Canadian Retail Thread - Page 319

le calmar · #**6361** Posted **Mar 30, 2022, 4:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biff

There's an IHOP in Winnipeg.

Popeye's are all over Winnipeg too.

Yeah my bad, looks like they have a small presence in all of the Western provinces.

q12 · #**6362** Posted **Mar 30, 2022, 4:25 PM**

Another popular U.S. retailer than is now in Canada, including here in Halifax is L.L. Bean which hasn't come to Quebec yet.

https://www.llbean.ca/Retail.html

MonctonRad · #**6363** Posted **Mar 30, 2022, 4:40 PM**

There are strong rumours that LL Bean is coming to Moncton too. They are renovating an appropriate sized space at CF Champlain (same size as the Halifax store). There has however been no official announcement yet. Opening is rumoured to be in September (or thereabouts)

urbandreamer · #**6364** Posted **Mar 30, 2022, 4:42 PM**

Many of these newish fast food franchises are owned by South Asians. As their population increases, so to will the growth in American fast food brands. I'm thinking about all the SA I see running gas stations, hotel chains, Tim Hortons, Popeyes, A&W etc.

Acajack · #**6365** Posted **Mar 30, 2022, 4:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by q12

Another popular U.S. retailer than is now in Canada, including here in Halifax is L.L. Bean which hasn't come to Quebec yet.
ç]

Quebec misses out yet again!

MonctonRad · #**6366** Posted **Mar 30, 2022, 4:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

Quebec misses out yet again!

It's OK, the main LL Bean store in Freeport isn't that far from Old Orchard Beach.

Acajack · #**6367** Posted **Mar 30, 2022, 5:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

It's OK, the main LL Bean store in Freeport isn't that far from Old Orchard Beach.

Their flagship store in North Conway NH is also a couple of hours south of Sherbrooke.

MolsonExport · #**6368** Posted **Mar 30, 2022, 5:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

I was just looking up the "trendy Larry Uteck Blvd. area" on Google Maps and noticed there is also an IHOP (International House of Pancakes) very close to the new Popeye's.

IHOP is another US chain that I am pretty sure is not present in Quebec.

You dodged a bullet. IHOP is awful. They don't even offer real maple syrup. On fucking pancakes.

I love the Quebec-based chains like Lafleur's. Total garbage food, but really hits the spot a few times a year. Commodified casse-croûte.

theman23 · #**6369** Posted **Mar 30, 2022, 5:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by urbandreamer

IHOP has opened a location in Brampton iirc. Popeyes was new to me when I went to their first Toronto location, Eglinton West of Marlee summer 2000. But now I associate it with obese coworkers, many from the Caribbean, eating it during lunch.

Maybe I’m misunderstanding what you’re saying due to your phrasing, but Popeyes has been in Toronto since the 1980s.

lio45 · #**6370** Posted **Mar 30, 2022, 5:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

I love the Quebec-based chains like Lafleur's. Total garbage food, but really hits the spot a few times a year. Commodified casse-croûte.

For junk food, whenever I'm in the Montreal area, I kind of like:

https://lepetitquebec.com/fr/

Gives me a '70s/'80s vibe for some reason. Very Québécois too.

Regionally restricted, they're absent from the areas I'm most often in (Quebec City, Sherbrooke, Trois-Rivières). It's probably why whenever I'm in a "junk food is acceptable" situation (not that often...) AND I'm in that chain's territory, I'll go for it.

MolsonExport · #**6371** Posted **Mar 30, 2022, 5:35 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by lio45

For junk food, whenever I'm in the Montreal area, I kind of like:

https://lepetitquebec.com/fr/

Gives me a '70s/'80s vibe for some reason. Very Québécois too.

Regionally restricted, they're absent from the areas I'm most often in (Quebec City, Sherbrooke, Trois-Rivières). It's probably why whenever I'm in a "junk food is acceptable" situation (not that often...) AND I'm in that chain's territory, I'll go for it.

