KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 28 — We just saw the announcement that Shake Shack is opening its doors in Malaysia, with the first branch set to be located at The Exchange, TRX. With the first store expected to be opened next month, we will have to be prepared for the sticker price of the burgers sold at the store.
The Shake Shack branch in Malaysia is operated by SGP Group, the same group that is handling the brand in South Korea and Singapore. So we have two countries to work from for the upcoming pricing for the burgers here.
How much could the burgers cost?
We will work with the cheapest burger on the menu — the ShackBurger. This burger is present in every store around the world, as it is a staple for the Shake Shack brand.
The prices are as follows:
- United States: US$6.89 (about RM 32.90)
- South Korea: 6,900 Won (about RM 24.30)
- Singapore: SGUS$9.70 (about RM 33.80)
As you can see, Singapore’s price is significantly higher than South Korea’s, but only slightly higher than the USA. If we take the pricing of both the South Korean market and the Singapore market, and we average it, we will get RM 29.05. We may see a slight increase in price due to taxes and raw material availability here. So, we can round up the price to about RM 30 for a basic ShackBurger here in Malaysia.
How does it compare to Five Guys?
If you think that price is high, let’s compare it with another famous burger brand, Five Guys. The brand is approaching its second anniversary here in Malaysia, so it is settling in nicely in the local market. Currently, Five Guys is available in Pavilion Bukit Bintang and Genting SkyAvenue.
Their most basic burger is the Hamburger, which is priced at RM 33 for a two-patty burger with unlimited toppings chosen by the customer. Its equivalent in the US costs USD 6.99 (about RM 33.40), which is a direct conversion as of today’s forex rate.
Could we see any Malaysian specials?
What makes Shake Shack different from other international brands opening up shop locally is that they will create country-specific offerings that are not available in other countries. For example, in Singapore, you can buy the Pandan Shake, while in Korea you can buy Gangnam Concrete (which is frozen custard blended with additional toppings).
Other than burgers, items that are present in all Shake Shack menu includes hot dogs, milk shakes, concrete (which is frozen custard with toppings blended in), the in-house Shack Lemonade, and in some countries, beer and wine (we can’t confirm if Shake Shack Malaysia will have this in the menu).
We can expect Shake Shack Malaysia to come up with something special. Maybe it can be a Durian shake? Or Cendol Concrete? Or even a special sauce for the fries? Are you looking forward to the first Shake Shack in Malaysia? We sure are, we can’t wait. — SoyaCincau
