NON-CONTROLLING INTERESTS - Ownership Interest in SSE Holdings (Details) - shares	Dec. 28, 2016	Dec. 30, 2015	Feb. 04, 2015
Noncontrolling Interest [Abstract]
Number of LLC Interests held by Shake Shack Inc.	25,151,384	19,789,259.000
Number of LLC Interests held by Shake Shack Inc. (in percentage)	69.10%	54.60%	33.30%
Number of LLC Interests held by non-controlling interest holders	11,253,592	16,460,741.000
Number of LLC Interests held by non-controlling interest holders (in percentage)	30.90%	45.40%	66.70%
Total LLC Interests outstanding	36,404,976	36,250,000
Total LLC Interests outstanding (in percentage)	100.00%	100.00%

Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Number of Shares

No definition available.

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Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Number of Shares Held by Noncontrolling Owners

No definition available.

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Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Number of Shares Held by Parent

No definition available.

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Noncontrolling Interest, Total Ownership Percentage

No definition available.

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The equity interest of noncontrolling shareholders, partners or other equity holders in consolidated entity.

No definition available.

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The parent entity's interest in net assets of the subsidiary, expressed as a percentage.

No definition available.

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No definition available.

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