I've never tried it (nor seen it) but maybe next time I am in La Belle Province, I will check it out. Poutine any good there?

Acajack · #**6372** Posted **Mar 30, 2022, 5:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

You dodged a bullet. IHOP is awful. They don't even offer real maple syrup. On fucking pancakes.

.

Quebec has a pretty robust homegrown breakfast restaurant chain scene, with places like Chez Cora, Allô Mon Coco and Tutti Frutti, among others. A few of them have branched out into other provinces too.

I think this makes it difficult for US chains to penetrate the market and explains why we don't have Denny's, IHOP, Perkins, etc. here.

As is often the case, Perkins used Gatineau as a test Quebec market a number of years ago, but they failed. Their old Gatineau location is now occupied by Scores, a Quebec rôtisserie chain that's a bit of a St-Hubert knockoff.

MonctonRad · #**6373** Posted **Mar 30, 2022, 6:02 PM**

We have three Chez Cora's in Moncton and two Pur & Simple (also a Quebec based breakfast chain). They do well. I like Pur & Simple - they have a restaurant in my neighbourhood.

My go to for breakfast is the Irving Big Stop in Salisbury, but Pur & Simple is a strong second choice. Hynes Restaurant on Mountain Road is a Moncton institution but I rarely go there.

I go to IHOP maybe 1-2x per year. I find it expensive and mediocre. I'm also not a big fan of pancakes.

q12 · #**6374** Posted **Mar 30, 2022, 6:45 PM**

Popeyes update: line up for the drive-thru keeps getting longer. lol.

https://twitter.com/stureece76/statu...06000263389189

Nashe · #**6375** Posted **Mar 30, 2022, 7:57 PM**

I've not eaten at the Moncton IHOP yet, but if it's anything like the ones S of the border (where I have), it's... meh.

Pur n Simple was fairly equivalent to Cora's food-wise, but the restaurant was laid out with small tables close together so it was louder and a bit distracting.

I admit I rather like Cora's. Great place for a lot of varied breakfast stuff that doesn't make you feel (too) terrible. Downside is the price, but we don't do it often.

Acajack · #**6376** Posted **Mar 30, 2022, 8:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by q12

Popeyes update: line up for the drive-thru keeps getting longer. lol.

https://twitter.com/stureece76/statu...06000263389189

Great aerial of the "very trendy Larry Uteck Blvd. area"!

Denscity · #**6377** Posted **Mar 30, 2022, 8:17 PM**

There's a Cora on Robson Street in Vancouver.
Is that the same company that supplies airline food?

Acajack · #**6378** Posted **Mar 30, 2022, 8:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Denscity

There's a Cora on Robson Street in Vancouver.
Is that the same company that supplies airline food?

No. The airline food is Cara I think.

MolsonExport · #**6379** Posted **Mar 30, 2022, 8:33 PM**

Cara airline food is almost nonedible, so does it qualify as food?

"Chicken or pasta?"

(or, "Can I interest you in overcooked, undersized boiled chicken breast, vs. chef Boyardee lasagna? Both come with a bitter arugula salad, some expired fruit salad, and a cellophane-wrapped brownie. Oh and you have a fine choice of shitty Niagara wines")

urbandreamer · #**6380** Posted **Mar 30, 2022, 8:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by theman23

Maybe I’m misunderstanding what you’re saying due to your phrasing, but Popeyes has been in Toronto since the 1980s.

What I meant is the first few times I ate there was summer 2000 when I worked along that Eglinton West strip. I grew up eating Southern Style food - biscuits, fried chicken, gravy, tacos, tamales, Tex-Mex, grits etc.

And that reminds me, other than maple syrup, we'd put Steen's cane syrup on our home made buckwheat pancakes.

Chick-fil-A has just opened near Queen and Spadina. The one at Yonge/Bloor seems to attract teenagers/students from Ryerson.