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MARCH/APRIL 2021
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VOLUME 53, NO.2 | MARCH/APRIL 2021
THE CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES ISSUE
12
29 THE 2021 FRANCHISE LISTINGS
52 A NEW REALITY
Technology has allowed restaurants to
evolve ahead of schedule
54 TAKE TWO
Operators are re-thinking takeout
strategies amidst COVID-19 restrictions
56 TRADING SPACES
Inventory levels fall as operators turn
their sights on smaller spaces
58 ROLL CALL
Staffing strategies are being
54
IN THIS ISSUE
re-examined during pandemic times
60 COST CRUNCH
New challenges are shifting
restaurants’ operating costs
70
10 GORILLA IN THE ROOM
Operators need to face discussions
about living wages head on
62 DELIVERING CONFIDENCE
New procedures are getting food from
place-to-place with no face-to-face
12 COMFORT BETWEEN TWO BUNS
Food trends during the pandemic
show burger popularity is on the rise
65 SAFETY FIRST
Health-and-safety planning is being
taken to new levels
19 RISING ABOVE
Franchisors share insight into
surviving and thriving during COVID-19
68 BEYOND THE BAR
COVID-19 is driving significant shifts
in beer consumption
DEPARTMENTS
COVER ILLUSTRATION BY SARAH SKRLJ
27 TEAM EFFORT
A franchise advisory board is there to
help every step of the way
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
69 FILLING THE GAP
Tech companies are helping
e
restaurants to run more efficiently
27
2 FROM THE EDITOR
5 FYI
9 FROM THE DESK OF NPD GROUP
70 CHEF’S CORNER Brandon Clemens,
The Bruce Hotel
MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 1
FROM THE EDITOR
A
few years ago, when we launched a special theme for
our March issue called “Challenges and Opportunities,”
it was our way to highlight that not all problems are
catastrophic, even when they may appear to be and, in fact, we
can often turn a challenge into a viable opportunity for growth.
Sometimes all it takes to tackle a thorny issue is to
look at it through a different lens.
Interestingly, by choosing to look at a challenge this way, we
sometimes open ourselves up to see new possibilities. And, by facing
it head on, we not only survive, but thrive in ways never imagined.
That’s the beauty of possibilities — they open the door to new and
unexpected realities.
Of course, a year after COVID-19 surfaced and shook us to our
very core, looking at a challenge through the lens of positivity isn’t
an easy undertaking. Suddenly, the challenges we once viewed
as serious threats now seem to pale in comparison. Some days,
the very act of getting out of bed to face a new day is in itself
an overwhelming challenge for many. Certainly, COVID-19 has
decimated the industry, forcing many operators to shutter their
businesses, leaving others to wipe out their savings, while turning
somersaults to keep it going, while others still pivot to new
THE
OTHER
SIDE
revenue streams. COVID-19 has also forced the
industry to pause, to reflect and to re-set and,
while painful, it’s also been a necessary exercise
to bring us to the other side and ultimately
build an even stronger industry with a firmer
foundation in place. Just as previous generations
have looked back at various global events such
as World War I and II, as well as the Great
Depression, as significant touchpoints in their
lives, one day we will look back on this time and
share stories of significant loss and tremendous
learning and growth.
The challenges of living through a pandemic
have forced us to perform differently. In the
franchise community, franchisors suddenly
needed to step up to become more supportive
of their franchisees — whether it’s by putting
franchise fees on hold, being more communicative and resourceful
and even attempting new practices. And, in some cases, some
franchisees even managed to prosper during this tumultuous time
(see story on page 19).
Seems hard to believe today, amidst the chaos and the fear,
but one day in the not-so-distant future, this too shall pass. As
intimidating, perplexing and destructive as COVID-19 has been,
dealing with it has taught us invaluable lessons that will
ultimately make us stronger, more resilient and, as always,
ready for any challenge.
