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Black-Owned Restaurant Slutty Vegan Partners With Shake Shack On A Limited-Edition Burger

Roommates, it’s always a cause for celebration when small, Black-owned businesses get their time in the limelight. Now, Pinky Cole is claiming hers. The vegan chef is the founder and CEO of the Atlanta-based burger spot ‘Slutty Vegan.’ Her joint has a reputation for being so delicious that it’s now teaming up with the burger chain Shake Shack, according to Essence. Together, they will release a limited-edition vegan burger called the ‘SluttyShack’ starting today.

Our mission isnt to tell people to go vegan but rather, to inspire guests to open up horizons with something new and different,” Pinky said. “Partnering with Shake Shack is a natural way of furthering this mission enjoy one of Americas most beloved burger spots, but try it with a twist, she continued.

The burger will feature signatures from both businesses including Shake Shack’s veggie patty and Pinky’s vegan Hawaiian bun and ‘slut dust’the golden touch on the brand’s fries. Customers will also get a mouthful of lemon ginger kale. caramelized onions, vegan ranch and vegan mayo with every bite. The burger is 100% vegan, Essence reported.

In addition to eating good, customers can also feel good about spending their coins on the ‘SluttyShack’ burger. Some of the money made in ‘SluttyShack’ sales will be donated to two nonprofit organizationsone in Atlanta and one in New York. The Giving Kitchen in Atlanta provides crisis relief for people in the food and beverage industry, while Restaurants Organizing, Advocating & Rebuilding (ROAR) in New York advocates for the NYC restaurant industry.

Philanthropy is the core of who I am, and Im encouraged by Shake Shacks aligned outlook on giving back to its communities,” CEO Pinky shared. Our goal with this collab is to build support for communities and industries close to our hearts.

The collaboration is part of Shake Shack’s new ‘Now Serving’ series, in which they tap on chefs and restaurants to create exclusive and limited-edition menu items, according to the company’s website.

The ‘SluttyShack’ vegan burger will be available today at the Shake Shack in Old Fourth Ward, Atlanta and today and tomorrow at the Shake Shack in Harlem, NYC.

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Cassandra Santiago

Cassandra Santiago is a multimedia journalist, editor, and editorial strategist with over a decade of experience shaping conversations across arts, entertainment, culture, and global news. A graduate of the University of Iowa, she has built a cross-platform career spanning newspapers, magazines, radio, and digital media. She joined The Shade Room five years ago and currently serves as a Senior Editor, where she leads editorial direction, oversees exclusive coverage, and trains and edits a team of writers. Cassandra has played a key role in developing high-impact content and editorial strategies for an audience of more than 30 million, contributing to platform growth, engagement, and monetization across multiple channels. In addition to her leadership role, she remains a daily contributor, with her articles generating more than 41 million views since 2023. Beyond The Shade Room, Cassandra offers freelance social media strategy services, speaks on the influence and impact of Black media at public panels, and owns Did It For You, an event design company in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area. She is Poynter Institute–certified and was named to the DMV’s 35 Under 35 list in 2024.

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