When Inclusivity is on the Menu: Shake Shack’s Canadian Playbook
Image Description: Shake Shack Green logo: Green line-drawn hamburger icon with a domed top bun, wavy middle line, and two stacked rectangular layers.
Written and researched by Sheryl Johnson
Sheryl Johnson founded Strategic Inclusive Marketing to help brands grow by integrating inclusive practices into every stage of marketing and operations - from SOPs and processes to PR and communications - to drive business growth and real social change. With over 20 years of experience, she partners with global brands to create authentic, values-driven narratives that resonate with diverse audiences
Shake Shack’s recent launch in Toronto this year, spotlights a powerful case study in inclusive, smart, and collaborative marketing. The well-known New York City-born burger brand didn’t simply drop a standard formula into a new city. It crafted a local-first approach that resonated from Gen Z to Baby Boomers. By engaging the community, partnering with local creatives and suppliers, creating unique menu items catering to Canadian tastes, nurturing an inclusive team culture, and leveraging social media for good, Shake Shack showed how to “Stand For Something Good” in practice.
Marketers, business leaders, communications teams, and agencies can draw actionable lessons from this launch to apply in their own strategies. What follows is a breakdown of the key tactics Shake Shack used during their Toronto market entry and why they worked.
Community Engagement and Social Good
From day one, Shake Shack wove community impact into its Toronto launch. Before the doors even opened, the company announced that a portion of sales from the new location would support local charities. Shake Shack pledged a share of overall sales to Second Harvest, Canada’s largest food rescue organization. It also earmarked 5 percent of Shack20 bottled water sales for Water First, an Indigenous-focused water charity, and 5 percent of the More S’mores Concrete for Campfire Circle, supporting children with serious illnesses. These commitments signaled to Toronto customers that Shake Shack was investing in the local community, not just doing business there.
Shake Shack turned its grand opening into a community event. In the lead-up, it hosted a “Housewarming Party” contest on Instagram, inviting Torontonians to follow the new @shakeshackca account, tag a friend, and earn a chance to attend an exclusive pre-opening party. For every contest entry, Shake Shack donated five meals to Second Harvest, up to 15,000 meals. The campaign built social buzz while directly fighting hunger. It attracted local influencers and media, who amplified the excitement. By tying promotion to a charitable cause, Shake Shack generated positive press and goodwill that crossed generational lines. Younger audiences valued the authentic activism. Older customers appreciated the charitable sensibility.
Once the restaurant opened, Shake Shack kept showing up in the community. It formed partnerships to host fundraisers and volunteering, aligning with its ethos that each Shack supports its communities through donations, events, and service. In its first year, Shake Shack rolled out a food truck touring Toronto neighborhoods in summer 2025 to celebrate its anniversary, further embedding the brand in the local scene and literally meeting people where they are.
Lesson: Ground your launch in local needs. Cause marketing and community engagement aren’t add-ons. They are strategic drivers of brand love and trust.
Partnering with Local Creatives and Businesses
A hallmark of Shake Shack’s Toronto entry was its deep collaboration with local creatives and suppliers. Rather than rely on a U.S. playbook, the company partnered with Canadian talent to give Toronto locations a unique identity. For the flagship at Yonge-Dundas Square, Shake Shack tapped Toronto artist Briony Douglas for an art installation and vibrant mural that launched ahead of opening day and brought a burst of creativity to the heart of the city.
Briony Douglas: “I really wanted to pay tribute to the iconic locations that have made Toronto what it is today, Honest Ed’s, Sam the Record Man, Massey Hall, while also celebrating Shake Shack coming to town! The bright and colourful illustrations represent the joy and excitement of the first location spreading through the city.”
As Business Director Billy Richmond shared, each new Shack aims to reflect the spirit of the neighbourhoods it serves, and local artist partnerships are a key way to achieve that. As Shake Shack expanded in the GTA, new locations featured murals by artists like Blake Angeconeb, an Anishinaabe artist, and Kirsten McCrea, known for bold, unapologetic patterned murals, to celebrate each community’s culture.
Partnerships extended into the food ecosystem. Ahead of launch, Shake Shack worked with Ontario-based purveyors to source ingredients and co-create menu items. Local partners included Brodflour, the Toronto artisan bakery supplying butter tarts for a signature dessert, and ChocoSol Traders, providing artisanal cocoa nibs for chocolate custard concretes. Beverages also got a local twist through a special Shack ale with Bellwoods Brewery and custom red and white wines with Rosewood Winery in Niagara. By embracing flavors and ingredients Canadians know and love, Shake Shack delivered an experience that felt authentically Canadian.
These collaborations were front-and-center in marketing. Menus and press materials proudly listed local partners. A standout was Shake Shack’s first-ever chef collaboration in Canada with Toronto’s Michelin-recognized MIMI Chinese: a limited-time menu featuring Málà Chicken, Shaokao Fries, and a Black Sesame Coconut Shake, with proceeds supporting Fort York Food Bank. The move showcased Toronto’s diverse culinary scene and earned credibility with foodie audiences.
