Shake Shack to Open in Palm Desert

Upscale Desert Community to Welcome Shake Shack

PALM DESERT — The only event that could possibly compete with the arrival of Santa Claus is the opening here of New York City-based eatery, Shake Shack, the first of its kind in Riverside County.

Let the frenzy commence,

Shake Shack will celebrate its grand opening at 73-199 El Paseo on December 20. Festivities are scheduled between 10:30 a.m. and 11 p.m. The first 100 patrons will receive custom merchandise. Additionally, $1 from every burger sold will be donated to FIND Food Bank,  a regional food bank serving eastern Riverside and southern San Bernardino counties.

The address is on busy the famed El Paseo in the heart of one of the valley’s busiest restaurant hubs. The Daily Grill and Tommy Bahama are in close proximity. And interestingly, this new Shake Shack is perfectly positioned between two In-N-Out locations, its major competitor, each just a few miles away in La Quinta and Rancho Mirage.

The eatery has a cultlike following for its crinkle-cut fries and milkshakes.

Shake Shack started in 2001 as a hot dog cart inside New York’s Madison Square Park. Popularity gained, and in 2004, the eatery received a permit to open a permanent kiosk within the park, expanding its menu from New York–style hot dogs to one with hamburgers, hot dogs, fries, and its namesake — milkshakes.