Marketing

Truffles are back at Shake Shack

The fast-casual burger chain is bringing back the Black Truffle Burger with melted gruyère and crispy sweet onions.
The new Black Truffle Burger and the vegetarian 'Shroom Burger variation. | Photo courtesy of Shake Shack.

Truffles are back at Shake Shack. And this time they brought beer.

The New York-based fast-casual chain on Tuesday launched a Black Truffle Menu limited-time offer featuring a 100% Angus beef burger topped with black truffle sauce, melted gruyère and crispy sweet onions on a toasted potato bun.

The Black Truffle Burger is scheduled to be available nationwide Friday, but guests can order it via Shake Shack’s app starting Tuesday. There’s also a ‘Shroom burger option with the truffle sauce. Both have a recommended price of $10.49.

The specialty burger was first offered in 2020, when the fast-casual player partnered with Regalis Foods to bring a black truffle-flavored arbequina oil to create the sauce. The next year, there was Black Truffle Menu.

This go round, the truffle sauce partner is Bartolini Emilio. Shake Shack is also adding in a Black Truffle Shack Stack, including a cheeseburger topped with the fried portobello mushroom with melted muenster and cheddar, and the black truffle sauce and truffle oil on the toasted bun ($13.49).

And Black Truffle Parmesan Fries ($5.99) can be added on the side.

Because the only thing better than truffles is more truffles, this year in New York City only, Shake Shack units are offering a special beer created by women- and veteran-owned Talea Beer Co. It’s described as a light lager that has an aroma of truffles, and it will be available in 16-ounce cans at select Shacks throughout the city.

Last year, Shake Shack had a hit with its White Truffle Burger LTO, which in a promotion at select units was offered on fine china with white tablecloths. Oh, and canned wine.

The return of truffle sauce comes as CEO Rob Lynch is hoping to broaden the appeal of Shake Shack, which is perceived as a premium brand.

Lynch, the former CEO of Papa Johns, doesn’t want Shake Shack to become a special occasion meal, despite its fine-dining roots. The brand was founded by famed New York restaurateur Danny Meyer.

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