CASH MOB COMING TO JACK'S SHACK - NO ORDINARY FAST FOOD BURGER AND SHAKE PLACE
Willie Jack Degel, owner of Jack's Shack in Glen Head, describes his restaurant as a "fast, casual, all-natural organic eatery, where diners can customize their meals to their liking."
Opened in the fall of 2010, and located right in the center of town, Jack's Shack offers an eclectic mix of healthy sandwiches, burgers, tacos, salads, and smoothies. "The menu," Mr. Degel exuberantly proclaims, "is based on foods that I love! I designed the menu in such a way that if someone came into to dine with us five days out of the week, they'd be able to enjoy something different everyday. I wanted to give people healthier options and educate them about where their food is coming from. I also kept in mind people who needed gluten-free foods."
His favorite item, he says, is the turkey burger with Applewood smoked bacon, avocado and pickles, served on a multi-grain bun.
Although Jack's Shack is relatively new to the area, Mr. Degel is hardly new to the restaurant business. He opened his first restaurant - Hollywood and Main in 1990. And then, in 1996 he launched Uncle Jacks's Steakhouse in Bayside, and over the next decade, opened two other locations in the city.
Although he lives in the area, he said, it only occurred to him while coaching his children's little league teams that there really weren't any "fast, healthy, dining establishments" nearby to bring the kids to after games or practice. "I look at people who spend all this money on garbage fast food, just because they have the big marketing campaigns, and I want to reach out to them and show them that there are better choices. I want to show that "fast food" doesn't have to mean 'unhealthy.'"
Mr. Degel is looking to further expand his "restaurant empire" by franchising Jack's Shack to other areas of the country. In addition, he is planning on opening an Uncle Jack's Steakhouse in Nassau County, and is working on "Jack's Tavern", a restaurant he describes as "a sort of happy marriage between fine and casual dining."
Jack's shack is being targeted by a cash mob this coming Saturday March 29 - the third such event organized by local businesswoman Deb Gordon.