food and offering drive-throughs. Meanwhile, a fast casual restaurant, like Shake Shack, may take a bit longer with your order because mostly everything is cooked fresh. Shake Shack also has beer and wine on the menu, which is another detail that sets it apart from fast food. The company also teams up with prominent chefs — such as Nyesha Arrington of "Next Level Chef" – for collaborations wherein the chefs create limited-time menu items for Shake Shack. 

While there are some Shake Shack locations with a drive-through, most require you to come in and order – but they offer a well-designed, often sleek and modern interior that makes customers want to sit down, relax, and enjoy their meal. The company doesn't rely on cookie-cutter design; rather, it creates spaces that flow with the (usually more upscale) locations. This means Shake Shack likely invested more money in its interior design and architecture then makes up for that ambiance with slightly higher prices. 

The focus on giving consumers a quality dining experience and highlighting chefs' creativity makes sense when you look at who founded Shake Shack: Danny Meyer, who also founded Eleven Madison Park, a fine dining restaurant in New York City with three Michelin stars. A Michelin star background certainly sets Shake Shack apart from other burger chains, and it could easily contribute to a reputation (and a product) that's well worth the extra cost.