Shake Shack, which has struggled to boost traffic during the pandemic, is adding three new hot-and-spicy menu items and bringing back its fiery chicken sandwich for a limited time.
It’s the third time Shake Shack has brought back its Hot Chick’n sandwich, a spicy version of its classic Chick’n Shack sandwich that features fried chicken breast dusted with a guajillo and cayenne pepper blend topped with cherry pepper slaw and pickles.
New to the menu are Hot Chick’n Bites, Hot Spicy Fries and Hot Spicy Cheese Fries, all made with the same dusting of guajillo and cayenne pepper.
All four of the spicy menu items are available in two heat levels, Hot and Extra Hot.
Customers who order the Hot Chick’n sandwich through Shake Shack’s app or website can unlock a third spice level: Fire.
Shake Shack said in late February, just before the coronavirus hit the U.S., that it planned to add “buzzworthy LTOs,” including Hot Chick’n Bites, to the menu to increase traffic and sales. At the time, the New York City-based burger chain said it was also testing a vegetarian burger.
Shake Shack, which reported a same-store sales decline of 49% in Q2, is adding drive-thrus and testing curbisde pickup as part of its “Shack Track” initiative to expand access points for customers amid the pandemic. The fast casual said it planned to add at least eight walk-up windows to existing stores as well, with about a quarter of new stores having either a walk-up or drive-up option by next year.
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