Some secrets are just too good to keep, and when it comes to off-menu items at beloved fast-food restaurants, there is a sharing economy thanks to online fans who test these classified orders and then generously tell the world about the results. At Shake Shack, however, one popular off-menu offering — the peanut butter and bacon ShackBurger — isn’t really a secret at all. In fact, the restaurant went as far as to point out this delicacy on its website, along with ordering instructions, rather than pretending it doesn’t exist.
While you can’t simply walk up to the counter and ask for this specialty directly (some fans have attempted this unsuccessfully), ordering it is pretty easy. All you need to do is place an order for a standard ShackBurger with bacon and a side of peanut butter sauce. This topping is probably more commonly ordered as an accompaniment to one of Shake Shack’s famous custards, but here, you’ll want to use it as a condiment for your sandwich. Drizzle, smear, or dip your burger in the peanut butter sauce the same way you might with ketchup or extra Shack Sauce, and be prepared to have your mind blown.
What makes this secret so special
Not only is this burger not a secret, but once upon a time, it was even on the actual menu. The reason it was removed had to do with the risk associated with potential allergy issues, but those fans who got a taste weren’t ready to give it up. If the combination sounds a little unusual to you, though, consider that peanut butter and bacon are a pairing that has been applied to everything, from cookies to doughnuts. In this particular savory situation, the spread brings a salty, nutty, familiar flavor that plays off the rich, caramelized smash burger patty and that squishy, slightly sweet potato bun.
Of course, if you can’t get to a local Shack, you can pull off a version of your own at home using a little microwaved peanut butter (which helps with spreadability) and customize with your favorite kind of bacon and other fixin’s.
There’s a reason Shake Shack’s cheese sauce tastes so good, and the restaurant’s technique for making milkshakes sets it apart from other fast food options (maybe it has to do with the chain’s fine dining origin story). But with the peanut butter bacon ShackBurger, they added yet another entry into a fast food menu canon that deserves to be shared.
