Downtown Boston Could Get Its Own Shake Shack

An iconic New York City burger chain will continue to add to its presence in Massachusetts. Shake Shack is reportedly exploring Downtown Crossing for its next expansion in Boston, seeking approval from the city’s licensing board to open at 322 Washington St. this coming fall, a rep confirmed, and it’s possible this location could serve breakfast.

The growing international chain, fueled by founder Danny Meyer, opened its 100th store in 2016, and it was here in Boston (in the Seaport District), and it operates other local locations in Chestnut Hill, on Newbury Street in Back Bay, in Cambridge’s Harvard Square, and at Legacy Place in Dedham. Other locations are in the works for the Arsenal Yards development in Watertown and at the Burlington Mall.

Meyer has previously raved about dining in Boston, mentioning Chinatown among his happy places. The newest Shake Shack will be close to that same neighborhood, and it will serve the chain’s familiar lineup of crinkle-cut fries, frozen custards, and burgers, of course.

If approved, Shake Shack’s Downtown Crossing restaurant could potentially operate from 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. — a rarity for standalone Shake Shacks. Boston’s existing locations serve lunch and dinner, but select locations (mostly inside airports and train stations) do serve breakfast, including sausage, egg, and cheese sandwiches and more.

The proposed Downtown Crossing location will span 3,000 square feet. Its frozen custard concretes will feature some local purveyors, and five percent of the sales from one of the concretes will go towards charity.

Update, 8/6, 8:30 a.m.: This story has been updated to reflect the confirmed address and an opening timeline for the forthcoming Shake Shack, as well as some additional details about the space, menu, and charity.

• Shake Shack Is Expanding to Watertown in 2020 [EBOS]
• Shake Shack May Open in Boston’s Downtown Crossing [BRT]