ROSANNA CAIRA rcaira@kostuchmedia.com
@foodservicemag
facebook.com/foodservicehospitalitymagazine
instagram.com/rosannacaira
NICK WONG, LOCATION PROVIDED BY VIA CIBO
2 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
Vegetarian cuisine is
going mainstream
Mad Radish
is a rising
star in the
healthyfood
segment
Chronicling
a year in
the life of
Niagara’s
Pearl
Morissette
Navigating the world
of third-party
delivery apps
Hot new trends in glassware,
dinnerware and cutlery
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EST. 1968 | VOLUME 54, NO.2 | MARCH/APRIL 2021
EDITOR & PUBLISHER ROSANNA CAIRA
MANAGING EDITOR AMY BOSTOCK
ASSOCIATE EDITOR DANIELLE SCHALK
MULTIMEDIA MANAGER DEREK RAE
ART DIRECTOR COURTNEY JENKINS
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ADVISORY BOARD
ASCARI HOSPITALITY GROUP, JOHN SINOPOLI
CHARCUT RESTAURANT CONNIE DESOUSA,
JOHN JACKSON
FAIRFAX FINANCIAL HOLDINGS LIMITED NICK PERPICK
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JOEY RESTAURANT GROUP BRITT INNES
LACTALIS CANADA IVEN ZANARDO
MTY GROUP MARIE-LINE BEAUCHAMP
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SOTOS LLP ALLAN DICK
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Introducing the winners of KML’s Top-30-Under-30 Awards
TAKING
A STAND
Restaurant operators
express frustration about
lack of government support
TOP
CHINK IN
THE CHAIN
The impact of COVID-19
has put a strain on the
Canadian food supply chain
PLANT
POWER
Plant-based menu
offerings are still top
of mind for diners
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Top-5 equipment
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BEVERAGE
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Drink trends operators
can’t afford to ignore
EMERGING
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are shaking up the industry
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MONTHLY NEWS AND UPDATES FOR THE FOODSERVICE INDUSTRY
CANADIANS ARE
FLOCKING TO NEW
CHICKEN CHAIN
L.A.-based hot-chicken chain opens first
Canadian location
DAVE’S HOT CHICKEN, the L.A.-
based fast-casual chain, known for its
Nashville hot chicken, opened its firstever
Canadian location in Toronto in
January. The timing is fortuitous, as
consumers stuck at home during the
COVID-19 pandemic have increasingly
chosen to order chicken from foodservice
locations over other food options.
The fast-casual concept specializes
in hot chicken tenders and sliders,
offered at seven spice levels, ranging
from ‘No Heat’ to ‘Reaper’ (which
requires a signed waiver for those
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
who dare), and a variety of sides,
including house-made kale slaw,
creamy mac’n’cheese and crispy
french fries.
The Toronto location’s
menu features items
unique to Canada, with
locally sourced craft beers
and classic Dave’s Hot
Chicken staples shaped
around Canadian cuisine.
The restaurant initially
opened offering takeout
and is available for online
ALL HAIL
THE
QUEEN
Another popular
global fried-chicken
chain is coming to
Mississauga, Ont.
ChickQueen is the
Canadian master
franchise of the
Chicking family,
which is currently
operating in more
than 20 countries
with more than
180 locations.
ChickQueen is a
fully Halal quickservice
concept
known for its fresh
chicken marinated
in a trademarked
blend of herbs and
spices and served
either fried or
grilled. The menu
boasts items such
buckets of chicken,
burgers, wraps, and
chicken wings.
ordering and delivery.
Obelysk Food Ltd., which has
extensive experience in the Canadian
food-and-beverage and fast-casual
industries, has signed a franchise deal
with the brand to open 30 locations
across Canada.
“We were devoted customers before
we got the opportunity to introduce
the brand to the Canadian market,”
says Blair Bitove, director of Business
Development, Obelysk. “In just a few
years, Dave’s Hot Chicken has established
a cult and celebrity following
across the U.S. with its craveable menu
offerings and unique combinations of
spices. We look forward to continuing
that momentum across Canada and
watching Canadians flock to the brand.”
Co-founder and chef Dave
Kopushyan, along with his three
best friends, originated Dave’s Hot
Chicken in early 2017. Kopushyan,
a classically trained chef and selfdescribed
spice freak, was inspired
by the unique, flavourful spice of
Nashville hot chicken and set out to
create his own version.
The brand is heralded as one of the
fastest-growing restaurant concepts in
history, with more than 200 locations
under contract across the U.S. since it
began franchising in 2019, with plans
to expand across Canada. FH
HOME-GROWN CONCEPT
Toronto-based Paramount Fine Foods launched a fried-chicken concept last
September. Krispo Chicken, operated out of Paramount’s location at 1585 The
Queensway in Toronto, is a fast-casual restaurant focused on quality, local, farmfresh
ingredients. And, like Paramount, all menu items feature Halal ingredients.
Krispo’s online menu includes two-, three- and four-piece boxes of chicken and fries,
as well as nine-piece and 12-piece family bucket meals. It also offers a signature
fried-chicken sandwich — the Wicked Sandwich — and sides sides such as jalapeño
corn bread, Sweet Hottie pickles, coleslaw and potato salad
MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 5
COFFEE
NEW.0
MAN ON A
MISSION
Chef Tallis Voakes has joined Tim
Hortons as the brand’s new Culinary
Lead. Voakes was formally trained at
Le Cordon Bleu in Ottawa and went
on to work with world-renowned
chefs, including Nobu Matsuhisa
and Jason Atherton at Gordon
Ramsay’s restaurant Maze, as well as
at three one-Michelin-star restaurants.
