American burger-and-fries chain Shake Shack has announced that it will be opening its first Hong Kong location in 2018.

A total of 14 locations have been planned for Hong Kong and Macau through 2027. According to Chief Executive Officer Randy Garutti, this move is a bid to “expand [Shake Shack’s] footprint in Asia.”

shake shack
Photo: Shinya Suzuki/Flickr.

Shake Shack has said that it hopes to cater to the city’s demand for quality fast food with what it calls a “fine casual” dining format. “There’s a continued thirst for great brands and a premium level of food at an approachable price,” Garutti told Bloomberg.

The company will be partnering with licensee Maxim’s Caterers Limited to deliver its menu. It has said that the majority of the items found in the American menu will find their way to Hong Kong, but that there may be regional variations offered.

The chain has more than 50 international locations including in London, Tokyo, and Seoul.

Jun Pang is an independent writer and researcher. She has previously worked in NGOs advocating for refugees' and migrants' rights in Asia and Europe.