Canadian Retail Thread

[casper]

Originally Posted by thewave46

Eh, best fast-food is similar to tallest midget competition. I had some In-and-Out in the Southwestern US and it was decent, but would I rave about it? For the price, pretty good, sure. So amazing as to make it a marker of the sophistication of Kingman, AZ over New York City?

I mean, if Vancouver wants to be hoity-toity, throw the equivalent to Michelin star restaurants down as the marker, not the fact that A&W (yes, we have them here in uncultured Ontario too) is the marker of discerning taste.

Maybe my soft spot for Harvey's is just a fond remembrance from being younger.

Not saying Ontario in uncultured. Like Quebec they do understand rotisserie chicken. Something we just don't appreciate as a restaurant format on the west coast.

McDonalds is well known for its flavourless taste.

A&W and Triple - O is a step up.

A step up from them would be a Place like Big Wheel Burger where they grind their own meat in house from non-GMO cattle that are raised on hydroponically raised grass. https://bigwheelburger.com/

[theman23]

Originally Posted by casper

Not saying Ontario in uncultured. Like Quebec they do understand rotisserie chicken. Something we just don't appreciate as a restaurant format on the west coast.

McDonalds is well known for its flavourless taste.

A&W and Triple - O is a step up.

A step up from them would be a Place like Big Wheel Burger where they grind their own meat in house from non-GMO cattle that are raised on hydroponically raised grass. https://bigwheelburger.com/

Bizarro world. Since when did McDonald’s become an Ontario fast food place? Are you oblivious to the hundreds of locations in BC that are far busier than any Triple Os or A+W locations?

I swear, there’s something in the water…

[GreaterMontréal]

Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Tiffany & Co. and RH among first retailers announced for Royalmount, Montreal's new Midtown destination

• In a series of new openings for the Quebec market, these brands will also be joined by Sandro and Maje, with many more to be confirmed at the new destination in Midtown Montreal

170 stores
60 restaurants

$7B project

https://www.newswire.ca/news-release...898341584.html

[urbandreamer]

Basically tacky brands appealing to immigrants and foreign investors. I cringe whenever I see people wearing this shit.

Burger's Priest has replaced Harvey's in the fast burger space in Ontario. Fast food franchises in Canada are being driven by mainly Filipino and Indian immigrants, eg Jollibee, A&W, Tim Hortons, Nashville Hot Chicken, etc and increasingly, Mexican taco joints. There's a new fast casual Peruvian joint at Bloor and Kennedy Park Road - I expect we'll see an explosion of South American cuisine across Canada soon. And maybe modern Ukrainian food, if that's a thing?

[casper]

Originally Posted by theman23

Bizarro world. Since when did McDonald’s become an Ontario fast food place? Are you oblivious to the hundreds of locations in BC that are far busier than any Triple Os or A+W locations?

I swear, there’s something in the water…

There must be something in the water ......

I never said McDonald was an Ontario based chain. Yes, like all the discounted burger places they are everywhere out here as well.

All I said was sit down rotisserie chicken does better in Ontario and Quebec. It is not a thing out here.

Higher end burger places do well here. Harvey's does not and its meat is weird.

[urbandreamer]

Actually McDonald's Canada is an Ontario-based chain. I believe it owns the Russian and Ukrainian franchises, although they rebranded in Russia but probably kept ownership under a new numbered company for political reasons.

Somewhere, maybe on Queen or Bloor West, I saw a new Indian-style pizza place. When I still ate wheat products, I'd look forward to my Indian coworkers bringing in spicy pizza from Brampton. Locally, Juniors looks good as does Maker and Blondie's Pizza - mini chains in Toronto. I'd love to try Detroit style pizza, but would it suck as gluten-free? In Medicine Hat, I unfortunately wasted $50 at a Boston Pizza: terrible coffee, pizza and pasta. Is it a money laundering front or a legit biz?!

As for Western Canada's sophistication, I was surprised to see Alberta is comparable to BC in number of organic/sustainable-style cafes, cute coffee shops in unexpected small towns etc. Saskatchewan and Manitoba feels more like Midwestern Ontario, maybe all of Ontario with the GTA/OV excluded.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by urbandreamer

Actually McDonald's Canada is an Ontario-based chain. I believe it owns the Russian and Ukrainian franchises, although they rebranded in Russia but probably kept ownership under a new numbered company for political reasons.

Somewhere, maybe on Queen or Bloor West, I saw a new Indian-style pizza place. When I still ate wheat products, I'd look forward to my Indian coworkers bringing in spicy pizza from Brampton. Locally, Juniors looks good as does Maker and Blondie's Pizza - mini chains in Toronto. I'd love to try Detroit style pizza, but would it suck as gluten-free? In Medicine Hat, I unfortunately wasted $50 at a Boston Pizza: terrible coffee, pizza and pasta. Is it a money laundering front or a legit biz?!