He’s also been an in-demand food
stylist for Hollywood and TV
productions. “My mission of making
the food at Tim Hortons even better
for our guests across Canada is just
so, so exciting,” says Voakes. “There
are many things that are already
awesome and you don’t mess with
a good thing…It’s about making
sure all the elements of a sandwich
or a soup or a doughnut are all the
very best and create a ‘wow’ eating
experience.”
Tim Hortons introduced an improved
Dark Roast earlier this year, featuring
100-per-cent premium Arabica
beans and boasting a bolder and richer
flavour. The first Tim Hortons Dark
Roast launched in 2014 and the recipe
was then adapted to be darker in 2017.
“The amount of work that went into
developing this new Dark Roast was really
incredible. We actually developed about four
dozen variations of the Dark Roast to zeroin
on the perfect balance of richness and
smoothness,” says Kevin West, head of Coffee
Operations, Tim Hortons. “It’s incredibly
rich with a harmonious blend of complex
flavours, subtle notes of chocolate, cedar and
even hints of fruit and floral characteristics.”
FIGHTING FEES
In January, Montreal restaurant Déli Boyz filed a class-action lawsuit
against food-delivery companies over the commissions charged by
these services during the pandemic. The case is targeting food-delivery
companies Uber Eats, DoorDash and SkipTheDishes and points to
the relationship between restaurants and these companies as “a
contract of adhesion, where commission cannot be negotiated
and is imposed on the restaurant.” The case seeks
damages, for all Quebec restaurants, equal to the amount
of the commissions paid to the named delivery companies
in excess of 15-per-cent of the total cost of the customer
order going back two years. The application also seeks an
injunction ordering third-party delivery services to stop charging
commissions exceeding 15 per cent.
MEANINGFUL PARTNERSHIP
Mealshare and A&W Canada have launched a new,
ongoing national partnership to help combat youth
hunger. Through the partnership, which aims to
provide 1,250,000 meals per year, one meal will be
provided to a youth in need through Mealshare for
every Cheddar Bacon Uncle Burger Combo ordered
on ‘Mealshare Mondays.’ And, customers can always
‘Make it a Mealshare’ by adding $1 to their order.
“The support of A&W restaurants will make a huge
impact for Mealshare and all the youth we support
across the entire country,” says Jeremy Bryant, cofounder
of Mealshare. Meals are provided through
Mealshare’s network of 450 local charity partners
across Canada, with 80 per cent of Mealshare’s
financial support staying in local communities
where the Mealshare item was purchased. The
remaining 20 per cent goes internationally to
Save the Children.
6 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
ADVERTORIAL
Not your Grandma’s
Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies:
Modern Baking with
California Raisins
Is there anything more comforting than a cold
glass of milk with a warm oatmeal-raisin cookie?
How about thickly sliced, toasted cinnamon-raisin
bread (with lashings of butter)? Raisins have
been a pantry staple in Canada for more than a
century — and California Raisins have been the
raisin of choice. In foodservice, raisins are the most
economical dried fruit available; they also have the
power to transform food items without overcomplicating
ingredients lists.
Dr. Klaus Tenbergen owns California-based
Knead-to-Know Consulting and is a chef consultant
for California Raisins. He’s been working with raisins
for some time, having tested more than 1,000
recipes (all of which can be found on the California
Raisins website). He says there will always be a place in the hearts
of consumers for comforting, raisin-laden baked goods.
“There’s the traditional ways of using raisins — in cookies, breads
and at Christmas time,” he says. “For an example of a less-traditional
bake, we recently developed a bread in a can with raisin concentrate
and raisins — the tin gives it a unique shape and [the raisin concentrate]
adds depth of flavour. You can also use the concentrate with
sparkling water for a European-style soda.”
For those making healthier versions of our favourite baked goods,
California Raisins make an excellent binding agent and easily replace
conventional sugars. Try them in raw brownies by combining raisins,
maple syrup, cocoa, walnuts and vanilla in a food processor. The soft,
chewy textures also make them an ideal fat replacement.
When baking items such as bread and cakes, avoid common problems
by conditioning the raisins before use (see exact directions for
raisin conditioning in our Tips and Tricks section). California Raisins’
skin has excellent integrity and doesn’t easily tear, but it’s considered
best practice to gently fold raisins into doughs and batters, adding
For those
making healthier
versions of our
favourite baked
goods, California
Raisins make
an excellent
binding agent
and easily
replace
conventional
sugars
them in as the very last step.
Panettone, stollen, scones and Danish pastries are
some classic examples of European-style raisin bakes,
but how about something a bit closer to home?
Toronto-based pastry chef Lindsay Haddock
spent ample time in Europe before leading her
way through the pastry sections of some of Toronto’s
best restaurants. She now works with Baxter’s
Bakery, producing high-volume (and high-quality)
baked goods for cafés and retailers throughout
the Greater Toronto Area. She says there are two
particular raisin recipes which come to mind when
she thinks about classic Canadian treats.
