It may be exactly such figures that are leading Shake Shack to proceed cautiously—the U.S. market is already very competitive, a fact that has recently dented domestic results for industry leader McDonald's. Instead, the company has stated its intention to "opportunistically increase our licensed Shacks abroad." It already has 27 international restaurants. As chains such as Five Guys and Smashburger also expand overseas, there is now a battle to establish a global fast-casual burger brand. Darren Tristano, executive vice president at food industry researcher Technomic, notes that "[Shake Shack's] opportunities outside the U.S. are greater than inside the U.S.