Shake Shack in Vernon Hills is chain's first with a drive-up window
The Shake Shack restaurant in Vernon Hills has become the international chain's first location with a drive-up window.
The standard feature elsewhere on the restaurant landscape is part of the New York-based company's larger "Shack Track" digital initiative sparked by the coronavirus pandemic.
The Vernon Hills Shake Shack opened in June 2019 at the Mellody Farm shopping center at Route 60 and Route 21. The company secured a special-use permit from the village this summer for the drive-up, which officially opened Monday.
Customers are required to pre-order through the Shack App and select the drive-up option.
"As we began to focus on the importance of accessibility and choice, the decision was made to incorporate into preexisting shacks such as Vernon Hills," said Steph So, vice president of digital experience at Shake Shack.
The "digital preordering and fulfillment experience" also includes walk-up windows, curbside pickup, in-house self-service pickup shelves and delivery through the app.
Vernon Hills only has the drive-up at this point, So said, but roughly half the Shake Shacks in the Chicago market will have either a drive-up or walk-up window in the next year. The remaining locations will have a combination of the other pickup options.
Shake Shack describes itself as a modern day "roadside" burger stand serving fresh, simple, high-quality food using premium ingredients. The company has 308 "shacks" worldwide and nine in Chicago and the suburbs, including Oak Brook, Skokie and Schaumburg.
So said Vernon Hills is "definitely one of our busier" suburban locations and has received good turnout and feedback on the new feature.
Opened in October 2018, Mellody Farm in Vernon Hills has become a hub for dining, with more than a dozen restaurants. While all restaurants have been hurting, some are faring better than others, said Village Manager Mark Fleischhauer.
"I think everything is going as well as can be expected," he said, adding that he isn't aware of many closings.
"Most places that always have had drive-ups, I think they're doing very well," Fleischhauer said. "Where they're hurting is all the businesses that are closed or operating with minimal staff aren't going out to lunch."
Pickup dinners, outdoor dining, tents and other options have helped.
"Most of the bigger places, they seem to be weathering the storm," he added.
Scott Adams, president and CEO of the GLMV (Green Oaks, Libertyville, Mundelein, Vernon Hills) Chamber said he hasn't heard of any closings.
"Obviously, they are all down in sales compared to a year ago," he said. "But the ones that are marketing curbside and delivery are holding their own, and the ones with tents are doing some business."
Adams said coronavirus cases related to restaurants are low but like small retailers, they have the most restrictive rules, a situation he mentioned to Gov. J.B. Pritzker.