Partially because Danny Meyer is from my Midwest hometown, and partially because Shake Shack’s frozen custard shakes rock my world, and partially because I’m a New Yorker, I vote east coast all the way. However, I enjoy a good In-And-Out burger every now and again. Do I wish they would franchise in Gotham? I hadn’t really thought about it until a rare trip to Queens had my taste buds caught in a burger battle.

Petey’s Burger, in Astoria, comes from two Cali-natives who aim to copy (for lack of better words) the infamous In-And-Out burger. Petey’s Burger serves just burgers cooked medium well and dressed with lettuce, tomato, onion and a splash of thousand island dressing. The hand-cut fries are for sure way better than In-And-Out, but not, in my humble opinion, better than my beloved Shake Shack. They are more generous with the cheese, and at least admit that their sauce is thousand island unlike SS, which touts special “shack sauce.” It all tastes the same to me.

Actually, Petey’s Burger rocks and if I find myself in Astoria again someday, I might even go for round two. However, I live in Manhattan; and if you have been living under a rock, Shake Shack has an iPhone app for cutting the line. Case in point that New York food battles are never solely about the food, but the convenience, creativity and the unmatched ability to complicate a rather simple concept in the way that only New Yorkers can.

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