The Hello Kitty Cafe Truck travels to cities and states throughout the West Coast, spreading the joy of the beloved cartoon character wherever it goes.  

Never underestimate the power of cute. Well before the Stonestown Galleria opened its doors last Saturday, hundreds of men, women and children spanning the ages claimed squares of sidewalk space at the mall’s south entrance. These early birds, doused in pastel hoodies adorned with cheerful cartoon characters, weren’t waiting for the latest sale inside the two-story shopping mall. No, these die-hard fans were lined up in anticipation of a dose of happy in the form of exclusive sweets and limited edition, collectible merchandise served from the bubblegum pink Hello Kitty Cafe Truck.

“We got here around 8 a.m. and there were people already in line,” a woman named Addy told me. She was about 30 people away from the truck’s window. “I just love her. She’s been a big part of my childhood. She’s always brought me so much happiness. Any time I can visit the Hello Kitty food truck, it just makes me happy.”

Many die-hard Hello Kitty fans lined up as early as 7 a.m. just for the chance to snag exclusive merch and baked sweets.

The Hello Kitty traveling cafe is one of two vehicles in the country dedicated to spreading the joy of the beloved cartoon feline, who first graced vinyl coin purses in Japan in 1975 for the Sanrio company. Since then, Hello Kitty has been responsible for up to half of Sanrio’s sparkly multibillion dollar empire. 

In 2014, Urania Chien, along with her husband Charlie Chien and business partner Allan Tea, opened their first Hello Kitty Cafe Truck in Southern California. Since then, it’s traveled hundreds of thousands of miles, making stops at various malls and busy locations throughout the country. The trio also owns the Hello Kitty brick-and-mortar cafe in Irvine and eventually added a second vehicle to reach its East Coast fan base due to high demand. 

When I learned the adorable pink van decorated with images of rainbow macarons and Hello Kitty cuteness was pulling into Stonestown, I wanted to join in on the fun and tap into my own childhood nostalgia among fellow Sanrio fans. 

A Hello Kitty fan orders at the Hello Kitty Cafe Truck window wearing an adorable Sanrio backpack.

While my friend Ashley held our spot in line near the adjacent Target, I walked into the crowd, asking folks dressed in their Hello Kitty best what motivated them to come out to an event where hourslong lines are the norm and merch is almost guaranteed to sell out.

Wearing a rose-tinted skirt, gray Sanrio T-shirt and 3-inch platform Mary Janes with frilly white socks adorned with Hello Kitty’s likeness, Jolie Jumanan told me that she and her friend Genevieve Selsor had started their wait at 8:20 a.m. Jumanan said the most sought-after items on this particular Saturday were posted on TikTok and Instagram. The merch included a limited-edition glass mug with plastic, multicolored sprinkles inside its handle; an ever-changing tote bag and T-shirt; a simple keychain; a 5-piece macaron set, followed by a trio of cookies that featured longtime Hello Kitty friends, such as Keroppi the frog and bunny bestie My Melody. 

“I love how she has her bow, and it’s all pink and all her little friends. I just love Hello Kitty! A lot of my room is Hello Kitty. I have a Hello Kitty Lego set, plushies, posters and stickers. But I’m mostly into the clothes and I like the accessories,” Jumanan said. “I think it’s really cool how many people like Hello Kitty. It’s kind of surreal.”

Jolie Jumanan poses in front of the Hello Kitty Cafe Truck with her bag of swag. 

Jolie Jumanan snaps a photo of the Hello Kitty Cafe Truck beside her mom and sister on Saturday, June 22, 2022 in front of Stonestown Galleria.

Jolie Jumanan models her cute Hello Kitty footwear. 

The power of Hello Kitty knows no bounds. It is surreal. The Hello Kitty Cafe Truck didn’t open until 10 a.m., and yet, the lines snaked around the mall’s entrance, as far back as the nearby Target. 

