Stand For Something Good Summary

In his book, “Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business”, Danny Meyer states that the customer is not the most important asset to a service organization (Danny Meyer, 2006). Danny Meyers says that the employee is the most important element of the organization. Customers are second in importance followed by community, suppliers and then investors (Shake Shack INC., 2014). Since Danny Meyer is the founder of Shake Shack and the Chairman of the Board of Directors, it seems his vision of “Stand for Something Good” starts first by standing with good employees to create an enjoyable work environment that fosters teamwork and excellent service to customers. Excellent service leads to repeat business and growth, which then leads to shareholder value and a return on investment. The resulting value is only created by focusing on nurturing talented individuals to create a strategic resource in human capital that will propel the company towards better financial ratios mentioned in Appendix C.

The Shake Shack idea originated from a community outreach event to support the redevelopment of Madison Square Park (Bilow, 2014). The concept to sell hot dogs, and custards from a cart was not new but Meyers wanted to make the experience more like fine dining rather than what people typically expect. The idea was not only to help redevelop Madison Square Park but also allow his employees at other restaurants to experience how to run a small business. The success of the cart was based on motivated employees that offered good food and service. The resulting success of the hot dog cart eventually lead to a permanent facility called Shake