“We use raisins for a lot of the old classics,
including our butter tarts,” she says. “People
still love raisins — my kids love them; especially cinnamon raisin
toast. But something that definitely divides households — and the
nation — are the butter tarts. You either hard-core love raisins in
your butter tarts, or you don’t.”
Whichever side of the fence you’re on in this argument, no baking
business can deny the 50 per cent of the population who demand
raisins in their butter tarts.
“For a lot of people, it’s a texture thing,” Lindsay adds. “If you like
that bit of chewiness, you get that from the raisins. Another favourite
raisin dessert of mine and many other Canadians is rum raisin ice
cream — I just love it; it’s an iconic flavour and just so delicious.”
californiaraisins.ca
RaisinsCA@argylepr.com
RICE
AS NICE
Earlier this year, Chipotle Mexican Grill
introduced Cilantro-Lime Cauliflower
Rice at its U.S. and Canadian restaurants
for a limited time. The new offering
is compliant with keto, Whole30,
paleo, vegan and vegetarian diets and is
prepared using techniques and ingredients
similar to the chain’s classic whiterice.
Prior to the test-market launch,
Chipotle reports that one out of three
new menu item requests from customers
had been for cauliflower rice.
Keg Restaurants and
Cactus Club Cafe have
been recognized as top
Canadian employers in
Glassdoor’s Best Places
to Work in Canada 2021
list, ranking 12th and
23rd respectively. The
annual list highlighted
the top 25 performers
in its Employees’ Choice
Awards, determined
based on the quantity,
quality and consistency
of employee reviews
between October 2019
and October 2020.
PLANT
PIZZA
Pizza Nova recently began offering Field Roast
Plant-Based Pepperoni on its menu — marking
the first time the product, produced by Greenleaf
Foods, became available to consumers. The
pea-protein-based product boasts a similar
flavour and texture to traditional pork
pepperoni, with fat marbling and bold taste.
“We are proud to offer a plant-based pepperoni
that delivers on our ‘Puro Promise’ of sourcing
high-quality products that do not compromise
on taste,” says Domenic Primucci, president of
Pizza Nova. “The addition of Field Roast Plant-
Based Pepperoni to our menu will allow us to
expand our offerings and better serve flexitarians,
vegetarians and vegans alike — always in the
same careful and loving manner.”
Bocuse d’
Or Team
Canada has pulled
out of the 2021
Bocuse d’Or competition, which is set to
take place June 2021 in Lyon, France. The
team had worked to prepare for the
competition for the past two years, but
determined that travelling during this
turbulent time posed an
unjustified risk.
GRANTING
RELIEF
DoorDash is providing $1,125,000 in local
COVID-19-relief grants as part of its expanded grant
program to help restaurants in Montreal, Toronto
and Vancouver. The $3,000 grants are intended
to help offset costs associated with the ongoing
pandemic and are part of the company’s US$200-
million, five-year Main Street Strong Pledge, which
includes a US$10-million grant program to help
restaurants in select cities across Canada and the U.S.
8 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2021
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
FROM THE DESK OF NPD
Burger
Bonanza
Burgers continue to grow in popularity as
diners feed their need for comfort food
FREEPIK.COM
Burgers are the top centre-of-theplate
food item in Canada and
always have been. According to
the NPD Group/CREST data,
Canadian restaurants served
more than 750-million burgers
during the 12 months ending November
2020. Burger-serving volumes have grown
for each of the past five years, despite the
growing popularity of plant-based alternatives.
As you might expect, burger volumes
are down from the prior year — by about
eight per cent. During this same time,
CREST reports foodservice traffic (visits) fell
by 18 per cent. If you’re doing the math in
your head right now, you’ve just calculated
that burgers actually became more popular
since the start of the pandemic. How did
this happen?
Since the start of the pandemic, many
have reported the growing prominence of
restaurant-meal delivery. The biggest beneficiaries
of this booming trend, especially
during the early days of the pandemic, were
the quick-service restaurants (QSR) that
specialize in pizza and chicken. They were
already well established with a delivery infrastructure
and the apps to support it and were
quickly able to accommodate the increased
volume brought on by the dining-room
shutdown. That’s one of the reasons pizza
was the best-performing food item this past
year — declining by just six per cent — and
remains the top menu item for delivery, outselling
burgers by two to one. Just a year ago,
pizza outsold burgers by a ratio of three to
one. How is it that burgers have continued to
grow in popularity despite the boom in pizza
delivery? The QSR burger operators were
quick to capitalize on this delivery trend by
increasing their availability on third-partyrestaurant
apps. As a result, this restaurant
channel was the fastest growing last year, collectively
tripling their delivery visits.