Takeaway: meaningful co-creation. Featuring local artists, teaming with a neighborhood restaurant, and sourcing from local producers shows respect for the community’s heritage and tastes. Partners gain exposure and business. The brand gains local relevance that outsiders can’t easily replicate.
Tailoring Offerings to Canadian Tastes
An inclusive marketing strategy adapts the product to the people you’re serving. Shake Shack did its homework and made sure the Toronto menu wasn’t a copy-paste from New York. The first announcement teased Canadian exclusives developed with local partners. The resulting menu delivered.
Standouts included the Maple Salted Pretzel Shake, an indulgent vanilla frozen custard shake blended with real Ontario maple syrup and crushed pretzels. Another was the “I ❤️ Butter Tart” Concrete, a frozen custard dessert mixing in pieces of a classic Canadian butter tart from Brodflour’s urban bakery and mill in Liberty Village. These weren’t gimmicks. They were thoughtfully crafted with regional flavors and local ingredients.
Inclusivity in menu design also meant recognizing Toronto’s intercultural palate. The MIMI Chinese collaboration introduced bold items like Shaokao Fries and a Black Sesame Coconut Shake. That acknowledged the city’s large Chinese Canadian community and the broader love of international cuisines. Limited-edition collabs drove curiosity and visits. They also helped diverse customers feel seen. Cultural respect came through collaboration with chefs from that culture, not by appropriating flavors.
Equally important, Shake Shack adapted sourcing and operations to Canadian expectations of quality. Toronto locations use Canadian-raised Angus beef and antibiotic-free chicken, supporting local farmers and assuring customers of quality. Crinkle Cut Fries remain a staple.
Takeaway: localized supply-chain integration. Localize both product and supply chain. Incorporate local flavors, meet local standards, and celebrate regional food culture to build trust and turn skeptical locals into proud brand ambassadors.
Authentic Marketing Inside and Out: People-First Hiring and Culture
Inclusive marketing isn’t only consumer-facing. Authenticity starts inside. Shake Shack’s launch success owes much to its people-first culture and inclusive hiring practices, which translated into better service and goodwill. From the outset, Shake Shack created jobs paying above minimum wage for entry-level crew roles. Its announced expansion will create more than 400 new jobs across six upcoming locations, signaling long-term commitment to Canadian communities.
“Stand For Something Good” also means putting employees first. In practice, that includes training and growth opportunities and a workplace where everyone belongs. “Our doors are open to all” is more than a line. It’s backed by Employee Resource Groups and policies that earned Shake Shack recognition as a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality in the Human Rights Campaign’s 2023 Corporate Equality Index.
An inclusive, well-trained staff who share the company’s hospitality-first mindset can turn a simple burger purchase into a memorable experience for guests of any age. Early patrons met friendly, enthusiastic employees proud of their product and city. The hiring lesson is twofold: hire from the community to reflect its diversity, and invest in a supportive culture so employees can genuinely care for customers. Gen Z workers are drawn to companies that value diversity and growth. Older employees bring a welcoming, familiar experience. Together, they bring your inclusive mission to life and create long-term connections.
Designing an Inclusive Customer Experience
Brand building shows up at every touchpoint, including the physical space. Shake Shack’s design signals welcoming, accessible, and intentional. The flagship 5,500-square-foot location at Yonge and Dundas was thoughtfully designed to reflect Toronto’s spirit while staying true to the Shack aesthetic. Practically, that means an open, easy-to-navigate layout for families with strollers or guests with mobility aids and plenty of gathering space in a busy downtown setting. Subsequent GTA locations were customized for context. A suburban mall Shack features an interior patio for shoppers. A smaller food-court Shack is designed as an anchor to maintain visibility and accessibility despite a compact footprint. Accessible design extends to wheelchair access, clear signage, and digital self-order kiosks placed at appropriate heights. These choices are part of “designing our Shacks responsibly,” not an afterthought.
Design choices also work as inclusive marketing signals. By engaging local artists in the decor, each store connects with its neighborhood’s identity. At Square One, Blake Angeconeb’s vibrant artwork is more than decoration. It celebrates Indigenous culture in a public space, making Indigenous patrons feel seen and introducing others to that art style. At another location, Kirsten McCrea’s colorful murals turn the Shack into a community conversation piece. This hyper-local design earned media attention for investing in design and community engagement to make each location unique. In other words, store design isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s a marketing asset tailored for inclusivity and local appeal.
For any brand, accessible and welcoming design is core to inclusive strategy. That includes compliance with accessibility laws. Shake Shack Canada published an AODA Accessibility Plan. It also includes intuitive layouts for people of all ages and spaces where everyone feels comfortable, from ample seating for seniors to communal tables and a fun ambiance that invites selfies.
Lesson: Store design and environment are marketing. A thoughtfully designed, accessible space communicates your values without words. When a Baby Boomer with mobility challenges and a Gen Z foodie influencer can both enjoy your space in their own way, you’re on the right track.
