Skinny Louie opens fifth NYC Aug. 14

Skinny Louie plans to open its fifth New York City restaurant on August 14 at 6 p.m. in the Penn District, according to QSR Magazine and the company’s website. The new location is at PENN 1 East Plaza next to Roberta’s, adding another Manhattan outpost for the smash-burger chain. (qsrmagazine.com) The opening follows Skinny Louie’s recent New York expansion into neighborhoods including the East Village, NoMad, the Upper East Side and the West Village. To mark the launch, the first 100 people in line will get a free burger, the company said. ### Where exactly is this opening? PENN 1 East Plaza is the address Skinny Louie gave for the new restaurant in its Penn District opening notice. (qsrmagazine.com) QSR Magazine reported the site sits next to Roberta’s and that doors will open at 6 p.m. on Thursday, August 14. The company’s Penn District page also says the location is “touchin’ down at Penn Station real soon,” indicating the store had been in pre-opening mode before the date was announced. ### What is Skinny Louie giving away on opening day? The first 100 guests in line on August 14 will receive a complimentary single-patty Skinny Louie Cheeseburger, according to the QSR Magazine report. (qsrmagazine.com) The offer is first-come, first-served, and the giveaway is tied specifically to the 6 p.m. opening event. The company has used similar promotions at earlier New York openings, including free-burger offers tied to recent store debuts. ### How big is Skinny Louie’s New York footprint now? Five New York City restaurants is the count Skinny Louie gave for its local footprint once the Penn District store opens on August 14. (qsrmagazine.com) The company’s locations page lists existing New York restaurants in the West Village, NoMad, the Upper East Side and the East Village. That would make the Penn District site the chain’s fifth in the city and another step in its push beyond its Florida base. ### What does the chain say it sells? Skinny Louie says its menu is built around smash burgers made with 100% fresh Black Angus beef, plus fries, shakes and sodas. (qsrmagazine.com) The company describes its offering as intentionally simple, with three burgers and three milkshakes forming the core lineup. On its New York page, the chain highlights the Skinny Louie Cheeseburger with grilled onions, double American cheese, pickles and Louie sauce. ### Has the company been expanding in New York this year? May 8 was the opening date cited in earlier coverage of Skinny Louie’s Upper East Side restaurant, which also included a 100-free-burgers promotion for the first guests in line. (qsrmagazine.com) Two weeks ago, Time Out New York reported a comparable giveaway for the chain’s fourth city location in the East Village. Those earlier launches show the Penn District opening fits a pattern the company has used as it adds stores in Manhattan. ### What happens next on August 14? August 14 at 6 p.m. is the next public milestone for the chain in New York, with guests expected at PENN 1 East Plaza for the opening event. (skinnylouie.com) The first 100 customers in line will receive the free single-patty cheeseburger, and the store will join Skinny Louie’s existing Manhattan locations once service begins. (qsrmagazine.com) (newsbreak.com)