Comments on: SquareBurger Round Up

By: Andre

Andre — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 20:30:02 +0000

It’s a decent burger, reasonably priced in a park that draws a lot of families both of the local and tourist kind. Really, how many mini golf and carousels are there for kids around center city? the burger maybe not the greatest in Philly, but it’s a definite step up from a vendor burger…or rather, what a vendor burger should be. There’s nothing stopping them from adding cheesesteaks and I’d say that Philly Dog, despite being an obvious ripoff of a chicago dog, is top five in the city.

By: The Interventionist

The Interventionist — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:36:35 +0000

Despite some of its marketing, I don’t really think Franklin Square is a “tourists draw.” Tourists don’t come to cities for mini-golf, a carousel, and what is basically a snack bar “Sorry Stephen, No Dice” insists is somehow a theft of Danny Meyer’s intellectual property.

It is a draw for families in the city looking for something to do, and having a snack bar different from the cheesesteak carts or shops (I’ve never seen a cheesesteak ’stand’ outside of something like the Welcome America celebration) is a nice add on. Maybe when the PATCO station is re-activated you may get some families from the Jersey burbs as well, if you call them “tourists.”

By: Sorry Stephen, no dice

Sorry Stephen, no dice — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:15:06 +0000

There’s no decent cheesesteak within shouting distance of Franklin Sq, but there are boatloads of tourists walking around the area. Hence, a cheesesteak stand would have worked. Would have pulled those tourists over the Arch St divide that none of them crosses now.
At least maybe they could have done it well. These burgers wouldn’t make the least of top 20 in Philly, at least the way they are executing them right now.

By: Chunk

Chunk — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:02:07 +0000

Uh, how is a cheesesteak stand “more” original? There are only so many ways to do a cheesesteak that will appeal to a broad audience. A few basic types of cheese, onions… hmm, sounds like every other cheesesteak in town. Besides, in such a touristy area, why promote the cheesesteak stereotype? Might as well call it Rocky’s Real Philly Cheesesteaks.

By: Sorry Stephen, no dice

Sorry Stephen, no dice — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 23:15:33 +0000

@ Chunk: How about a cheesesteak stand?

It’s not that he’s doing burgers/dogs/shakes, it’s that it’s so obviously a copy of the shake shack, which was yes a homage to danny meyer’s st. louis childhood. Homage to childhood = ok, ripoff of someone elses successful idea, not ok.

By: Marty B.

Marty B. — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:54:43 +0000

Is ShakeShack planning a suit against every single boardwalk and amusement park concession stand in the country?

By: Marty B.

Marty B. — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:53:49 +0000

Really? No one ever had a stand in a park selling shakes, burgers, dogs, and fries prior to Shake Shack?

This reminds me of a thread I saw somewhere wherein someone was complaining that Homeslice, the pizza place in Northern Liberties, was ripping off the concept of Slice, the pizza place in S. Philly. Come on.

It’s the hamburger and hot dog “American as apple pie” month of July. That every food blogger in Philly is giving some attention to Squareshack’s plain ol’ burger and dog menu is simply an obvious move, not a conspiracy. (Unlike hyping a burger at a Time/Varga/APO/Franklin Insurance “ripping off” restaurant that was supposed to open over a month ago but keeps getting pushed back).

By: Chunk

Chunk — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 16:23:44 +0000

It may be a ripoff of Shake Shack, but what else would work in that location? I suppose he could have opened a taco stand, but that’s not as appealing to a broad audience or “American” given the historical surroundings.

By: daytime drinker

daytime drinker — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 16:03:50 +0000

Im not trying to rip on Starr I will let his employees do that.
People should really read Danny Meyer’s “Setting the Table”.
Very interesting book
I would say that is a genius at work.

By: Sorry Stephen, no dice

Sorry Stephen, no dice — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 15:31:20 +0000

You’ll be hard pressed to find anyone that works/worked for SS that has anything good to say about him. He’s a genius – to his own pocket. He’s got a boatload of bad karma coming his way one of these days.

It’s telling that a lot of kudos for the square burger go to the Martin’s potato rolls, not the burger itself. Oh, BTW, gee – shake shack uses Martin’s potato rolls.

By: daytime drinker

daytime drinker — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 15:11:49 +0000

If you think Starr is a genius you should ask Masaharu Morimoto what he thinks about him. I had the pleasure to run into a sake-fueled tirade of Morimoto recently in a Center City bar. Lets just say if Starr has praise for Morimoto (he should since he made him tons of money) the feeling is not mutual. KANPAI Morimoto !!!!!

By: Dan

Dan — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:59:13 +0000

I think Rory hit the nail on the head. It’s just a burger shack in a park. However, I will stop by because I do think Steven Starr is a genius and this is one of his restaurants that I don’t have to save up to go to

By: rory

rory — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 23:13:43 +0000

well, as long as food blogs and foodies realize that they create/feed the beast, then go for it.

I’m not knocking starr for going for the press–it’s as any businessman should–but serious food blogs (is that such a thing?) got really excited about this place and i don’t get why.

By: Andre

Andre — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 20:33:32 +0000

It’s a decent burger that coudl be improved. MArtin’s are great rolls, just wish the burger had a little more flavor. It’s also a nice place to have lunch if you work in a nearby building. The transformation of the park itself is amazing. not five years ago did I traipse through there and see nothing but homeless. I think it’s great to see something like this in the park, and it’s more interesting than Cafe Cret.

By: Chemistry

Chemistry — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 19:46:21 +0000

It’s a new food option in a shiny, relatively newly renovated park right around the corner from the Constitution Center. Maybe all the attention, during the summer and tourist season, is because of just that. Starr is just trying to bump up its profile, cause I imagine he wants it to be popular and profitable. Not easy during the summer in Philadelphia, lots of places actually just close rather than deal with summer doldrums. I have not tried the food and don’t have an opinion on it, just understand why people are talking about it.

Also, everything Stephen Starr does gets noticed in Philadelphia. I think this very blog had camera phone pics of him walking around 2nd st.

By: rory

rory — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 18:29:37 +0000

i’m mostly just amazed at the level of excitement a burger shack created in philly…is Starr’s brand that powerful for people? It’s a burger place in a park. it’s not a novel idea, it’s apparently good but not amazing, and yet it’s getting more food blog love than almost any other recent opening, it seems!

By: Sorry Stephen, no dice

Sorry Stephen, no dice — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 18:08:38 +0000

Um, yah – does anyone else realize that maybe the only reason there have been lines so far is because the food blog geeks (no offense!) have been lining up to sample & review? I’m sorry, this is destined to become nothing.

Fail.

And yes, I sampled – doesn’t hold a candle to the real Shake Shack (and yes that’s a fair comparison to make because this is nothing if not a rip-off of the Shack).