Shake Shack Is Officially Coming To Canada & Promises Canada-Exclusive Menu Items
There are plans for 35 locations!
A Shake Shack sign above a restaurant entrance.
Popular American fast-food joint Shake Shack is finally coming to Canada. The company has announced plans for 35 locations in the country... by 2035. Torontonians won't have to wait that long to try the restaurant's famous burgers, crinkle fries and milkshakes, however.
Shake Shack's "flagship" Canadian location will open in the Ontario capital in 2024, and it's a long time coming.
"We have been eyeing this incredible opportunity in Canada for quite some time," the chain's chief global licensing officer, Michael Kark, said in a press release.
He also teased new menu items that will only be available to Canadians.
"[We] are elated to have found exceptional partners to serve Shack classics and bespoke Canada-exclusive items to our sophisticated neighbors to the north," he added.
There's no indication yet as to what those items could be. Poutine would likely be a winner.
Shake Shack also hasn't said where the other 34 locations will be. MTL Blog has reached out to ask if any will be in Quebec. We'll update this article when we hear back.
The first Shake Shack opened in New York City in 2004. Since then, it has become a global phenomenon, with an additional 290 U.S. restaurants and 150 total in China, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.
Its Canadian expansion is thanks to funding from Toronto investment firms Osmington Inc. and Harlo Entertainment.
"Shake Shack has long been a brand that we admire," Osmington CEO Lawrence Zucker added in the release. "Their emphasis on community building, enlightened hospitality and exceptional food quality aligns with our values and we are thrilled to be bringing them to Canada."