Driving Buzz Through an Intentional Social and Digital Strategy
Inclusive marketing also means meeting audiences where they are online and building connection. Shake Shack’s social strategy around the Toronto launch was savvy and collaborative. The Canadian Instagram account (@shakeshackca) built excitement well before opening with sneak peeks and engaging content to rally local followers. The Briony Douglas partnership didn’t just boost follower counts. It turned followers into participants.
Influencer and media relationships expanded digital reach. At the pre-opening Housewarming event, local food bloggers, TikTok creators, and journalists tasted first and received custom Toronto-themed Shack swag. In return, many posted about the experience, generating organic buzz. Grand opening day drew local news and social users eager to document the launch. Shake Shack’s social team amplified user-generated content, thanking fans and sharing real-time excitement. The tone stayed warm, playful, and appreciative of the community. This brought multiple generations into the fold.
Here’s why the @shakeshackca account shows smart adaptation to Canada:
Local handle, local voice. “CA” signals a distinct Canadian presence with content and replies tailored to local audiences. The launch winked with a Canadianism, “About time, eh?”
Hyper-local storytelling. Posts call out iconic GTA spots like Yonge-Dundas, Union Station, Yorkdale, and Square One. Torontonians see themselves in the content.
Menu localization. Canada-only items like the Maple Salted Pretzel Shake and I Heart Butter Tart Concrete appear alongside local partners like Brodflour and ChocoSol Traders, plus Ontario beer and wine from Bellwoods and Rosewood.
Local delivery and partners. Delivery is available exclusively on Skip, reducing friction and boosting discovery.
Community ties, not just commerce. Content and menu pages point to item-linked donations, like More S’mores Concrete supporting Campfire Circle.
Culinary collabs that reflect Toronto. The collab with MIMI Chinese nods to the city’s food culture and diverse tastes. That’s adaptation through product, not platitudes.
Clear expansion updates. Posts announce new GTA locations and timelines so Canadians know where to go next.
Takeaway: Use social and digital channels to create genuine connections, not just ads. Invite the community into the story through contests, collabs, and shareable moments. When your giveaway feeds thousands of people and turns followers into ambassadors, you’re doing inclusive marketing right.
Key Takeaways for Inclusive, Strategic Marketing
Invest in community partnerships. Build goodwill by supporting local causes and inviting the community into your launch. Align promotion with social good to earn trust across generations.
Collaborate with local talent. Partner with artists, influencers, and businesses to co-create the brand experience. It makes your offer unique and shows respect for local creativity and diversity.
Adapt your product to local tastes. Don’t assume one size fits all. Research local preferences and reflect them in products or services. Customers notice and appreciate the personal touch.
Create an inclusive team environment. Your employees are the front line. Hire diversely and treat your team well. An inclusive, enthusiastic staff delivers inclusive, memorable experiences.
Design for accessibility and warmth. Ensure your physical and digital spaces are welcoming to everyone. Accessibility and local design elements are silent marketers that speak volumes about your values.
Leverage social for collaboration, not just reach. Encourage participation and UGC. Authentic excitement shared by real people outperforms scripted blasts, especially with younger consumers.
Inclusive marketing done right sees your brand as part of a community, not apart from it. Shake Shack didn’t just open a store in Toronto. It joined Toronto. By celebrating local culture, uplifting local people, and aligning with local values, the brand made a splash that translated into sustained success, with plans for 35 locations in Canada by 2035. The magic is that these inclusive strategies benefit everyone. The local community feels valued. Employees feel proud. The brand builds a loyal base across demographics.
In a time when consumers are increasingly diverse, socially conscious, and digitally savvy, the Shake Shack Toronto playbook is a reminder that inclusive, collaborative marketing is smart marketing. Any organization can apply these principles, whether launching a new product or entering a new market, to create campaigns and experiences that truly welcome all. When you stand for something good and invite others to stand with you, you’re not just marketing. You’re building a brand people want to see succeed, together.
Source: IG @briony — Image Descriptions
A: This image combines black-and-white photography with bold, colorful illustration for a lively, nostalgic effect. In the background is the famous Honest Ed’s building in Toronto, its large marquee-style signage and quirky quotes in grayscale. In the foreground, an illustrated woman with brown skin, freckles, and a top bun wears a patterned cream shirt. She holds up a large iced tea in a Shake Shack cup with a green straw, while her other hand grips a Shake Shack paper takeout bag. Colorful illustrated flowers — lavender, daisies, and other bright blooms — add a whimsical pop around her. The blend of historic Toronto iconography with modern brand elements creates a vibrant, urban, artsy vibe.
B: This image blends photography and illustration to create a vibrant, nostalgic scene. The background shows the iconic Sam the Record Man store with its large black vinyl record signs and the bold letters “SAM” on the rooftop. Overlaid are playful, illustrated elements: green musical notes, a person in a purple-and-white striped shirt wearing headphones and a blue cap with the Shake Shack logo, holding a large illustrated iced drink with the same logo. At the bottom left, there’s a detailed illustrated burger with lettuce and crispy chicken. Additional floating illustrations include a Shake Shack takeout bag and an ice cream cone, both outlined in green. The overall vibe feels retro-meets-modern, mixing Toronto’s music history with food, music, and fun branding.