The next factor contributing to the
growing popularity of burgers is the drive
thru. While delivery has grown quickly, it
still holds just a single-digit share of total
foodservice visits. Drive thru, on the other
hand, has grown the most during the past
year and now represents about half of all
visits. QSR burger operators have outperformed
every other restaurant channel
through the drive-thru window,
tripling their volume in just a year.
And, unlike delivery, there’s no app that
will provide a quick fix for other restaurant
channels to take advantage of this trend.
Over the years, QSR burger operators
have been able to reinforce the popularity of
their signature menu item through a established ritual of new-product introduc-
welltions
and limited-time offers (LTO). Product
innovation contributed as much as one
quarter of all burger growth in recent years,
but this LTO activity has slowed during the
past 12 months. Operators are struggling to
keep their product-development pipelines
filled, due to limited access to their producttesting
facilities, restrictions in working with
their supplier partners and the inability
to access consumer product-testing panels.
Combined with operator demands for
streamlined kitchen operations during this
time of physical distancing, it is likely that
LTO activity will continue to look a little
different in the short term. That supplier
community will, therefore, need to come up
with new ways to support its operator partners
and should prepare themselves for
a re-boot of tried-and-true LTOs from the
past and minor variations on themes that
operators can ‘build’ with their existing
kitchen ingredients.
The growing popularity of burgers this
past year has led to a lift in the amount
consumers spend on burger-centred meals
— fuelled mainly by growth in consumer
demand for comfort and indulgence. This upspending
is taking place across several menu
categories and represents an opportunity for
operators and suppliers alike to upscale their
products and grow their eater checks to help
offset some of the declines in volume.
The number-1 request I’ve received over
the past 12 months is to forecast what the
future of foodservice might look like. In this
ever-changing environment, I’m reluctant to
make many firm predictions, but here is
one that you can count on — the popularity
of burgers. FH
Vince Sgabellone is a foodservice
industry analyst with The NPD
Group. He can be reached at vince.
sgabellone@npd.com.
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 9
LABOUR
THE GORILLA IN THE ROOM
Addressing living wages is key to employee engagement
BY ANDY HICKL-SZABO | ILLUSTRATION BY DASHA ZOLATA
Recently I had the pleasure of listening
to The Educators episode of Foodservice
and Hospitality’s Table Talk podcast, a
discussion between editor/publisher Rosanna
Caira and five hospitality educators about the
effects of the global pandemic and what the
future might hold for the industry. I was quite
taken with the discussion about the state of the
industry. It seems to me that the verdict was
unanimous, that our business model is indeed
broken. To my mind, this is the 800-pound
gorilla in the room that no one wants to talk
about. I was encouraged to hear that a silver
lining in the COVID-19 cloud might be an
impetus for some much-needed change.
Rudi Fischbacher, associate dean, Faculty of
Business, Humber College, spoke about grads
leaving the industry early and the low barriers to
entry in opening a restaurant. Christine Walker,
director of Academics, Chef School and Industry
Related Research at George Brown College,
spoke about the warped expectations of the
consumers “value-driven” proposition model
and the ongoing toxic kitchen-culture problems.
Bruce McAdams, associate professor, School of
Hospitality, Food and Tourism Management,
University of Guelph, has long spoken and written
about labour attraction and retention issues,
the transient nature of our labour force and
how to mitigate those issues. Never mind the
ludicrous commercial rents and municipal taxes
that are extracted from restaurateurs in Toronto.
Undoubtedly, the restaurant business model
is broken. It’s never been an easy thing to say
about one’s own industry, especially as a teacher.
I was a student in the HAFA program at
the University of Guelph for the second half of
the ‘70s and it was then I started to read F&H
and attended my first CRFA/HostEx restaurant
shows. Labour has always been at the very top
of every survey ever conducted about the
problems facing restaurateurs. That’s not new.
Long hours and low pay — there has been
much ink spilled on these issues.
There have been many thoughtful and
creative ideas and best practices developed to
attract, retain and engage our teams over the
years. Internal marketing, service culture, the
service-profit chain — these are all inspirational
and high-minded concepts. The fact that it’s
almost 50 years later and we’re still talking
about the very same issues means only one
thing — it’s not working. Many of these ideas
and best practices could work. They should
work. But they won’t work. They’ll never work
until we pay our staff a living wage. It’s that
simple. All of the “best practices” have never
amounted to anything more than re-arranging
the deck chairs on the Titanic. The labour issue
has stubbornly remained atop all those lists
all these years for a reason. If we truly want
to fully engage our teams, we have to take the
money issue off the table. If I need two fulltime
jobs to pay for rent and food, all of your
engagement and retention efforts will appear
disingenuous, at best. Sadly, we’re hobbled by
a legislated and immoral minimum wage that
forces people below the poverty line.
