Both Shake Shack’s Are Do-Able From Midtown in 60 Mins

shack-burger-uws
Photograph by Food in Mouth

Two commenters took the Shake Shack challenge today, and did it in just over an hour.  Lunch’er Tom went from 1 Rock Plaza to the UWS location in 1 hour and 7 minutes.  Here is his timeline:

1214PM: Leave Desk at 1 Rock Plz
1217PM: Arrive at Uptown track for B train
1224PM: Get on the “1219″ B train
1234PM: Arrive at 81st street
1238PM: Get in line at Shake Shack
1252PM: Order single cheeseburger and fries
1258PM: Receive food
0103PM: Just miss B train and take C train instead
0112PM: Arrive at 50th and 8th Ave and walk back to desk
0121PM: Arrive at desk
0130PM: Regret not getting the double

And Lunch’er Joanna went to the Madison Square Park location from Rock Center, and claims to have traveled, eaten and even chatted!

Just went down to the Madison Square Park location to meet some friends. I work in Rockefeller Center. Took the R/W down from 49th/7th. Waited in line, got food, ate, chatted, total time: 1 hour, 5 minutes. Includes travel time. It’s not bad – I swear! It’s totally do-able. Esp if you consider take-out.

Tom’s story sounds promising, especially considering that he just missed the train going both ways, and had to walk 9 mins from the train back to his office because he missed the B and took the C instead. Hit those trains, and you could probably save at least 10 to 20 mins. Joanna’s story seems less probable… although maybe the line in Madison Square Park is lighter on Mondays? Seems amazing that she made it there and back in 65 minutes, and had time to eat and chat with friends. Was I wrong to think there aren’t times when the Madison Square Shake Shack is do-able?

Looks like I’m going to have to test both places now! It will mean eating at the Shake Shack twice this week, but I think I can manage…

7 Comments

  • You probably single-handidly upped the amount of people going to each this week by about 10%. Maybe I’ll catch you at the UWE location. Its getting too cold to wait in line outside.

  • i always wish i’d gotten the double…

  • I swear it was only 65 minutes — BUT — the train arrived as I was getting to the station (ok, so I cheated and I ran down the steps). There were only about 8 people in front of us in line. We ordered 3 burgers, fries, a shake and the pumpkin custard.

  • At the UWS side location, they have a ‘line manager’ handing menus around and giving wait times. Don’t be fooled by their estimates; you have to add about 5 minutes to bring them in line with reality. And remember, that is just for ordering. Depending on how busy it is and whether or not you get a shake, you’ll easily wait another 5-10 minutes to get your food.

  • Mmm, Shake Shack! I wonder if I can successfully run the Downtown Shake Shack Challenge… R to Mad Park… dude, I can’t even make it to Chinatown in 20 minutes cuz the R is so slow :(

  • MMMM. Shake Shack. I trek from downtown every now and then within an hour- only when im craving a good burger! But Shack Burger tastes best when eaten on premises… eaten at desk is a soggy warm mess.

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