Shake Shack is looking back to its roots as a New York street-food startup to mark its one-year anniversary in Canada.

The burger-chain, which began as a hot-dog stand in New York’s Madison Square Park, is launching a food-truck tour of Ontario to share its elevated fast-food offerings with a broader audience and build buzz about its continuing expansion in Canada. Shake Shack worked with experiential agency Experience First Productions to and PR agency Pomp & Circumstance on the activation.

Starting with a block party-event on July 19 and 20 on Toronto’s Ossington Ave., the truck will be making weekend stops at popular summer destinations around the province through Labour Day.

“The flexibility of the truck lets us meet Canadians where they are in the summer: by the water, in the city or on cottage weekends,” says Billy Richmond, business director at Shake Shack Canada. “It’s also a fun, high-touch way to keep building brand awareness ahead of further expansion.”

Shake Shack opened its first location in Canada at the intersection of Yonge and Dundas in Toronto last summer and has since opened two more stores in the city at Union Station and Yorkdale Shopping Centre. Spreading the word is imperative with the brand planning to open 35 more restaurants in Canada by 2035.

But while expansion outside of the GTA and across the country is the ultimate goal, Richmond tells strategy that the Canadian rollout will not be a copy-paste rush job of Shake Shack’s U.S. model. He says the company has tailored its menu to geography with items like the Maple Salted Pretzel Shake, collaborations with local chefs and partnerships with Ontario producers, such as Bellwoods Brewery, Rosewood Wines, Brodflour bakery and more.

“We came in with a long-term vision, and the energy we’ve seen – from packed openings to the excitement around our local collabs – has reinforced that there’s real appetite for what Shake Shack brings to the table,” Richmond says. “We’re still very intentional about our rollout. We want to grow fast, but we want to grow right.”

Shake Shack is currently focusing on solidifying its foundation in Toronto, but more locations will be arriving to serve a broader Canadian audience “in the not-too-distant future,” Richmond says.

After this weekend’s stop on Ossington, the food truck will be hitting Square One Shopping Centre in Mississauga and moving on to destinations in Port Carling, Sauble Beach, Prince Edward County and Lake Simcoe before returning to Toronto to finish the tour at the Woodbine Beach Boardwalk from Aug. 30 to Sept. 1.

Richmond says Shake Shack will be looking to convert trial into customer retention as it eyes on expansion down the road. The company will also be listening to customer feedback and combining brand metrics, such as awareness, reach and engagement with foot traffic at stops, earned media and social buzz.

As part of the brand’s “Stand For Something Good” mission, a portion of proceeds from each stop will be donated to Canadian food-rescue charity Second Harvest.

“Ultimately, if this tour helps more people understand what Shake Shack is all about – and gets them excited about future locations – we’ll consider it a success,” Richmond says. “For a brand still new to Canada, this kind of grassroots engagement helps us grow not just recognition, but affection and loyalty.”

Shake Shack gained a fast following after opening in New York in 2004 with its made-to-order beef burgers, crispy chicken and hand-spun milkshakes. It has since expanded to include close to 600 locations worldwide with 380 restaurants in the U.S. and more than 210 international stores.