We tried Delta’s Shake Shack burger in the air. OK?

Can a cheeseburger on a plane be as delicious as a cheeseburger on the ground? Or will it just be “pretty good for something on a plane”?
While in-flight meals are largely no longer available in domestic economy class, meals are still available in first class (at least on long-haul flights). While the menu has changed over the years, there are a few common standbys, including a surprising one: the humble burger.
While you might think the burger will be soggy or gross, it actually works pretty well on a plane, as long as you don’t expect a medium-rare burger.
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Much of the preparation and cooking of in-flight meals is done on the ground, while dishes are heated on board in a specialized convection oven before being served. It’s easy to heat burger patties in these ovens, and even though they sear a little more thoroughly than on the ground, a well-done burger turns out better than an overcooked steak.
This is especially true for “smash burger” style burgers like Shake Shack, where the patty is pressed over a very hot griddle, searing the outside and keeping the inside juicy while the burger is thin and cooked through.
That’s probably what Delta had in mind when it decided to offer Shake Shake’s famous burgers as a meal option on board. This month, the airline began offering Shake Shack-branded entrees in first class on flights more than 900 miles from Boston’s Logan International Airport (BOS), a collaboration the airline calls “unprecedented.” It plans to expand the partnership to other airports in 2025.
When TPG’s resident “Beef in the Sky” beat down a reporter who happened to be based in Boston (seriously—that’s my thing), I was assigned to hop on a flight to see if Delta and Shake Shack were actually It can be successful, or the marketing promotion is just filler and has no meat.
I booked a one-way ticket to Denver International Airport (DEN) via Minneapolis-St. St. Paul International Airport (MSP) because I had to travel to the United hub for other duties. I made sure the flight was long enough to get a full meal service in first class — 1,124 miles flown on BOS-MSP, according to Great Circle Mapper — and it was late enough in the day that I was sure lunch would be served, not breakfast.
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If you’re hoping to get a Shake Shack burger on your next flight, remember one key detail: You can only get it if you order in advance. This is a detail I saw in the press release but forgot about. When I checked my reservation in the Delta app, I noticed there was an option to order food and decided to do so, but I didn’t receive a notification or reminder that I could do so. If I hadn’t chosen the meal myself, I might have received the notification later.
So: I’ve taken my flight and ordered a burger. Is it worth a visit? Here’s the thing.
Delta Shake Shack burger display and side dishes
In domestic first class, Delta offers beverage service shortly after takeoff, with flight attendants offering passengers selections from snack baskets while their meals are heated.
Delta’s first class meals are served on a tray, with all dishes served at the same time. Burgers are served on ceramic plates with branded Shake Shack paper liners.
You’ll find lettuce, tomatoes, onions and pickles on a smaller plate, along with a small plastic plate filled with the restaurant’s signature Shack sauce. There are also packets of ketchup and mustard for those who prefer.
Shake Shack’s fries are famously delicious, but you won’t find them next to their burgers. Instead, the main meal comes with chips and Caesar salad (with dressing on the side).
I actually don’t mind missing out on the fries – burgers are one thing, but fries are tough to make on a plane, let alone as good as fries straight out of a restaurant fryer .
You’ll also have to wait until landing to satisfy your shake craving; instead, Delta offers Shake Shack brownies for dessert.
Meanwhile, the burger is served with melted American cheese on a toasted potato bun, just like at the restaurant. When the flight attendant placed it on my tray table it looked great (except for a few drops of cheese), in some ways better than in the restaurant where it was wrapped in foil . I didn’t smell it in the kitchen while it was being heated, but once it came out that distinct aroma was definitely there.
How about a Delta Shake Shack burger?
I’m not quite sure how they do it, but somehow Delta and Shake Shack pull it off.
The burger tasted almost exactly like it did on the ground, just like any chain store I’ve been to in cities across the country, or in airports like MSP, DEN, and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).
The inside of the bread is lightly toasted, while the outside remains warm, light and fluffy. The cheese melted just like it would on a hot griddle (except for those extra bits you see in the photo), the patty came out steaming hot, and had the exact same flavor and texture as you’d find on the ground. It’s almost eerie.
Putting the toppings on the side serves a dual purpose: It prevents them from becoming soggy, and it allows passengers to assemble the burger based on what they want and omit what they don’t.
I piled all the toppings—lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles—on top of the burger, then used a cutlery knife to spread the cabin sauce on the inside of the top bun. The veggies were all fresh, crunchy and delicious, and the sauce tasted like it was made from the ground.
As for the patty itself, it tastes just like a Shake Shack patty. The outside was seared, perfectly cooked in a burger smashing way, juicy and delicious. You really can’t ask for more.
Everything else was delicious, even if the sandwich was the star. Miss Vickie’s chips were delicious and salty, and everything in the salad tasted fresh and delicious.
In the end, the brownie was delicious, even though it reminded me of — and made me crave — a decadent milkshake.
bottom line
Somehow, Delta Air Lines and Shake Shack have managed to create an in-flight burger that tastes exactly like a freshly prepared burger at one of the chain’s ground-based locations. This was hands down the best burger I’ve ever had on a plane.
I remember when Shake Shack was first starting to get big in the 2000s. Even as it begins to expand in and around New York City, it might be difficult to get your hands on one of these burgers due to the massive (understandable) hype leading to long lines. Even though it has opened stores in Grand Central Terminal, JFK Airport and Citi Field, long waits are inevitable.
Which makes it even crazier, now you can have one of their famous burgers delivered right to your seat on your next flight.
Some may scoff at the idea of fast-casual dining in first class—what happened to the fine dining of the past? — Remarkably, this is very appropriate for today’s first class cabins. This is not so much an opportunity to enjoy a meal as it is an opportunity to enjoy any meal. So it might also be a main dish you’ll enjoy. If you’re a fan of burgers or Shake Shack, it’s safe to say you’re going to love this.
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