Hello Kitty Cafe Truck Returns to Miami This Weekend

When a bright-pink truck rolled into Miami last fall, locals couldn't get enough. Stocked with Hello Kitty-inspired desserts, drinks, and souvenirs, the mobile café drew thousands of fans eager to snag limited-edition treats.

Less than five months later, the truck is about to give the Magic City an encore.

From 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, February 18, the Hello Kitty Cafe will be parked outside Dolphin Mall near the Cheesecake Factory and Texas de Brazil. Splashed in larger-than-life illustrations of the iconic white cat and multicolored cookies, cupcakes, and candies, the truck will be next to impossible to miss.

Expect an array of sweets such as cookie sets and rainbow macarons, along with pink-bow-shaped bottles of water. Besides selling food, the truck will also offer Hello Kitty swag such as coffee mugs, T-shirts, and a signature bow headband.

The truck debuted in Miami at Dadeland Mall in October 2016. It carried the same line of goodies that will be available when it stops at Dolphin Mall, with one exception: Those who visited last year could purchase the "Hello Kitty for President" frosted cookie, inspired by the brand's initiative to celebrate "friendship, fun, and happiness."

The brightly hued van with hot-pink bows on its hubcaps hit the road in October 2014. It's similar to standalone Sanrio stores found in malls across the nation. However, the mobile version sells only Hello Kitty-related items instead of other animated characters.

Created by the folks at Sanrio, a Japanese company that specializes in the "kawaii" (cute) segment of Japanese pop culture, the truck premiered in 2014 at Hello Kitty Con, a convention devoted to the beloved cat. Last summer, Sanrio opened a yearlong pop-up Hello Kitty Café in Los Angeles.

If you can't make it to Dolphin Mall this Saturday, don't worry: According to reps, the truck tries to visit cities, including Miami, about every six months.

Lines are expected to be long, so plan accordingly.