As for Western Canada's sophistication, I was surprised to see Alberta is comparable to BC in number of organic/sustainable-style cafes, cute coffee shops in unexpected small towns etc. Saskatchewan and Manitoba feels more like Midwestern Ontario, maybe all of Ontario with the GTA/OV excluded.

I thought they sold off to a Russian.

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by GreaterMontréal

Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Tiffany & Co. and RH among first retailers announced for Royalmount, Montreal's new Midtown destination

• In a series of new openings for the Quebec market, these brands will also be joined by Sandro and Maje, with many more to be confirmed at the new destination in Midtown Montreal

170 stores
60 restaurants

$7B project

https://www.newswire.ca/news-release...898341584.html

I wonder how much this complex will suck the life out of nearby Rockland Mall (3 storey mall)

[SpongeG]

speaking of burgers, do they have Fatburger out east? I know they have them in BC and Alberta, the Ricky's restaurant chain from BC has Franchise rights or some deal with them to open Fatburger restaurants.

I completely forget about it when thinking of a burger. They are pretty decent though.

[urbandreamer]

^Yes. One opened recently at Bloor and Bathurst.

I wish there was a 100% gluten-free burger joint with affordable prices. Maybe using a rice-based dough it would be possible?

The vegan burger places don't seem very busy.

I noticed Zero Waste Bulk in Uptown Waterloo is closing - such a stupid concept if you've ever worked in food manufacturing you'd know it's pointless.

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by urbandreamer

Burger's Priest has replaced Harvey's in the fast burger space in Ontario.

290 Harveys in Canada, 201 of them in Ontario. 30 Burger Priests, 27 in Ontario. A little ways to go before you can say they have been replaced. I don't really think they are in the same category honestly.

[Denscity]

The Burger's Priest is its real name?

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by Denscity

The Burger's Priest is its real name?

Founded by a former priest, iinm.

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by theman23

Bizarro world. Since when did McDonald’s become an Ontario fast food place? Are you oblivious to the hundreds of locations in BC that are far busier than any Triple Os or A+W locations?

I swear, there’s something in the water…

The first McDonald's location that opened in Canada was in Richmond BC in 1967. It was also the first location that opened outside the U.S..

The first McDonald's location that opened in Eastern Canada was in London ON in 1968.

[Wigs]

In Port Colborne, Ontario is one of the last original Dairy Queens
Walk-up, seasonal only with the original DQ sign. May be the last one in North America with the original c.1954 design.

Every few years there's a story of someone wanting to buy the sign.
https://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/44610
Streetview:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/dii7jYBzsCeaHsDQ8

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by Wigs

In Port Colborne, Ontario is one of the last original Dairy Queens
Walk-up, seasonal only with the original DQ sign. May be the last one in North America with the original c.1954 design.

Every few years there's a story of someone wanting to buy the sign.
https://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/44610
Streetview:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/dii7jYBzsCeaHsDQ8

I haven't been to Port Colborne since I was young so I'll look for it as I plan to see more of the area in the next year or two.

I also remember seeing this one near Montreal. It is located on Perrot Island and is also one of the last original DQs. The sign in front says "Since 1956."
https://goo.gl/maps/v5TY66oDXSeX1wyP6

[Wigs]

Awesome!
a DQ Chateau

[megadude]

Well then. I'm under the weather today and I needed to get Nyquil. At the same plaza is Swiss Chalet. Also an independent food joint I've been to twice that I was thinking about but I noticed it closed down, which I knew would happen. It was not the kind of place I'd think would strive in this particular suburban setting.

Anyway, for the first time, the app was not processing my card, either directly or through Apple Pay. But my card was working at the store. So I walked in and asked for 1/4 chicken meal. I get home and say wow that's a big box for a 1/4 chicken meal. Opened it up and was pleasantly surprised. That's two quaters and huge serving of fries (the portion looks much heftier in person than in the pic). Good, now I got lunch tomorrow. They had the right name and order on the receipt too.

Couple more oddities from this year. I think this was the person's first day on the job based on the asymmetrial pie and the slicing.

And I can probably end up on Inside Edition or go viral on Youtube with 20 million views with this. One of the Eggos in the Paw Patrol box was of Elsa from Frozen. Two years ago I wouldn't have know who or what those things are, but that shit is on full blast on the TV most days now. And I have yet to see an Eggos box with Elsa/Frozen on it. Just Paw Patrol and Mickey and Minnie Mouse. I googled it and it does existing, I'm just not sure why it's not in any of the half dozen grocery chains I shop in. For all I know it might not even be in Canada.







taking a screen shot

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by GreaterMontréal

Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Tiffany & Co. and RH among first retailers announced for Royalmount, Montreal's new Midtown destination
….

https://www.newswire.ca/news-release...898341584.html

From fast food to its retail “luxury” goods equivalent. It amazes that gullible label queens continue to think this stuff is real luxury.

[WhipperSnapper]

I fulfilled my crazy craving for pizza today. now, I have one for burgers!