In a sea of In-N-Outs and Five Guys, another burger chain in San Diego may seem like nothing special. Yet behind Shake Shack\u2019s burger \u2014 and counter \u2014 there\u2019s something a little different.<\/p>\n Shake Shack, the self-described \u201cfast casual restaurant chain\u201d that originated in New York City, has recently expanded west and opened up two San Diego locations, one in Mission Valley and the other at Westfield UTC in La Jolla.<\/p>\n The Mission Valley \u201cShack,\u201d located at 675 Camino de la Reina, is just a hop and a skip from Uptown; right off the Interstate 8 freeway, it\u2019s nestled between Fashion Valley and Mission Valley shopping malls.<\/p>\n Aaron Tunney, the San Diego area director, oversees the operation of both locations.<\/p>\n The Los Angeles native moved to Downtown San Diego with the job in August 2017. When corporate asked if he would be willing to relocate, he jumped at the opportunity.<\/p>\n \u201cI think I said yes before they even finished their sentence,\u201d he said, laughing.<\/p>\n Though he is still acclimating to the area, Tunney said he already feels welcomed by the locals.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople in San Diego, compared to what I was grew up in and around in L.A. \u2026 it\u2019s night and day,\u201d he said. \u201cPeople aren\u2019t pretentious, they\u2019re not uptight, they\u2019re just normal \u2014 they\u2019re how people should be.\u201d<\/p>\n People are the reason Tunney loves the restaurant industry. Turns out Tunney has been in the business for a while \u2014 since 1992, in fact. His dad owned six McDonalds restaurants in Los Angeles. Starting at age 10, Tunney and his brother worked in the stores, cleaning tables and bathrooms for $2.50 an hour.<\/p>\n Aside from work ethic and restaurant knowledge, Tunney said he learned his current management technique and the important parts of how to run a restaurant from his father.<\/p>\n \u201cI looked at the way my dad was viewed in his restaurants by our employees and he was adored,\u201d Tunney said. \u201cHe was that guy who would come in and all he cared about was talking with the employees and talking with the customers.\u201d<\/p>\n This mentality is how Tunney approaches his management style at Shake Shack. He directs most of his accomplishments back to his team, starting with Mission Valley\u2019s general manager, Kera Stebbins.<\/p>\n Stebbins, a Santee resident who has been working for Shake Shack and training in Los Angeles since July 2017, also attributes her success to the team she leads.<\/p>\n \u201cI am so lucky to work with such great people on a daily basis,\u201d Stebbins said. \u201cWe do treat each other like family! We not only take care of each other, but we like it; it\u2019s what we do because it\u2019s who we are.\u201d<\/p>\n Chula Vista resident Ronnie Steele has been a team member since November 2017. He echoed both Tunney and Stebbins\u2019s sentiments about the group of people behind the counter.<\/p>\n \u201c[My favorite part] is the team that we have \u2026 they are so amazing,\u201d Steele said, \u201cWe all treat each other like real family and we all work hard.\u201d<\/p>\n Tunney noted that Shake Shack doesn\u2019t treat customers any differently. In fact, they are never referred to as customers; rather, they are guests.<\/p>\n \u201cWe kind of feel like this is our second home, and when someone comes to your home, they\u2019re a guest, and you want them to walk into your home and feel special,\u201d Tunney said.<\/p>\n In the middle of Tunney\u2019s interview, Steele broke out into song behind the counter when he found out it was a guest\u2019s birthday. Tunney said that this is a common occurrence; he encourages the team to connect with the customers and not rush through the orders.<\/p>\n \u201cRonnie doesn\u2019t know it\u2019s their birthday, but he made an interaction \u2014 we call it \u2018connecting the dots.\u2019 And yes, that takes longer time to take that order, but the guest feels valued,\u201d Tunney said. \u201cThey don\u2019t feel like a number. It\u2019s not robotic. That\u2019s how we train [the team].\u201d<\/p>\n Shake Shack\u2019s slogan \u2014 Stand for Something Good \u2014 is integrated into everything the team and company does, according to Tunney.<\/p>\n \u201cI think that [slogan] encompasses what we use in our food, how we make the food, how we treat our employees and how they treat the guests,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n As far as food goes, one of their most popular items on the menu is the ShackBurger, which is made with a proprietary blend of Angus Beef, served on a Martin\u2019s brand potato roll, and offered with lettuce, tomato, pickle and onion.<\/p>\n Shake Shack is also known for its dessert, called a \u201cconcrete\u201d \u2014 a frozen custard mixed with pie or other chunky items \u2014 which Tunney described as \u201cThe Rolls Royce of desserts.\u201d Every location is paired with a local bakery for their concretes; the Mission Valley location gets their pie from Betty\u2019s Pie Whole in Encinitas.<\/p>\n When guests arrive, all team members recommend an item; Stebbin\u2019s favorite is a Flat-Top Dog topped with mustard, while Steele loves the Double SmokeShack.<\/p>\n \u201c[The \u2018SmokeShack\u2019 is] different and the cherry pepper makes the sandwich,\u201d Steele said.<\/p>\n Other noteworthy items on the menu include the \u2018Shroom Burger, made with a fried portabello mushroom; in-house brewed ShackMeister Ale; and even ShackBurger dog biscuits for your canines.<\/p>\n Though Shake Shack has a lot of competition in San Diego, Tunney said that they already have a strong fan-base and even a cult-like following. Before they opened its first San Diego location, Tunney said he met a family who drove up from San Diego to the West Hollywood store that he was previously working at. He also noted that the first guest at the UTC location started waiting in line at 6:30 a.m. for the 11 a.m. opening.<\/p>\n The biggest difference between the UTC and Mission Valley locations? The lines.<\/p>\n \u201c[The Mission Valley] store is like the hidden gem right now, because [guests] can get Shake Shack without waiting in that long of a line,\u201d he said. \u201cPeople like that. But as we continue to grow, this will not be the norm.\u201d<\/p>\n In addition to Mission Valley and Westfield UTC, the restaurant chain also confirmed last month that a Little Italy location is in the works, slated to open late 2018, as well as a Del Mar spot projected for 2019. Tunney will also serve as the area director for both locations.<\/p>\n Though Shake Shack hasn\u2019t taken up shop in any Uptown neighborhoods yet, Tunney said their Southwest expansion will likely continue.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re not done growing in San Diego,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n For more information about Shake Shack Mission Valley, visit bit.ly\/2oesHeG<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/sduptownnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/DSC_9326_edit.jpg\")
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