Pink Shake Shack Pop-up Serves Posh Ice Cream in Shanghai

Glittery pink stools, rows of unicorn plushies, and jugs of strawberry lemonade are part of the all-pink decor at the new Shake Shack X Museum of Ice Cream diner in Shanghai.

A product of the social media era, the museum first appeared in New York in 2016 and expanded to Austin, Chicago, and Singapore before making its way to China. The Shanghai branch, which opened in Taikoo Li Qiantan retail complex on July 31, is the first-ever pink Shake Shack in the world.

The Museum of Ice Cream in Shanghai partnered with Shake Shack to develop a slew of exclusive sweet treats, currently being sold at its gift shop and retro restaurant — Marye’s Diner. The shop takes a page from the 1950s, outfitted with a jukebox and pink-and-white checkered floor tiles.

Some of the new Shake Shack creations pay homage to Shanghai — aka the ‘Paris of the East’ — with names like ‘On The Bund’ and ‘East Bank Blueberry.’

“The pink design of the museum and the raspberry custard ice cream are well-matched. The colorful appearance immediately attracted my attention, and the taste was velvety and rich,” reads a museum-goer’s positive review on Weibo.

On the flip side, another netizen commented, “I haven’t been to an internet-famous exhibition like this one in years, but I feel like the industry is still in a downturn after Covid. There’s no new content.”

Regardless of differing opinions, the collaboration provides a rare opportunity to sample four exclusive flavors of ice cream from Shake Shack, so adventurous eaters are bound to book their spots.

Tickets to the museum cost 149 RMB (around 21 USD) per person, but guests can access the restaurant and gift shop without paying an entrance fee.

Cover image via Weibo