Hungry passengers on board a major airline will soon be able to order Shake Shack on board, but there’s a big catch.
Delta Airlines announced their ‘sky-high collaboration’ with the famous burger joint on Tuesday.
The new menu option comes with a cheeseburger, fries, a Caesar salad and a dark chocolate brownie that is “reminiscent” of the restaurant’s frozen custard item called Shack Attack.
The meal will officially launch on December 1 on Delta flights departing from Boston, as the company hopes to expand the offering in the future.
The catch is that only first-class passengers traveling more than 900 miles are allowed to “pre-select” a Shake Shack meal, which the airline says can be done a week before their flight.
They can also change their orders 24 hours in advance via the Fly Delta app or via the link in their email.
Passengers can also customize their Shack Cheeseburgers – just like in the restaurant – with options to add the company’s flagship ShackSauce, tomato and lettuce, all of which are served separately.
Stephanie Laster, Managing Director of Onboard Service, said the airline’s partnership with Shake Shack “goes beyond the burger.”
Delta Airlines has announced that Shake Shack will be offered to first-class passengers departing from Boston starting December 1. (Image: Stock Image)
The new menu option comes with a cheeseburger, but also includes chips, a Caesar salad and a dark chocolate brownie that is “reminiscent” of the restaurant’s frozen custard items called Shack Attack
“Shake Shack’s people-first culture and commitment to enriching their neighborhoods aligns perfectly with our own brand values of excellent service and helping the communities we serve,” Laster added.
Michael Kark, president of Global Licensing at Shake Shack, said the company is excited to take its “beloved cheeseburger to new heights.”
“At Shake Shack, we’re always looking for new and innovative ways to meet our guests where they are, even at 35,000 feet.
“Shake Shack takes our beloved cheeseburger to new heights and is proud to partner with Delta as we elevate the inflight dining and hospitality experience for travelers nationwide,” said Kark.
The new partnership adds to Delta’s established relationship with Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG) and Danny Meyer, founder and executive chairman of USHG, and the founder of Shake Shack.
Currently, meals from Union Square Events, USHG’s catering company, are available on select Delta flights from JFK Airport.
According to the airline, only first-class passengers traveling more than 900 miles will be allowed to “pre-select” a Shake Shack meal a week before their flight. (Image: stock photo)
Despite the new savory meal being added to Delta flights, experts have previously warned that dry cabin air, loud engine noises and cabin pressure can all affect the taste of food.
According to research for Lufthansa by the Fraunhofer Institute: Artemis Aviation An earlier blog post noted that at high altitude salt is perceived as 20 to 30 percent less intense, and sugar as 15 to 20 percent less intense.
The company also found that in total, almost 70 percent of passengers’ sense of taste is lost on board.
This is due to a combination of factors, including the decibel level of engine noise and humidity of less than 12 percent, which can rival a desert atmosphere.
Artemis added: ‘As if this wasn’t enough, low cabin pressure also reduces oxygen levels in the blood, meaning your olfactory receptors, which play a crucial role in detecting odors, become less sensitive.’
Underscoring how important our sense of smell is, Artemis Aerospace explained that about 85 percent of what we think of as “taste” is actually due to our sense of smell.
“So when people accuse airline food of being bland, this may not be entirely fair,” Artemis added.
Passengers can also customize their Shack Cheeseburgers – just like in the restaurant – with options to add the company’s flagship ShackSauce, tomato and lettuce, all of which are served separately. (Image: File photo of Shake Shack cheeseburger)
Professor Charles Spence from the University of Oxford’s Crossmodal Research Laboratory has worked closely with the aviation industry on dishes that do and don’t work at high altitude.
He previously told MailOnline Travel that ‘umami-forward food’ is ideal – ‘so tomato, anchovies, mushrooms, aged cheese and so on, all rich sources of umami, are likely to work well in the air.’
And because the onboard ovens dry out the food, meals should generally be accompanied by plenty of sauce, Professor Spence added.
Spence noted that certain drinks, as well as certain cheeses, also don’t work well on flights.
“Old World wines that are high in tannin don’t necessarily taste as good at high altitude,” he said.
And Parmesan cheese is potentially dangerous because it has a sweaty sock flavor.
Professor Spence said: ‘You might avoid Parmesan cheese – although it is a great source of umami – as one of the key volatile chemicals is shared with sweaty socks.’