Shake Shack’s sales growth accelerated in the third quarter, supported by a combination of network expansion, improved same-restaurant sales, and higher foot traffic.

For the quarter ended September 24, the fast-food chain saw total revenue increase 15.9 per cent to $367.4 million, with Shake sales up 15.7 per cent to $352.8 million and licensing revenue up 21 per cent to $14.6 million.

The growth was driven by the openings of 13 company-operated Shacks and seven new licensed locations, as well as a 4.9 per cent uplift in same-Shack sales. This marked the 19th consecutive quarter of positive same-Shack sales growth, fueled by marketing, operational improvement, and menu innovation. 

Both revenue and same-restaurant sales saw a stronger increase compared to the third quarter. Customer traffic also returned to a 1.3 per cent growth from a 1 per cent decline in the previous quarter.

The restaurant-level profit margin improved by 180 basis points to 22.8 per cent – the highest third-quarter margin since 2019, despite higher beef costs.

On the bottom line, the company swung to a net income of $13.7 million from a loss of $11.1 million in the year-ago period.

“We have made a lot of progress on the plan that we laid out at the beginning of 2025, and the quarterly results show that we are focused on the right strategic priorities moving forward,” said CEO Rob Lynch.

“We have a long way to go to realize our full potential, but are prioritizing initiatives that strengthen our foundation, support sustainable growth, and position us well for continued long-term success.”

For the full year, Shake Shack expects revenue to increase 16 per cent to a record $1.45 billion. The company is on track to open 45-50 company-operated Shacks and 35-40 licensed locations by the end of the year.