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Delta brings Shake Shack to flight passengers, but will the meal have a smooth takeoff?
By Sydney Borchers
Published November 20, 2024
If you find yourself craving a juicy burger mid-flight, you will soon be able to order one, so long as you're sitting in first class.
Delta Air Lines has partnered with Shake Shack to bring its staple cheeseburgers to 30,000 feet in the air.
The partnership officially launches on Dec. 1 on flights out of Boston with the intention of expanding to other markets in 2025, Delta announced in a recent press release.
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"A delicious cheeseburger is an iconic comfort food – our customers know that, which is why burgers are one of the top ordered menu items we offer, and we’re thrilled to elevate the offering with Shake Shack," Stephanie Laster, managing director of onboard service, said in the release.
Delt Air Lines and Shake Shack are partnering to bring burgers to the skies. (Delta Air Lines/Fox News)
"However, our partnership with Shake Shack goes beyond the burger. Shake Shack’s people-first culture and commitment to enriching their neighborhoods are spot on with our own brand values of service excellence and helping the communities we serve."
The standard food menu item is made up of the restaurant's classic 100% Angus beef patty, potato bun and topped with cheese.
You will be able to customize the meal with tomato, lettuce and the chain's signature Shake Sauce, all served on the side.
The meal is then completed with chips, a side Caesar salad and a dark-chocolate brownie, the release reported.
Shake Shack is offering a menu item to first-class passengers who order the meal up to seven days before their departure when they book a Delta flight. (iStock)
"At Shake Shack, we’re always looking for new and innovative ways to meet our guests where they are, even at 35,000 feet," said Michael Kark, president of global licensing at Shake Shack.
"Taking our beloved cheeseburger to new heights, Shake Shack is proud to partner with Delta as we elevate the in-flight dining and hospitality experience for travelers across the country."
This menu addition will be made available to those in first class who pre-select and can be ordered starting at seven days before the departure date and edited up to 24 hours in advance of takeoff, Delta stated.
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The airline realized that burgers were in high demand from customers after recognizing that the comfort food as one of the top-ordered menu items.
Gary Leff, a Virginia-based travel industry expert, said some problems could come with trying to produce a decent burger while flying. (Delta Air Lines/Fox News)
Delta calls this a "first-of-its-kind partnership" with Shake Shack, but this is not the first time the two have collaborated, according to a travel expert, and not the first time an airline has brought a fast-food burger to the skies.
"Fast-food partnerships aren't new [as] United once partnered with McDonald's and specially outfitted galley carts to keep the meat warm while cold items were kept cool," Gary Leff, a Virginia-based travel industry expert and author of the blog "View From the Wing," told Fox News Digital.
Leff said Shake Shack and Delta partnered in 2016, when Delta One business-class customers were offered the meal when flying between JFK and LAX.
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"What is new here is Delta offering Shake Shack burgers on an ongoing basis, as a pre-order selection for domestic first-class passengers," Leff said.
First-class passengers can soon enjoy a Shake Shack burger in midair, but there could be some concerns about heating up the food while on the airplane. (Delta Air Lines | iStock)
"It's an option that no one has to take (and that no one should 'get stuck with' as the only item available on board). So that's a good thing!" Leff wrote via email.
Leff said certain challenges could come up when attempting to take a burger into the air, such as reheating the patty in the plane galley.
Problems may include hard buns, burnt cheese and other issues, he said.
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The staple burger's side of fries is not included in the Shake Shack meal, which Leff says eludes an issue when it comes to reheating fries while on board.
"They're limiting risk, though, in serving chips rather than fries. Reheating fries is just as tough, and few airlines execute this well," Leff said.
https://www.foxnews.com/travel/delta-brings-shake-shack-flight-passengers-meal-have-smooth-takeoff