Shake Shack's Hot Chicken Sandwich Is Back With 3 Spicy New Menu Items

Few American chains inspire as much diehard devotion as Shake Shack. Its meteoric rise has been astounding — it started as a hot dog cart in New York City in 2001, opened its first permanent kiosk in Madison Square Park in 2004, and less than 20 years later, it has more than 400 locations around the world, thanks in part to its higher standards for meat quality (even if it took a perplexingly long time for Shake Shack to add bacon to its menu). But just because the chain is popular doesn't mean it can't engage in some menu innovation. To that end, Shake Shack is introducing several new spicy menu items for fall. In addition to bringing back the hot chicken sandwich — a fried chicken cutlet spiced with a pepper blend and topped with pepper slaw and pickles — Shake Shack is introducing a couple of new menu items. 

The Spicy Shackmeister Burger is spiced with a pepper blend, then topped with cherry peppers, crispy onions, and ShackSauce. Then there are the fries: spicy fries with ranch sauce, and spicy cheese fries with ranch sauce. Both are spiced with the same pepper blend and served with ranch, and ... well, you can probably guess the differentiating factor from there. Both types of fries are currently available, while the sandwich and burger will become available on September 8 — or September 5, if you use Shake Shack's app to order.

As John Karangis, Shake Shack's VP of Culinary Innovation, said in a statement provided to Daily Meal, "We've been listening to our fans who crave spice and bold flavors, which is why we're bringing back hot chicken for the fourth time. We love crafting fun, delicious menu items, and our new Hot Menu puts a fiery twist on the Shack classics. Whether you're watching football or just enjoying the fall season, this menu will bring the heat that we know our guests are going to enjoy."

Considering Shake Shack keeps bringing back the Hot Chicken, it's essentially becoming the company's answer to the McRib. This is in no way a disparagement; there's a reason people go crazy for McRib season every year, and the Hot Chicken sandwich appears to be no different. 

Who knows? Maybe Shake Shack can make autumn the spiciest season. Given the chain's sudden rise to cultural relevance, anything seems possible.