What all of this really means is that, when
we finally decide to pay our staff a living
wage, obviously, the price of going to a restaurant
will have to increase and likely by 20
or 30 per cent. By extension, this could well
mean fewer restaurants. So be it. Fischbacher
said, “the barriers to entry are too low” and
he’s right. According to Walker, the public
has a distorted concept of the true cost of
food and she’s right, too. It should go without
saying that the path forward includes realizing
that tipping and paying a living wage
are mutually exclusive concepts. The public
will react predictably when forced to pay
closer to the true cost. It’s called sticker shock.
Eventually they’ll come back.
Until we pay a living wage, we will never
have a fully engaged staff — they simply can’t
afford it. Until we pay a living wage, the restaurant
business model will remain broken. Until
we pay a living wage, you can expect to see a
steady stream of articles and journals, speeches
and surveys devoted to the latest best practices
of exactly how, why and where you should put
those deck chairs. Seen any icebergs? FH
After more than 25 years of owning
and operating restaurants both
here and abroad, Andy Hickl-
Szabo joined the faculty of the
School of Hospitality & Tourism Management
at George Brown College in 2007.
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• The Green Report
• Eradicating Racism
• Plant-Based Dining
• Carbon-Neutral Restaurants
• Wines
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& Curbside Pickup
Comfort
BETWEEN
CONSUMERS ARE TURNING TO THEIR FAVOURITE
COMBOS AS THEY WEATHER UNCERTAINTY
BY DANIELLE SCHALK
grappled with the new realities created
by COVID-19 and foodservice sales rapidly shifted
ASCanadians
to off-premise offerings, takeout stalwarts burgers
and fries remained go-to menu items.
Turgay Kirbiyik, owner of Toronto-based Ozzy’s Burgers, says because
are comfort food they’ve been a boon for his business during this
challenging year, especially given they’re pretty takeout friendly.
Comfort foods have resonated with customers during these uncertain
times. According to a Technomic consumer survey, 40 per cent of
consumers say they’re buying more comfort foods from restaurants
than before the pandemic.
And Kirbiyik wasn’t the only burger slinger to benefit. According to
Ipsos Foodservice Monitor data, burgers were the second-most-popular
foodservice menu category in April 2020, with 13.4 per cent of foodservice
orders including burgers — up from 9.1 per cent in April 2019.
And, with many burger purveyors entering the pandemic with
established off-premise strategies, it’s not surprising they captured
additional market share.
“We’ve had delivery as a key part of our operations [for more than
a decade], at about 15 per cent of our sales for the last 10 years,” says
Bruce Miller, president of Oakville, Ont.-based The WORKS Craft
Burgers & Beer. “So, it was very easy for us to pivot, during these
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MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 13
The WORKS recently
re-imagined its brand,
updating its visual identity
and all guest touchpoints
[pandemic] times, to an expanded
delivery percentage of sales,
which, in lockdown, is up to
about 45 per cent of our sales.”
However, Kirbiyik says his
three Ozzy’s Burgers locations did
have to make some adjustments
to optimize their operations for
increased reliance on takeout
and delivery. The concept, which
focuses on unique, scratch-made
burger creations, initially ran into
some challenges with packaging.
“Because we have some towering
burgers — some of the burgers
are eight inches in height — the
challenge was [figuring out]
which items were going to easily
fit into the standard packaging
that’s available.” This factored
into designing a simplified menu
for off-premise orders, which also
put less popular and more
seasonal items, such as milkshakes, on the
backburner. “It kind of brought us back to
what we do best,” says Kirbiyik.
Miller says The WORKS also downsized its
menu during the pandemic. “We [worked] with
our franchise partners to be able to cut down on
some of our menu items, overall, to make things
faster and easier for our guests on a delivery or
takeout occasion,” he explains, adding that these
efforts reduced the brand’s extensive menu by
about 20 per cent.
And, while Kirbiyik and Miller note
BRAND
OVERHAUL
In 2020, The WORKS
Gourmet Burger Bistro
underwent a complete
brand and menu
transformation,
becoming The WORKS
Craft Burgers & Beer.
The aim of the
project was to better
represent the brand’s
focus on quality, gourmet
offerings through an
enhanced look. The
re-designed menu
features a wider
selection of craft beer,
as well as new craft
poutines and milkshakes.
increased takeout/delivery sales
have only served to further highlight
what their brands’ most successful
offerings are, both agree
there are a number of trends making
an impact on the segment.
Though indulgent and comfort
offerings have been popular,
healthy options and betterfor-you
alternatives are also
top of mind, with Technomic
research revealing 31 per cent
of Canadians are buying more
healthy items from restaurants
than pre-pandemic.
Kirbiyik confirms he’s seen
shifts on this front. “Because of
COVID-19, people are getting
more health conscious,” he shares.
“Avocado [is popular] again…and
we’re seeing a lot of keto buns.”
