Patty Shack joins Layton’s burger competition
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- Aimee and Justin Newbold of Patty Shack in Layton.
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- The signature Patty Daddy at the Patty Shack in Layton.
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- The french fries at Patty Shack are known for not going soggy during delivery and takeout transit.
Before Justin and Aimee Newbold opened their Patty Shack in Layton last August, Justin did some research and found at least 17 burger restaurants already in the city. Several are even within a few blocks of Patty Shack’s location at 2056 N. Hill Field Road. But he wasn’t afraid of the competition.
“It’s one of those things that almost everybody loves a good burger; they’re very popular in Utah,” Newbold said. “We get people who say, ‘Oh, another burger place,’ but we have a good enough product that we can compete with the others.”
And, since opening last August, Patty Shack is building a fan base for its burgers, heaped with bacon, pastrami, grilled onions, mushrooms and other toppings.
This is the second brick-and-mortar Patty Shack in Utah. Newbold opened the first one in Taylorsville in October 2022 in an aging building in the middle of a residential area.
“Patty Shack is named after the place,” said Justin Newbold, noting its worn appearance. “Knowing that we’ve built up a cool following in one of the worst locations possible, we can be successful almost everywhere. If you have a good product, people will come back.”
He credits Bryson Singletary, a part-owner who runs the Taylorsville location, for much of its success. Patty Shack also has “ghost kitchens” in Salt Lake City and Denver, which are for delivery only, and a third restaurant in Wisconsin.
The Layton location (just north of a Maverik gas station) had previous lives as a BBQ pit, pizza parlor and soda shop. It’s three minutes away from the Newbolds’ home, “and we wanted to find something close to our house. Aimee has always worked with me. She ran the biggest Five Guys in New York City when I was the district manager.”
Since starting out at Arctic Circle at age 15, Justin Newbold has worked in several different food concepts, including KFC and more recently, Five Guys. He learned that simplicity is the key to keep quality consistent.
“People will say we should add chicken or shakes to our menu,” he said. “But we’re not trying to be everything to everyone; that’s when people start selling mediocre food. We just want to do burgers and fries really well.”
Since a high percentage of their orders are delivery and takeout, they wanted a french fry that wouldn’t go soggy during transport. Idaho-based french fry manufacturer Lamb Weston supplied many samples to try.
“We tested 20 different types to see what can be delivered and still be crispy,” Newbold said. “We had to bring them in specially to Utah, because nobody else buys them.”
Another trick to keep the fries crispy is to punch a hole in the takeout bag so steam can escape.
They also did a lot of beef-testing.
“We knew we wanted to do something fresh and formed every day,” Newbold said.
The burger price includes a choice of about 20 different sauces and a choice of toppings like grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, grilled fresh jalapenos, lettuce and tomatoes, with no extra charge.
The best seller is the bacon cheeseburger. It’s also Aimee Newbold’s favorite, topped with barbecue sauce.
Justin Newbold is partial to the double cheeseburger with mayo, lettuce, pickles, grilled fresh mushrooms and grilled fresh jalapeno.
“It’s the right ratio of meat and bun,” he said.
They also offer lettuce-wrapped burgers. Everything on the menu is gluten-free except the buns and brownies.
“My son has celiac, so that’s why,” he said. “We haven’t found a gluten-free bun that we like, so we haven’t put one on the menu.”
There’s a dedicated fryer for french fries and a dedicated grill to toast the buns to avoid gluten cross-contamination. They also offer a gluten-free no-bake cookie.
The Maddie Melt is named for their daughter, a vegetarian. It’s grilled cheese, loaded with the veggie toppings.
Most great burger restaurants have a signature “big burger.” Patty Shack has its towering Patty Daddy — three patties topped with bacon and pastrami and as many different toppings as you want.
What’s the method for eating one of those big, tall burgers?
“I just grab and squeeze it together, and take some bites,” Newbold said. “If stuff falls out, that’s OK. If you can finish it, it’s quite a task.”
IF YOU GO
Patty Shack
Location: 2056 N. Hill Field Road, Layton
Contact: 801-896-0612; https://order.toasttab.com/online/layton
Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. (Taylorsville: opens at 11 a.m. daily; same closing hours)
Average price: Burger with fries, $10-$12
