The first official Hello Kitty-themed restaurant has opened in Shanghai, where fans are able to enjoy the company of their favourite mouthless kitten while having a coffee or a bite to eat. Calling itself the Hello Kitty Bistro Bianco, the restaurant can serve up to 80 customers at a time and is laid out on two floors. One floor is dedicated entirely to selling Hello Kitty merchandise, while the other is a diner offering a variety of Western food featuring cat-themed designs.
An employee serves a plate of steak to customers in China's first official Hello Kitty-themed restaurant in ShanghaiAly Song/ Reuters
Ken Yumii, Bistro Bianco's executive manager, explained to Reuters that the primary goal was to focus on "cuteness". "[For me], the satisfying aspects of the restaurant are probably the taste of the food and the feeling when one looks [in at the restaurant]. This is what we're aiming for, for customers, cuteness – when they see the cute nature of Hello Kitty, they will feel good."
Children play inside China's first official Hello Kitty restaurant in ShanghaiAly Song/ Reuters
Cuteness aside, Hello Kitty fan Charlie Wang was slightly less convinced by the brand-restaurant relationship. Speaking to Reuters, Wang said:"Honestly speaking, it slightly failed to meet my expectations because the Hello Kitty design and style of the second floor aren't particularly authentic. It's not that Hello Kitty-like. I feel it's just like a restaurant that's stuck on a bit of Hello Kitty stuff. Perhaps I'm a bit picky, my own requirements are a bit high," she said.
Doughnuts in China's first official Hello Kitty-themed restaurant in ShanghaiAly Song/ ReutersEmployees prepare food for customers in China's first official Hello Kitty-themed restaurant Aly Song/ Reuters
Created in 1974 by Japanese designer Yuko Shimizu, Hello Kitty was originally added to the early line-up of the company Sanrio's characters, before making her first solo appearance on on a vinyl coin purse where she was pictured sitting between a bottle of milk and a goldfish bowl. Originally targeted at children, the Hello Kitty brand quickly escalated into something quite extraordinary and has now become a collector's item. Fans can now make a wide range of Hello Kitty themed-purchases from nail accessories, to a train ride.
IBTimesUK takes a look at some of the wackiest Hello Kitty-themed items that have been made available for fans to enjoy:
Combination photo showing the Hello Kitty themed Taroko Express train in Taipei, TaiwanTyrone Siu/ ReutersOrigami Hello Kittys displayed at an exhibition called Hide and Seek during the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Japanese cartoon character in Hong KongReutersA nail artist shows her Hello Kitty nails during the Tokyo Nail Expo in JapanJunko Kimura/ Getty ImagesA Hello Kitty bouquet being displayed at a Sanrio shop in TokyoYoshikazu Tsuno/ AFPA Sanrio employee displays a new electric fan shaped as Hello Kitty in TokyoYoshikazu Tsuno/ AFPAn employee of Japan's convenience store chain Three-F displays a Hello Kitty Ribbon Lunch Box at the company's headquarters in Yokohama, TokyoYoshikazu Tsuno/ AFPA Sanrio employee displays a large Hello Kitty solar powered clock at the company's showroom in TokyoYoshikazu Tsuno/ AFPA Sanrio employee displays a prototype model of a Hello Kitty toilet seat at the company's headquarters in TokyoYoshikazu Tsuno/ AFPA customer checks a Mitsubishi Motors mini-car 'i' with Helllo Kitty design. The one-of-a-kind model of the designer vehicle, was priced at 2.1 million yen (£13,600, $19,400) in 2006Yoshikazu Tsuno/ AFPSanrio employee Fumina Takada displays a doghouse, designed with a Hello Kitty and decorated with 7,600 Swarovski crystals at the company's headquarters in TokyoYoshikazu Tsuno/ AFPJapan's computer giant NEC employee Ayumi Tamotsu displays the new notebook PC LaVie G Hello Kitty, decorated with Swarovski crystals shaped character of Hello Kitty at the company's showroom in Tokyo, 2007Yoshikazu Tsuno/ AFPA woman wearing a Hello Kitty hat crosses Times Square in New YorkJewel Samad /AFPGuests attend an inauguration ceremony of a Hello Kitty amusement park in Anji, in China's Zhejiang provinceCarlos Barria/ ReutersA Hello Kitty figurine, studded with a total of 19,636 Swarovski crystals, is displayed during a press preview of Swarovski's Hello Kitty collection at an event entitled House of Hello Kitty in TokyoYuriko Nakao/ ReutersThe Hello Kitty balloon above spectators along 6th Ave during the 89th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New YorkCarlo Allegri/ ReutersCustomers queue outside a Hello Kitty-themed Chinese restaurant in Hong KongBobby Yip/ ReutersCombination photo showing food served at the Hello Kitty-themed Chinese restaurant in Hong KongBobby Yip/ ReutersSigns at the toilets of a Hello Kitty-themed Chinese restaurant in Hong KongBobby Yip/ ReutersAn Airbus aircraft of Taiwan's Eva Airlines, owned by the Evergreen Group and decorated with Hello Kitty motifs, at Taoyuan International Airport, northern TaiwanTyrone Siu/ ReutersA child model presents a creation from Hello Kitty&My Melody Comme Tu Es Parent-child Outfit Collection during China Fashion Week S/S 2016 in BeijingKim Kyung-Hoon/ ReutersPeople participate in the costume contest at Hello Kitty Con at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA in Los Angeles, CaliforniaDan R. Krauss/ Getty ImagesChildren's art is displayed from the Hello Kitty Art School at Hello Kitty Con at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA in Los Angeles, CaliforniaDan R. Krauss/ Getty ImagesA painting titled Hello Lincoln by Scott Scheidly hangs at the Hello! Exploring the Supercute World of Hello Kitty museum exhibit in honour of Hello Kitty's 40th anniversary, at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles, CaliforniaLucy Nicholson/ ReutersAttendees walk with balloons outside of Hello Kitty Con at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA in Los Angeles, CaliforniaDan R. Krauss/ Getty ImagesA tin of H.J. Heinz Co. Hello Kitty Pasta ShapesOli Scarff/ Getty ImagesHello Kitty performs in the Hello Kitty 40th anniversary parade at Tokyo's Sanrio PurolandKazuhiro Nogi /AFPVisitors walk beside a snow statue of Hello Kitty during the 65th annual Sapporo Snow FestivalToshifumi Kitamura /AFPThe world's most expensive Hello Kitty doll, priced at 18.9 million yen (£122,500, $174,700) in 2006. The platinum Hello Kitty, 56mm in height and weighing 590 grams, wears a with ruby studded ribbon with sapphire, diamond, brown diamond, amethyst, topaz and quartzKazuhiro Nogi/ AFPFireworks explode over the world's third Hello Kitty Theme Park to celebrate New Year on 1 January 2015 in Huzhou, ChinaGetty Images
