New Shake Shack (SHAK) CFO Michelle Hook to earn $625K salary
Rhea-AI Filing Summary
Shake Shack Inc. appointed Michelle Hook as its new Chief Financial Officer, effective May 11, 2026. She joins from Portillo’s, where she was CFO, and previously spent more than 17 years at Domino’s Pizza in senior finance roles.
Hook’s employment agreement provides a 1‑year initial term with automatic 1‑year renewals, a starting base salary of $625,000, and an annual bonus opportunity targeted at 100% of salary, with potential up to 200% if performance goals are exceeded. She will receive a $300,000 cash signing award, a July 15, 2026 signing equity grant of restricted stock units valued at $1,200,000 that vests over three years, and is expected to receive an annual equity award from fiscal 2027 with a minimum targeted grant date fair value of $900,000. The agreement includes relocation support, severance protections for certain terminations, and 12‑month non‑competition and non‑solicitation covenants.
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8-K Event Classification
Key Figures
Key Terms
Chief Financial Officer financial
restricted stock units financial
Good Reason regulatory
non-competition and non-solicitation regulatory
indemnification agreement regulatory
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934
May 6, 2026
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)
SHAKE SHACK INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Delaware | 001-36823 | 47-1941186 |
|
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(Commission File Number) |
(IRS Employer Identification No.) |
|
225 Varick Street, Suite 301 New York, New York |
10014 | |
| (Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) |
(646) 747-7200
(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
Not applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
| ¨ | Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
| ¨ | Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
| ¨ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
| ¨ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act
| Title of each class | Trading symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered |
| Class A Common Stock, par value $0.001 | SHAK | New York Stock Exchange |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR §230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR §240.12b-2).
Emerging growth company ¨
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ¨
Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
On May 6, 2026, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Shake Shack Inc. (“Shake Shack”) appointed Michelle Hook to serve as its Chief Financial Officer, effective as of May 11, 2026 (the “Effective Date”). Ms. Hook will report to Robert Lynch, Shake Shack’s Chief Executive Officer, and work closely with the current senior executive leadership team.
Since December 2020, Ms. Hook, 51, served as the Chief Financial Officer of Portillo's Inc. In that role, Ms. Hook led finance, supply chain and information technology, helped take the company public in 2021, and led efforts to create processes to support significant growth. Previously, Ms. Hook spent more than 17 years at Domino's Pizza, Inc., where she most recently served as Vice President of Finance for global FP&A and investor relations, and held various accounting and finance positions with increasing responsibilities since joining Domino’s Pizza in 2003. Prior to joining Domino’s Pizza, Ms. Hook was with Holcim, one of the largest manufacturers and suppliers of cement around the world. Ms. Hook began her career as a senior auditor at Arthur Andersen LLP. Ms. Hook holds an MBA from the University of Michigan and a B.A. in accounting from Michigan State University, and is a certified public accountant.
In connection with her appointment, Ms. Hook entered into an Employment Agreement (the “Employment Agreement”) with Shake Shack and its subsidiaries SSE Holdings, LLC and Shake Shack Enterprises, LLC (together with Shake Shack, the “Company”). All capitalized terms used but not defined in this Form 8-K shall be as set forth in the Employment Agreement. The term of Ms. Hook’s employment will be 1 year from the Effective Date, subject to automatic 1-year extensions unless either party gives notice of non-extension no later than 90 days prior to the expiration of the then-applicable term.
Ms. Hook will receive an initial annual base salary of $625,000, subject to annual review. Ms. Hook will be eligible to receive an annual bonus as determined by the Board (or the Board’s Compensation Committee), based on an annualized target bonus opportunity of 100% of her annual base salary, payable upon the attainment of Company performance goals established each fiscal year by the Board (or the Compensation Committee), with the opportunity to make up to 200%, on an annualized basis, of her annual base salary, if such performance goals are exceeded. For fiscal 2026, the annual bonus for which Ms. Hook is eligible shall be pro-rated from the Effective Date. Commencing in fiscal 2027, Ms. Hook will be eligible to receive an annual equity award, with such 2027 award currently expected to have a minimum grant date fair value targeted at $900,000.
Ms. Hook will receive a signing cash award equal to $300,000, subject to repayment if Ms. Hook is terminated by the Company for Cause or resigns without Good Reason within 12 months following the date on which the cash award is paid. In addition, on July 15, 2026, Ms. Hook will receive a signing equity award comprised of restricted stock units representing the right to receive shares of the Company’s Class A common stock as may be determined based on an aggregate grant date fair value of $1,200,000 as calculated using the closing stock price of the common stock on the award date. Provided that Ms. Hook remains employed through the applicable vesting date, the restricted stock units will vest in 3 equal installments on each of the first, second, and third anniversaries of the award date. To support her relocation, the Company will reimburse Ms. Hook’s relocation expenses up to $50,000.
