making pals at shake shack: the waiting is the hardest part
The waiting is the hardest part at Shake Shack (photo by twi-ny/mdr)
The minutes pass as I’m waiting for my food.
And waiting . . .
And waiting . . .
People who ordered after I did have exited with their Shake Shack bags, but not me.
And it’s not the first time.
My wife and I have been doing MealPal since before the pandemic.
Started in 2016, MealPal offers an ingenious way to get lunch; every weekday, subscribers receive a list of discounted available dishes from participating restaurants in their area. They pay a monthly fee ($89–$139) for 70 to 120 credits, and the app lists what the choices are for that day and how many credits each meal costs. There is no fee for being a member, and no added charges. You go into the eatery within the fifteen-minute period you selected, scan a QR code, and your food is either supposed to be already there for you or will arrive within a few minutes. There are no lines — and no changes or substitutions as part of the deal.
(One of my favorite poke places will let me make alterations, getting rid of the red onions and scallions, and a now-shuttered wings joint let me choose any kind I wanted when I showed up; it was worth waiting the ten minutes it took for them to fry up those lemon pepper masterpieces, plus I got to know the owner and the guys who worked there.)
Among my options for tomorrow are aozao noodles from Tipsy Shanghai for eight credits, fusilli with spinach and sausage from House of Lasagna (12), no-rice poke from Poke Mahi (9), aloo tikki and mixed mushrooms from Blue Park Kitchen (8), spicy tuna roll and hand roll from MakiMaki (8), baked ziti from Previti Pasta (9), and crab roll with chips from Luke’s Lobster (11).
Shake Shack is offering its SmokeShack burger and fries for eight credits.
I’ve ordered MealPal from Shake Shack, which is famous for its long lines, at least a dozen times. It’s particularly convenient when I go to physical therapy, as the restaurant is only a block away and I come out of my session damn hungry. A few months ago I showed up, scanned the code, heard the server call out, “MealPal,” and watched the TV, which is almost always turned to ESPN, while I waited.
And waited.
And waited.
Several people who had arrived after me left with their orders. One of the employees behind the counter looked over at me questioningly; I approached him and explained that I had ordered a MealPal more than ten minutes before. He said something to a few of the young men and women around him, and they shook their head. The woman who took my order supported me and said that she had called it out a while ago. There was confusion as no one wanted to accept responsibility for my food not being made yet.
I said to the manager, “This is not cool.”
He agreed.
“What else can I get you?” he asked.
“What do you mean?” I responded, not immediately understanding what he was getting at.
“What else? No charge.”
So I asked for cheese sauce for the fries.
“How about a drink?”
I said I wouldn’t mind a lemonade.
In a few minutes, I had a chicken sandwich, fries, cheese sauce, and lemonade to take back and eat at home.
Two weeks later, after PT, I went into Shake Shack and scanned the QR code. I listened as the person at the cash register called out, “MealPal.” I saw a worker nod, acknowledging the order.
I watched sports highlights and waited.
And waited.
And waited.
After about ten minutes, I approached the pickup counter and asked about my food. A man asked a few workers if anyone was making my order, and they all shook their head, including the woman I saw nod when it was placed. I truly didn’t want to get her in trouble, but I knew she was lying, or else was extremely forgetful. Either way, it appeared that she didn’t care.
A manager came over to me and apologized.
“I’m really sorry about this. What else can I get you?” he said
“Really, I just want what I ordered,” I answered.
Manager: “I understand.”
Me: “Well, the last time, they gave me cheese sauce and a lemonade.”
Manager: “This has happened before?”
Me: “A few weeks ago.”
Manager: “I can get you that again.”
Me: “You know what? I’m really not happy about this whole thing. How about instead I get the dairy-free chocolate shake?”
He hesitated, then said okay.
Me: “I just want you to know that I come here a lot, not just for MealPal.”
Manager: “I look forward to seeing you again.”
I left with my food and shake.
A week later, I bought shakes for me and my wife, but that manager wasn’t there to witness it.
About a month passed, and I decided that I would give Shake Shack another chance on MealPal, all the while thinking about “fool me once” and how “insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
After a rather strenuous PT session, I went to Shake Shack, scanned the QR code, and stepped aside, checking the time so I knew exactly what to say when it was late.
After two and a half minutes, they called out, “MealPal for Mark.” My lunch was ready.
With a surprised but happy look, I picked up my Korean fried chicken sandwich and fries and went home with a skip in my step, despite the pain in my quads and hammies. The sandwich, which is new to the menu, was delicious.
Was it just an accident, or had others complained and this Shake Shack got chastised by MealPal or even owner Danny Meyer, who is no fan of inefficiency? (Meyer makes everyone wait in line, including his friends, himself, and his wife, so MealPal is just about the only way to go right to the front and get your food quickly.)
I have no PT this week but do the next.
Should I go back to Shake Shack then or quit while I’m ahead?
I have to admit, it’s become kind of a sport, albeit one you’ll never find on ESPN.
But win or lose, my belly is satisfied, if not always my mind.
You gotta go back! The uncertainity is the best part!