Shake Shack Enterprises, LLC 401(k) Review & Grade
Shake Shack Retirement Plan
New York, NYAccommodation & Food Services6,614 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$352Employer $ per active participant
$982Employee $ saved per active participant
0.46%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$45.5MNet plan assets, end of year
–Average balance per account (account count looks misreported)
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity33.5 / 5067th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost3.5 / 2514th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving8.9 / 1559th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-10 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score39 / 100 · Grade D
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Accommodation & Food Services plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (104 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 67th |
| Lower admin cost | 14th |
| Employee saving | 59th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 15% |
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Red flags from the filing
Late deposits: the filing says some employee contributions were not sent to the plan on time ($203,371 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Shake Shack Enterprises put in about $352 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($244). Contribute at least enough to collect the full match. Skipping it leaves part of your pay on the table.
- The filing shows total dollars, not the match formula. Ask HR for the Summary Plan Description so you know the exact match and vesting schedule.
- Direct plan expenses (0.46% of assets) are well above similar-size plans (0.12%). Check your annual fee disclosure, choose low-cost index funds if you can, and think about whether savings beyond the match belong in an IRA.
- The plan reported late deposits of employee contributions. Compare your pay stubs with your account statements, and contact the plan administrator if money shows up late.
- Changing jobs? You can usually leave the money in the plan, move it to your new employer's plan, or roll it into an IRA. Don't cash out: you'd owe taxes and possibly a 10% penalty.
The raw numbers from the filing
| Employer contributions | $2,329,073 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $6,495,190 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $1,115,087 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $183,105 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $31,802 |
| Benefits paid out | $3,286,252 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $33.6M / $45.5M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 7,109 / 6,120 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,375 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Withumsmith & Brown |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $129,895 reported compensation |
| Capfinancial Partners, LLC | $31,802 reported compensation |
| Withumsmith+brown, PC | $21,409 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251014114027NAL0002784257001, received 2025-10-14, EIN 26-4487502, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.