Aug 4, 2022 - Economy

Shake Shack business hurt by lack of lunchtime traffic

Hope King

Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Shake Shack investors dumped the stock today after the company said its second quarter results were hurt by a lack of lunchtime traffic from office workers.

Why it matters: The makeup of the workforce who work from home has hit an equilibrium point in the U.S. Companies dependent on a higher mix of office worker activity will have to adjust their strategies.

Details: Weekday lunch and dinner traffic in Midtown New York City, where the chain originated, is still on average more than 40% below 2019 levels, CFO Katherine Fogertey noted on this morning's earnings call.

And while other urban markets like Boston and Washington D.C. saw same-store sales grow by more than 25% last quarter, "that recovery would have been even stronger had [things like] return to office, incrementally improved," she said.
Shake Shack's shares finished down 6.3% Thursday from yesterday's close.

What to watch: Workers in New York City intend to cut the time they spend in offices by half, while those in San Francisco plan to reduce by a little more than half.

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Shake Shack business hurt by lack of lunchtime traffic

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