Shake Shack to open at Toronto’s Yonge-Dundas Square this summer

Shake Shack is coming to downtown Toronto.

On Tuesday, the famous American fast-food chain and burger joint confirmed that one of its many first Ontario locations will be a 5,500-square-foot restaurant at Yonge and Dundas.

“We are thrilled to confirm the rumours and open our doors at Yonge and Dundas, marking the beginning of a delicious journey for Canadians,” said Billy Richmond, Business Director at Shake Shack Canada. “We’re excited to serve up our signature Shack classics along with some Canadian exclusives that we’ve developed with our local culinary partners to be enjoyed amongst Toronto’s dynamic cityscape.”

Shake Shack has partnered with famed Toronto artist Briony Douglas to create an installation to launch the brand. It can be viewed starting today at the Yonge and Dundas restaurant.

The menu will include ShackBurgers, crinkle-cut fries, and the rest of its classics. They also offer vegetarian options like the Shroom Burger, a crispy fried portobello mushroom filled with melted cheese.

Shake Shack’s Canadian debut won’t just rely on fast-food staples. It will also come with a few twists, including a Toronto-exclusive menu item.

Customers will be able to order a maple salted pretzel shake made of frozen vanilla custard streaked with Canadian maple syrup and pretzels. Shake Shack will also sell beer and wine; a rarity for Canadian fast-food joints.

When will Shake Shack open?

The flagship Toronto restaurant is planned to be one of 35 other Shake Shacks set to open nationwide by 2035. The announcement comes after a pop-up Shake Shack on University Avenue in downtown Toronto in 2017 drew large crowds.

The organizers confirm that Shake Shack has no set opening date yet, but it will open in the “coming months” this summer.

Shake Shack’s Canadian debut comes as several other fast food chains plan expansions in the country. Inspire Brands will soon bring sandwich chain Jimmy John’s to Canada, while Redberry Restaurants plans to open more than 300 Jersey Mike’s locations by 2034.

Danny Meyer founded Shake Shack in 2004, with its first location at Madison Square Park in New York City. Originally intended as a small hot dog cart, Shake Shack gained a cult following and became a permanent fixture in the park.

Shake Shack has expanded quickly over the years, with locations across the United States and internationally, including in countries like the United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates.

With files from Tara Deschamps of The Canadian Press