TOLEDO, Ohio — Shake Shack opens to the public at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27, inside Hollywood Casino Toledo at 1968 Miami St., bringing the burger chain’s first casino location in Ohio to the east Toledo riverfront property. The casino is marking the arrival with a “Ribbon Cutting & First Bite Ceremony” at 1 p.m., an hour before the first public orders, with a disc jockey performing from noon to 3 p.m., according to Hollywood Casino Toledo information reported by The Lake Erie Inquiry.
PENN Entertainment’s dining page for Hollywood Casino Toledo confirms the Oct. 27 opening date and previews what is on the menu. “Exciting news! Shake Shack opens at Hollywood Casino Toledo on October 27. Get ready for crave-worthy burgers, crispy fries, shakes, and more,” the casino’s dining page states. The new restaurant joins the property’s existing dining lineup, which includes the Sportsbook Restaurant and Take 2 Grill.
The Toledo opening has been more than a year in the making. PENN Entertainment and Shake Shack announced a licensing partnership in May 2025 to bring the brand to ten PENN casino locations across the country, with Hollywood Casino Toledo and River City Casino Hotel in St. Louis named as the first two locations, expected to open in 2026, according to the partnership announcement reported by QSR Magazine.
Leaders of both companies framed the deal as a new direction for casino dining when it was announced. “Shake Shack is thrilled to be partnering with PENN Entertainment to open ten incredible Shacks and take a meaningful step into the entertainment space,” Michael Kark, Shake Shack’s president of global licensing, said in the partnership announcement reported by QSR Magazine. Todd George, PENN Entertainment’s executive vice president of operations, said in the same announcement reported by QSR Magazine: “Shake Shack is a well-known brand that resonates with customers, and we look forward to welcoming them to a core segment of our property portfolio.”
Shake Shack built its following on an elevated take on classic roadside fare, including Angus beef burgers, crinkle-cut fries and hand-spun shakes. For Hollywood Casino Toledo, the opening adds a nationally recognized fast-casual name to a property that has continued to refresh its dining and entertainment offerings for guests from across northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan.
Visitors planning a first trip should note a few practical details. The casino’s page does not list regular operating hours for the new restaurant, according to The Lake Erie Inquiry, so guests may want to check with the property before making a special trip after opening day. The casino also reminds guests that patrons must be 21 or older to wager on the gaming floor.
Tuesday’s ceremony begins at 1 p.m. at the casino, 1968 Miami St. in Toledo, with public service starting at 2 p.m. The Toledo location is among the first Shake Shack restaurants inside a casino anywhere in the country under the PENN partnership, and the companies have said the remaining locations in the ten-property deal will follow at other PENN properties nationwide.
Photo: MrJacon000, CC BY-SA 4.0