21 July 2017

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As documented throughout our blog, Shake Shack has become a family favorite since our 2015 trip to NYC. They have been almost as fun to search for, or in some cases stumble upon, as to dine. We knew they had not expanded to Oz yet so we had no expectations after our Hollywood find.

While walking through the Chermside Shopping Center during our first week in Brisbane, we saw a Betty’s Burgers & Concrete Co. with a logo that looked suspiciously similar. So similar in fact we wondered if it was owned by Shake Shack. Upon a closer look, the restaurant looked similar. The menu looked similar.

Last week in Noosa, we stopped at a Betty’s. Happily it was a fantastic duplicate. The burgers and shakes were comparable. Their concretes are frozen custard mixed with your choice of treats, like a Dairy Queen ice cream Blizzard or the tastier Dairy Depot Train Wreck.  They even turn them upside down too! We have found several businesses that are not affiliated with U.S businesses but appear to be a carbon copy so we were not completely surprised.

Shake Shack started in NYC in 2004 and went public in late 2014 riding a wave of popularity and tremendous local growth. Coincidently, the first Betty’s opened in late 2014 and is experiencing similar popularity and growth on a smaller scale.

For more on our obsession:  Hollywood, Baltimore, London, Austin, and New York City.