Overall, he adds, alternative buns
— including gluten-free and ‘lettuce
buns’ — and plant-based-patty options
have seen growing demand.
Social responsibility and sustainability are
considerations that are impacting dining decisions
as well. According to a June Techonomic
survey, 65 per cent of Canadian consumers
indicated social responsibility is important to
them when deciding which restaurant to visit
— and it’s especially important to younger
consumers. And, as Technomic’s, senior
managing editor, Aimee Harvey explained in
the company’s What to Expect in Canada in
2021 webinar, “It’s not enough for companies
in our industry to simply pay lip service to
social responsibility. [Gen-Z and millennial
consumers] are the customers who want to
see action.”
The effects of these expectations can be
seen in shifts in beef sourcing across major
chains, as well as Wendy’s Canada’s recent
switch to 100-per-cent Canadian greenhouse-
ISTOCK.COM/PINEAPPLE STUDIO [BURGER]
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MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 15
A January Industry Insights
report from Technomic revealed
mushroom-topped burgers as a
key menu offering appearing at
Canadian quick-serve burger chains.
During the winter months, brands
such as Harvey’s and Wendy’s
featured limited-time offers on
cheesy mushroom-melt burgers —
capitalizing on customers’ affinity for
comfort foods. As the report highlights,
both of these offerings were
“chock full of umami elements and
premium descriptors.”
grown lettuce. And, Harvey notes, we can
expect to see other top players follow suit.
As Technomic highlighted in its 2021
Global Trends Outlook, rather than focus on
new menu development during the pandemic,
many operators focused on upgrading menu
favourites. Even pre-pandemic, this trend saw
McDonald’s Canada re-vamp how its burgers
are prepared and served in 2019. And, last
March, A&W Foodservices of Canada committed
to moving to 100-per-cent Canadian
grass-fed and -finished beef. In September,
the company met the milestone of serving all
grass-fed beef across Canada and is working
toward sourcing exclusively from Canada.
These changes also play into the value
Canadian consumers place on local sourcing,
which has only been heightened by the
pandemic. Technomic research reveals 51
per cent of Canadians are buying from local
restaurants as a way to support the community.
And, consumers increasingly expecting restaurants
to source local ingredients and products.
Beef and Beyond
With regard to burgers, today’s consumers
aren’t beholden to beef. An ever-growing
range of dietary preferences, as well as desire
for variety, have helped drive demand for
burgers featuring a range of proteins. A prime
example, plant-based burgers ranked 11th on
DoorDash’s list of the most popular delivery
dishes in Canada during the first half of 2020
and made it to the Top-10 list of three provinces
(fifth in both Quebec and Ontario; sixth
in P.E.I.), while traditional beef burgers were
notably absent from the national Top-20 list.
“Over the last five years, we’ve seen more
of a move towards the vegetarian-based patty,”
shares Miller, who notes The WORKS’ Beyond
Meat burgers constitute about eight-per-cent of
the chain’s sales. “We also have our portobello
mushroom cap and The WORKS vegetarian
burger, so we have three [patty] options that
are fully vegetarian. We also launched Canada’s
first vegan bacon cheeseburger last year.”
The WORKS offers a wide range of burger
patties, which also includes a variety of beefbased
options, chicken breast, the brand’s signature
elk patty and crispy chicken. “We want
to [offer] the ultimate gourmet-burger experience
for any palette,” explains Miller, noting
the classic beef patty is the brand’s number-1
seller, followed by wagyu beef and the Beyond
Meat patty.
Kirbiyik agrees orders over the past year
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have revealed a desire for variety, sharing
that people who have been ordering out a
lot appear to be switching up their orders to
keep things interesting or make more healthconscious
decisions. However, Ozzy’s Burgers’
most popular menu items continue to be its
cheeseburger and fried-chicken burger.
As evidenced by the wealth of media
attention over the last couple of years, friedchicken
sandwiches have also been gaining
traction. In fact, DoorDash’s data revealed
crispy- or fried-chicken sandwiches ranked
among 2020’s most-ordered dishes in three
provinces — first in Saskatchewan, second in
New Brunswick and sixth in Nova Scotia.
All the Fixins’
Despite growing demand for comforting
offerings and ingredients with a health halo,
decisions around burger toppings often come
down to personal preference.
“People are very loyal to their favourite
WORKS burger,” says Miller. “We actually
find there’s different groupings of toppings
[experiencing] popularity based on the
guest’s need state and what they’re looking
for.” These key ‘groupings’ include vegetarian,
cheesy, barbecue and spicy toppings.
