A Wren Says

In 2021, Shake Shack decided it was time to innovate. They did the work to partner with Korean brands. They did the research to understand the Korean market on food and fried chicken. And the result of all of that effort was in the Gochujang Chick’n Sandwich which previously launched in Korean in the fall of 2020. They took that sandwich that was selling well in their Korean market and brought it stateside. The name shifted to Korean-style fried chicken sandwich. And then the critics came out.

This is cultural appropriation, many said. But was it?

Shake Shack had intentionally sought out voices in Korea to support the development of the recipe. They were conscious of the name, using “Korean-style” to direct customers to the types of flavors to expect. Shake Shack had done the work, but that wasn’t enough to avoid criticism.

 Even though the fast-food chain had worked with the people in the Korean market, they hadn’t fully vetted the ideas with the U.S. market. They were bringing the menu to a market that had grown more sensitive to how various cultures are used for profit but not credited. Had they considered how the American public receive the menu items and how they were named?  

Perhaps they could have released what was their response at the same time of the menu launch, explaining the process of working deeply with Korean people on the project. Maybe they could have used Gochujang Chicken as the menu item name, instead of Korean-style, and use that as a consumer education moment. But also, given that the menu items remain largely the same, maybe they didn’t have to.

 When the goal isn’t to avoid cultural appropriation but to make sure you look like you did, then what is a brand to do? It seems that the issue is not always your behaviors, as much as it is about how lookers on view your behavior. And that’s tricky.

I don’t have a good answer for this situation, and may this level of controversy never find me. However, I think the best answer would be to be in constant communication with your community and your consumers to understand them so well that it is easier to adapt what you do to meet their needs. But of course, you’re already doing that anyway, right?

Here’s an article covering the initial controversy:

Adams, E. (January 11, 2021). Shake Shack Responds to Criticism Over ‘Korean-Style’ Fried Chicken Menu Debut. Eater.com https://ny.eater.com/2021/1/11/22219032/shake-shack-korean-fried-chicken-launch-controversy

This is the updated menu announcement after the original January version was removed:

Shake Shack, (September 21, 2021). It’s Here! Shake Shack’s New Korean-Inspired Menu. https://shakeshack.com/blog/our-food/its-here-shake-shacks-new-korean-inspired-menu#/