US Burger Chain "Shake Shack" Lands in Japan

A number of foreign food chains are advancing in Japan of late, and this time a popular hamburger chain, "Shake Shack", found its way into Japan November 13, opening its first shop in Minato-ku, Tokyo.

Shake Shack is a New York-based hamburger chain fast growing with its quality hamburgers. Over 400 customers queued up the morning the first Shake Shack opened in Tokyo. A male student, aged 21, said to NHK:

"My buddy told me over Facebook about this. A bit costlier but tasted good".

Randy Garutti, CEO, of Shake Shack comments:

"I think lots of people wouldn't mind paying more for better quality. People come to try our food and tell their stories via SNS. That's how we can boost our brand value".

Earlier this year "Blue Bottle Coffee" of US and a pie shop "Pie Face" of Australia found their ways into Japan, and another US burger shop Carl's Jr. will join possibly within this year.

The onrush of foreign eating joints into Japan owes largely to ease of merchandising via SNS and the trend is likely to accelerate.

Shake Shack is a newcomer in hamburger business, originally a fund-raising hot dog joint in a New York park in 2001. In 2004, they opened the first shop in Madison Square Park and now operate 64 shops in 9 countries around the world.

Randy Garutti recalls:

"We made it a point to sell only quality food and our customers responded by queuing up for our food. So, we thought we should go set up permanent shops".

Shake Shack naively asked: Who Ever Wrote the Rule? they set out to break every fast food rule there was.

Randy Garutti quotes a poem of Maya Angelou to portray Shaka Shake's philosophy:

"People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."