The Hello Kitty Cafe Truck is rolling back to Edison Saturday
A pastel pink truck that is coming to the Menlo Park Mall will be impossible to miss.
On its annual tour of the country, the Hello Kitty Cafe Truck will be parked from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, May 6, at the grassy area near Macy's.
Fans can buy merchandise and packaged snacks. New this year is a hoodie adorned with cartoon versions of the namesake Irvine, California, cafe's desserts, a T-shirt and a plush of the truck's signature cup.
Other items include lunchboxes, rainbow thermoses, canvas totes, hand-decorated cookie sets and enamel pin sets. Only credit and debit cards are accepted.
If you're planning to go, be prepared to wait. Lines have been as long as five hours. Crowds often range from 250 to 400 people, and items (especially food products) sometimes sell out.
Expect to see kids, parents and grandparents at the truck.
“We have enough that there’s something for everybody, and that’s why our fan base is so varied,” truck co-owner Urania Chien previously told MyCentralJersey. “Little girls will get a plush, moms will buy a tote bag, and even grandparents are like, ‘Can we get the thermal bottle for our tea?’ ”
A mansion to remember: Mansion in May homeowner inspired by life-saving hospital stay
Sanrio, a Japanese company that makes stationery, school supplies, gifts and accessories, launched Hello Kitty in 1975. The character has maintained a cult following throughout the last half-century.
After noticing there were many Hello Kitty-themed cafes in Asia but none in the United States, Chien and her partners decided to open one in Irvine. To promote it, the co-owners created a truck to be showcased at the 2014 Hello Kitty Con.
Something for every mom: 11 options for Mother’s Day brunch
They soon realized the truck was much more than a marketing tool.
“It became such a fan gathering point and joy-maker that we got two, and now they just go to different cities every weekend across the United States,” Chien said. “We didn’t know it would be its own unicorn, but it got so much traction that we were just like, ‘Let’s try it out and see what happens.’ ”
Go: Hello Kity Cafe Truck, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, May 6, Menlo Park Mall, grassy area near Macy's, 55 Parsonage Road, Edison.
Contact: JIntersimone@MyCentralJersey.com
Jenna Intersimone has been a staff member at the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey since 2014, after becoming a blogger-turned-reporter following the creation of her award-winning travel blog. To get unlimited access to her stories about food, drink and fun, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: The Hello Kitty Cafe Truck is rolling back to Edison Saturday