The Employment Agreement provides for severance upon a termination by the Company without Cause or by Ms. Hook for Good Reason, in each case, subject to her execution and non-revocation of a waiver and release of claims. In either such event, Ms. Hook will be entitled to severance consisting of (a) continued payment of her base salary through the 12-month anniversary of the termination of her employment, (b) a pro rata portion of the annual cash bonus for the year of termination based on actual Company performance, and (c) reimbursement of a portion of any COBRA premiums for a period of up to 12 months equal to the amount the Company pays for the health insurance premiums of then-current employees.
Ms. Hook will be subject to certain non-competition and non-solicitation restrictions for a 12-month period following termination of employment.
There is no arrangement or understanding between Ms. Hook or any other persons or entities pursuant to which Ms. Hook was appointed to serve as Chief Financial Officer. Ms. Hook does not have any family relationship with the Company’s executive officers or directors nor are there any related party transactions between the Company and Ms. Hook that would require disclosure under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.
A copy of the employment agreement with Ms. Hook is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to this current report on Form 8-K. The above summary of the Employment Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Employment Agreement. In addition, Ms. Hook will execute the Company’s standard indemnification agreement, the form of which is included as Exhibit 10.6 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on February 26, 2026.
Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure
A copy of the press release containing the announcement of Ms. Hook’s appointment is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 to this current report on Form 8-K.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits
(d) Exhibits
| 10.1 | Employment Agreement, effective May 11, 2026, by and among Michelle Hook, Shake Shack Inc., SSE Holdings, LLC, and Shake Shack Enterprises, LLC |
| 99.1 | Press Release, dated May 7, 2026, announcing appointment of Michelle Hook to serve as the Chief Financial Officer of the Company |
| 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document) |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| Shake Shack Inc. | ||
| (Registrant) | ||
| Dated: May 7, 2026 | By: | /s/ Ronald Palmese, Jr. |
| Ronald Palmese, Jr. | ||
| Chief Legal Officer | ||
Exhibit 99.1
Shake Shack Appoints Michelle Hook as Chief Financial Officer
NEW YORK, NY – May 7, 2026 – (BUSINESS WIRE) – Shake Shack Inc. ("Shake Shack" or the "Company") (NYSE:SHAK) today announced the appointment of Michelle Hook as the Company's Chief Financial Officer, effective May 11, 2026. Ms. Hook joins Shake Shack's executive leadership team and will be responsible for leading financial operations across the Company, including accounting and treasury, financial planning and analysis, tax, investor relations and external reporting.
Ms. Hook brings more than two decades of financial and operational leadership experience in the restaurant industry, with a proven track record of scaling growth companies and building high-performing teams.
“We are thrilled to welcome Michelle to the Shake Shack team,” said Rob Lynch, Chief Executive Officer of Shake Shack. “She brings deep restaurant industry expertise and significant public company experience to the role. I’m confident Michelle will be a valuable addition to our leadership team as we continue to advance our culture of Enlightened Hospitality and further strengthen our best-in-class finance organization on our path to 1,500 Company-operated Shacks.”
Ms. Hook joins Shake Shack from Portillo’s, where she served as Chief Financial Officer beginning in December 2020. In that role, she led finance, supply chain and information technology, helped take the company public in 2021, strengthened its financial infrastructure, built processes to support significant growth, and fostered transparent communication with the investment community. Previously, Ms. Hook spent more than 17 years at Domino’s Pizza, Inc., where she most recently served as Vice President of Finance for global FP&A and investor relations, and held various accounting and finance leadership positions. Earlier in her career, she worked at Arthur Andersen and held finance roles at Holcim. Ms. Hook holds an MBA from the University of Michigan and a B.A. in accounting from Michigan State University. She is a certified public accountant.
“I’ve long admired Shake Shack and the team’s disciplined approach to building a beloved brand,” said Michelle Hook. “The team’s ability to grow thoughtfully while keeping hospitality at the core
of the business is a powerful driver of sustainable value and I am honored to contribute to its next chapter of growth.”
Photo available here.
About Shake Shack
Shake Shack serves elevated versions of American classics using only the best ingredients. It’s known for its delicious made-to-order Angus beef burgers, crispy chicken, hand-spun milkshakes, house-made lemonades, beer, wine, and more. With its high-quality food at a great value, warm hospitality, and a commitment to crafting uplifting experiences, Shake Shack quickly became a cult-brand with widespread appeal. Shake Shack’s purpose is to Stand For Something Good®, from its premium ingredients and employee development to its inspiring designs and deep community investment. Since the original Shack opened in 2004 in NYC’s Madison Square Park, the Company has expanded to over 685 locations system-wide, including over 440 in 35 U.S. States and the District of Columbia, and over 245 international locations across London, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, Mexico City, Istanbul, Dubai, Tokyo, Seoul and more.
Skip the line with the Shack App, a mobile ordering app that lets you save time by ordering ahead! Guests can select their location, pick their food, choose a pickup time and their meal will be cooked-to-order and timed to arrival. Available on iOS and Android.
Learn more: shakeshack.com | IG: @shakeshack | X: @shakeshack | facebook.com/shakeshack
Media:
Meg Davis, Shake Shack
mcastranova@shakeshack.com
Investor Relations:
Alison Sternberg, Shake Shack
Head of Investor Relations
(844) SHACK-04 (844-742-2504)
investor@shakeshack.com