Around 11:15 a.m., one cafe truck employee announced that they had sold out of plushies. One little girl immediately burst into tears. As a mom, it tugged at my heart. It’s all fun and games until the Hello Kitty truck runs out of plushies.

As I stood in line with my friend Ashley, we were both simply giddy by the sheer influence of Hello Kitty. She may be an anthropomorphic cat with a signature red bow, but she's clearly a relatable character, evidenced by how diverse the crowd was. 

Once the truck opened, a buff security guard stood at the order window, taking direction from his partner over the phone. He walked away with two bags chock full of cute swag. Another woman sat straight on the cement, holding her spot in line while wearing a comfy-looking pair of fuchsia crushed velvet pants and a slick leather jacket. Hello Kitty even appeals to fans of British heavy metal, like one woman who was in a black Motorhead T-shirt, standing out among the fans in pink.

The large Hello Kitty sugar cookie is one of many varieties of sweets available on the traveling cafe. 

A three-pack of sugar cookies with Hello Kitty and friends Keroppi and My Melody is also popular with fans of the iconic character. 

Keroppi and Hello Kitty sugar cookies are a part of the three-piece set sold at the traveling cafe truck.

Jolie Jumanan holds her day's Hello Kitty haul, which included a pink T-shirt and sparkly keychain. 

“Yay! Success!” Jumanan shouted, as she walked away from the cafe truck’s window, holding all the prized accessories and merch she waited so patiently to snag.

Chien says one Hello Kitty truck outing can serve up to 800 people in a day, until it sells out of goodies. She describes the sheer amount of merch and baked sweets inside each vehicle as the “IKEA of food trucks.” She’s not kidding, either. Hundreds of items are packed into the truck’s tight quarters, a never-ending clown car of merch sold during each event.

Many items on the Hello Kitty traveling cafe are designed by Chien and her two daughters, or are inspired by some of their favorite depictions of the beloved character. For Chien, being a part of Hello Kitty history is very much a family affair. She still has vintage pencils, notebooks and mini drawer cases stored at her mom’s house that she said date back to the ’80s. 

A couple waits their turn to order limited edition items sold from the Hello Kitty Cafe Truck.

“I do have a really old and new collection of Hello Kitty items. In the ’90s, there were a lot more obscure Sanrio characters that came about that were also really popular, but Hello Kitty, she just stood the test of time,” Chien said. “Because she doesn’t have a mouth, you can put your emotions on her face and a lot of fans would say that. And I just love her red bow. It's so iconic.”

Much like Beyonce, Hello Kitty is an icon. She is instantly recognizable and has adapted her style through the decades. For many, she’s always been there. 

As a kid, whenever I’d visit the Valley Plaza Mall down in Bakersfield, I always wished my mom would let me browse the Sanrio store with its oversized plushies towering over its shelves. Now, as an adult, many (including myself) can buy all the little brightly colored knickknacks of our childhood dreams, without parental supervision. However, as an adult who just recently relocated from Sacramento to Oakland, money is admittedly tight. So I had to sparingly pick and choose from the plethora of adorable items available. I happily walked away with a giant Hello Kitty sugar cookie and the popular sprinkle mug everyone was going on and on about. 

Food Editor Steph Rodriguez managed to snag one of the well sought-after glass mugs adorned with Hello Kitty imagery and multicolored sprinkles in its handle.

For a lot of folks who stood for hours in the sweltering heat just for the chance to get a mug filled with sprinkles or a keychain stamped with that red iconic bow, it's all out of love for Hello Kitty. It seems no different than waiting in line to watch your favorite rock band perform. Except this rock star has no mouth. From wobbly-legged toddlers to tall men dressed in all black with gold-studded combat boots, Hello Kitty truly is for everyone. 

“She’s not just a character to a lot of people,” Chien said. “She’s literally like a childhood friend.”

Catch the Hello Kitty Cafe Truck at its next stop at the Stoneridge Shopping Center in Pleasanton on Saturday, June 25, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Follow the Hello Kitty Cafe Truck on Instagram for more details.