Shake Shack Opens in Maple Grove, Makes Drive-Through Debut
In the parking lot of The Shoppes at Arbor Lakes, people braved the cold Monday morning to celebrate the grand opening of Maple Grove’s newest restaurant: Shake Shack.
“Well I think it’s exciting to have it actually open here today,” said Maple Grove Mayor Mark Steffenson. “It’s a cold day but an exciting day.”
Exciting, not just because Maple Grove has another dining option, but because this new addition occupies an underutilized section of The Shoppes’ parking lot.
“The way it was designed originally, it really was the parking [area] got used several days a year and that was it,” Steffenson said. “And this really creates a much more functional use of the space.”
One of the first meals served at the Maple Grove Shake Shack.
A first for Shake Shack
Shake Shack officials are taking advantage of the functional use of this space. Of the company’s more than 200 locations nationwide, Maple Grove’s is the first with a drive-through option.
“We’ve been working on this for so long and just really proud of everybody — our managers, our teammates, everybody all over the country that’s been working on this,” said Andrew McCaughan, Shake Shack’s chief development officer.
Monday morning, all that hard work paid off, as dozens of burger and milkshake-craving customers packed into the store as soon as the doors opened to order one of their signature Shack Burgers or frozen desserts.
Not a bad way to help fight off Old Man Winter.
“The burgers and fries keep you warm at the end of the day, so just get an extra order of cheese fries and it’ll be all good,” McCaughan said.
For every sandwich purchased on opening day, Shake Shack is donating $1 to CROSS Services, a Rogers-based nonprofit that helps people dealing with food insecurity.
