Shake Shack takes a bite out of Atlanta and it’s more than just restaurants

Publicly traded burger chain Shake Shack has its headquarters in New York City, where it launched decades ago as a single hot dog cart in Madison Square Garden.

But CEO Rob Lynch’s newest office overlooks the right field gate at Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves.

Shake Shack this month opened an office at The Battery Atlanta in Cobb County, where it will house 100 workers — its second U.S. “support center” and third in the world. It will become a key hub for training and recruitment as the fast-casual chain accelerates plans to grow to 1,500 company-owned restaurants.

Shake Shack anchors an office building at The Battery Atlanta in Cobb County, where it expects to have 100 workers. (Courtesy of Shake Shack)

Shake Shack, known for its “ShackBurger,” crinkle-cut fries and milkshakes, becomes the latest food and beverage company to build a corporate presence in metro Atlanta.

The city is already a food service capital — home to the headquarters of Coca-Cola, Chick-fil-A and Waffle House, along with private equity firms such as Roark Capital, whose restaurant portfolio includes Arby’s, Dunkin’, Sonic and Subway.

“It’s a place where you can recruit talent,” Shake Shack’s Lynch, who lives in Atlanta, said in an exclusive interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

CEO Rob Lynch’s newest office overlooks the right field gate at Truist Park. (Courtesy of Shake Shack)

And for Shake Shack, the economics just make sense.

New York real estate is among the most expensive in the country, and Shake Shack’s office there is mostly workstations, Lynch said. But in metro Atlanta, the company has ample room to welcome and train its employees from across the United States.

“The biggest room we have in New York could probably hold about 20 people,” Andrew McCaughan, Shake Shack’s chief development officer, said during a tour. The company is already building a calendar of events in Atlanta, including board meetings, end-of-year planning and a broker summit, he said.

A gathering space inside Shake Shack's new office at The Battery Atlanta in Cobb County. (Courtesy of Shake Shack)

The new office spans about 25,000 square feet, with large conference and training rooms and an innovation kitchen. Colorful murals decorate the walls, and gathering spaces feature leather couches and modern light fixtures.

“When we built this office, it was really about building a space where people could come from all over the country to collaborate,” Lynch said.

“I anticipate this won’t be the only space that we have in Atlanta,” he later added. “We’re growing hyper-rapidly as a company.”

Shake Shack is also building out a separate innovation lab about 10 minutes from The Battery, where it will test new kitchen layouts and technology for its restaurants.

A kitchen in a central gathering space at Shake Shack's new metro Atlanta office. It's also building out an innovation kitchen there for training and demonstrations. (Courtesy of Shake Shack)

“Why would anybody not come to Atlanta?” Lynch said. “Why would people choose a different place?”

Shake Shack's new Atlanta office includes training and conference room. (Courtesy of Shake Shack)

At Shake Shack, Lynch is rapidly recruiting. The company has hired about 30 workers so far in Atlanta and is looking to fill roles in information technology, real estate and construction, operations, marketing, finance and human resources.

“Our growth is only inhibited by our pool of talent,” Lynch said. “We have to develop a pipeline of great, amazing people, and that’s one of the biggest focus areas for our company.”

As of early October, Shake Shack had more than 630 restaurants around the globe, including 405 in the U.S. The majority are company-owned locations, and the rest are licensed.

In the second quarter, the company reported total revenue of $356.5 million, up almost 13% from the same period in 2024. Its systemwide sales reached about $550 million, up nearly 14% year over year, and net income grew to $18.5 million.

Colorful murals decorate the walls of Shake Shack's new office at The Battery Atlanta. (Courtesy of Lauren Hubbard/Shake Shack)

Shake Shack’s restaurant expansion will include metro Atlanta.