Shake Shack’s Korean Fried Chicken and Nuggets Make Nationwide Debut

Shake Shack temporarily adds Korean fried chicken sandwiches to its menu

For the next three months, buzzy NYC-based burger chain Shake Shack is selling a new, limited-time menu of Korean fried chicken sandwiches and nuggets at all of its U.S. locations, the company has announced. The sandwich, priced at $7.19, features a gochujang-glazed crispy chicken breast sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds, set on a bed of white kimchi slaw. The chain’s lauded crispy fried nuggets are served with a side of gochujang sauce and priced at $5.19 for six pieces and $7.19 for 10 pieces.

Customers can also order the shop’s signature, crinkle-cut fries with a side of gochujang sauce ($3.49). There’s a black sugar vanilla shake ($5.69) included in the promotion as well.

Like many of its limited-edition menu rollouts, the chain’s Korean fried chicken sandwich first made an appearance at Shake Shack’s West Village test kitchen early last year. In October 2020, the chain released a gochujang-glazed chicken sandwich at its 14 shops in South Korea, according to the company. For New Yorkers, this latest Shake Shack promotion follows last month’s brief addition of a black truffle-themed menu, where Eater critic Robert Sietsema found the chain’s black truffle burger to be a flavorful — albeit slippery — success.

In other news

— New York Times restaurant critic Pete Wells grapples with restaurants as toxic workplaces for staffers, and how the environment has not gotten any better — and in many cases, worsened — during the coronavirus crisis.

— French newcomer Francie in Williamsburg just launched “Francie at Home,” a new menu centered around to-go options. There’s an extravagant, four-course to-go menu of salad, pastas, roast duck, and an olive oil citrus cake for $195 for two people, two different pasta kits for $24 to $38 apiece, and a selection of wines available. The program is pickup only for now, with delivery options to follow.

— Chef Marco Canora’s East Village hit Hearth has teased plans for new “TV-style dinners” for takeout during the winter months. Details have yet to be disclosed on what the take-and-bake meals will include but there will be kid-sized versions available, too.

— Restaurant owners are worried about the uphill battle it will be to convince customers that indoor dining in NYC is safe again, whenever it returns.

— Frenchette’s buzzy new Tribeca bakery now sells two kinds of pizza: A tarte flambée pie with crème fraîche, bacon, and onion on the bakery’s baguette dough base; and a margherita pie with tomatoes, mozzarella, and Occhipinti olive oil on a durum dough base. The made-to-order pizzas are $14 apiece and are available from 12 to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

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