With the opening of Michigan’s first Shake Shack earlier this year, it’s hard to believe another location has already arrived! Shake Shack’s latest installment is now open in Troy on Big Beaver Road, just a few minutes from the Somerset Collection. The Troy Shake Shack is the second in the Detroit area, which leads me to think . . . metro Detroiters must be hungry for hamburgers, huh?

Thanks to the lovely people at Shake Shack, Brad and I attended Friends & Family Night for a complimentary meal and look at the Troy location prior to the restaurant’s opening. Having previously dined at the downtown Detroit location and a couple of locations in Boston, we knew we were in for some great food . . . and possibly a couple of unique twists.

THE VENUE

Operating out of a large, modernly-designed building, the Troy Shake Shack is visually impressive and hard to miss. While the marquee is reminiscent of its Detroit counterpart, the Troy location boasts a large, outdoor patio that you won’t find at the downtown location. Adorned with string lights, game tables (ping pong or foosball, anyone?), ceiling fans, and heaters(!!!) this area is sure to be a hit among guests on nice evenings.

THE MENU: LOCATION-SPECIFIC ITEMS

The Troy Shake Shack menu appeared to be mostly the same as the downtown Detroit menu, with a couple of differences on the “Concretes” section. Concretes are frozen custard blended with mix-ins, and every Shake Shack location puts a unique (and often, local) spin on these mix-ins. I love, love, loved this about the Detroit location, and was thrilled to see that Troy keeps up the tradition.


Of the three concretes offered at Shake Shack in Troy, two feature ingredients from local Michigan food businesses. “Concrete of Troy” is a blend of vanilla custard, salted caramel sauce, Zingerman’s Buenos Aires dulce de leche brownie (SO good!), and chocolate sprinkles, while “Pie Oh My” blends vanilla custard with a delicious slice of seasonal Sister Pie). While the Zingerman’s brownie in “Concrete of Troy” was soft and perfectly ooey-gooey, I gravitated toward “Pie Oh My,” which during our October visit was swirled with huge pieces of salted maple pumpkin pie and basically tasted like Thanksgiving and all that is good in the world.

While each of the concretes are a solid choice, five percent of sales from every “Pie Oh My” concrete go to support Gleaners Food Bank, so your purchase of this tasty treat will help feed hungry people in the Detroit community. Just a little incentive in case you have trouble deciding on a flavor. :)

THE MENU: OUR FAVORITES

Because I’d ordered the Chick’n Shack (crispy chicken, lettuce, pickle, and herb mayo) every other time I’d visited a Shake Shack, I decided to be different and order a burger—more specifically, the SmokeShack (cheeseburger with applewood smoked bacon, chopped cherry pepper, and ShackSauce). Likewise, Brad tried to be different and ordered the Chick’n Shack instead of his usual burger. Well, old habits die hard, because we kind of wanted to switch orders when the food came out. I still wanted to try the burger, though,  so we cut the sandwiches in half, shared, and had a merry ol’ time sampling and sharing both tried-and-true and new-to-us flavors.

SHAKE SHACK TROY: FUN FACTS

- To coincide with Shake Shack’s commitment to green architecture and eco-friendly construction, the Troy Shake Shack’s tabletops are made from reclaimed bowling alley lanes. The chairs are also made from sustainable materials and the booths are crafted from lumber certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.

- Like the Detroit location, the Troy Shake Shack will participate in food ordering via the Shack App, which allows guests to order food right from their phones. Select food, choose an available pickup time, and your meal will be cooked to order and timed to your arrival.

SHAKE SHACK TROY: GRAND OPENING DETAILS

Shake Shack in Troy, Michigan opens Wednesday, October 25th, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. at 850 West Big Beaver Road. The first 75 people in line at 11:00 a.m. on opening day will receive a FREE “Concrete of Troy,” so don’t forget to set your alarms!

Are you a Shake Shack fan? What are your favorite menu items (or which are you most excited to try)?