Highlighting demand for spicy foods,
Technomic’s Ignite menu data identified
“heat-infused condiments and sauces” as
being among the fastest-growing ingredients
on Canadian menus during the third quarter
of 2020. Year-over-year comparison revealed
wasabi mayonnaise (up 23.8 per cent), chipotle
aioli (up 18.4 per cent), spicy mayonnaise (up
5.1 per cent) and honey-chipotle sauce (up 3.3
per cent) as ingredients that saw growth.
Technomic’s What to Expect in Canada in
2021 trends forecast also highlighted quirky
offerings as a trend to watch. Harvey points
to “fun fad foods” as an opportunity to
cater to customers looking for a
little joy and whimsy. As an example, she
points to Muskoka Jack’s Muskoka Grill’s
Couch Potato Burger, which was offered as
part of its summer menu and featured brisket,
branded snacks and a powdered mini doughnut
on top.
Aside from being a great way to create buzz
around a brand, Miller stresses that unusual
burger creations do, in fact, generate sales. The
WORKS has a long history of over-the-top
menu items, including a Reese PBC burger,
featuring a peanut-butter-cup-stuffed beef
patty; and the Hella Nutella burger — featuring
maple bacon, an onion ring and Nutella —
which has become a permanent menu item.
And, while many may view these burgers
as novelty items, Miller says these offerings
are “incredibly powerful,” citing that when
the Reese PBC burger debuted, it quickly
became the brand’s number-3 seller.
However, the classic combination of bacon
and cheese shouldn’t be overlooked. While it
may be an old standby, the bacon cheeseburger
still resonates with consumers and made an
appearance on DoorDash’s provincial Top-10
lists from the first half of 2020, ranking as the
fourth most-ordered item in Saskatchewan
and fifth in B.C.
As Kirbiyik points out,
the pandemic has meant
that “the average consumer’s
budget is being pinched,”
which has led some customers
to save money by opting for a
classic cheeseburger combo
rather than indulge in more extravagant,
specialty burgers. This has also grown
demand for specials and deals, he explains,
which Ozzy’s Burgers has responded to with
a $10.99 cheeseburger combo special offered
on long weekends and holidays.
And, rounding out the burger experience,
sides aren’t to be forgotten. Ipsos Foodservice
Monitor data shows typical burger accompaniments
(French fries, sweet-potato fries and
onion rings) also got a boost during the pandemic.
While this remained the most popular
order category, the number of orders featuring
these items increased to 17.5 per cent in April
2020, up from 15.1 per cent the previous year.
Kirbiyik notes sides have been influenced
by the same industry trends as entrées, with
sales of sweet-potato fries — often seen as a
healthier alternative — up over the past year.
On the more indulgent side, poutine
ranked as Canada’s third-most popular dish
ordered on DoorDash during the first half
of 2020. It also made the list of Top-10 foods
in seven provinces. And, while sides weren’t
the stars of the national trends list, many
others achieved high rankings on provincial
Top-10 lists: French fries were the number-1
dish in both Alberta and Quebec; onion rings
ranked first in New Brunswick and second in
Saskatchewan; and fried pickles ranked fifth
in N.S. and seventh in Saskatchewan. FH
18 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
ISTOCK.COM/ASAB974
RISING
2021 FRANCHISE REPORT
ABOVE
COVID-19 has ricocheted positives
into some unlikely crannies. Take franchised restaurants
— a fortunate subset of the beleaguered
dining industry, which has endured serious injury
for all the weeks and months the deadly virus
gripped the world — except when it hasn’t.
If someone had told Don Fox, CEO of
Firehouse Subs and Firehouse of Canada,
that sales in his Canadian restaurants in the
December of the pandemic would be 25-percent
higher than the one a year before, he says he
wouldn’t have believed it. But he does now.
Certainly, things looked grimly different in the
first weekend of the pandemic, in March 2020,
when sales plummeted by 25 per cent. At his
organization, a flurry of internal analysis determined
a 30 per-cent drop would be all it could
sustain. On Sunday, March 22, the ninth day
of the crisis, Firehouse sales were down 53 per
cent from the year before. “It was a shock to the
system,” says Fox. “[We couldn’t] keep going and
have the majority of our stores survive.”
He never had to test the conjecture, as the
numbers began climbing again in short order.
Firehouse stabilized after about the first two
weeks, which Fox credits to franchisees, whose
strength, he says, sustains a franchise.
Three days into the crisis, the company
stopped collecting royalties and advertising
fees from its franchisees. “We wanted to make
sure [they] had as much money in their pockets
to survive.”
A FEW OF
CANADA’S TOP
FRANCHISORS
SHARE THEIR
SECRETS FOR
SURVIVING
AND THRIVING
DURING
COVID-19
This fast-casual restaurant’s almost 1,200 franchisees
also excelled at accommodating customers’
comfort levels — the government’s variable and
evolving restrictions notwithstanding — with
operators applying social distancing. “Someone
may be willing to go to a restaurant, but not to a
crowded restaurant,” says Fox.
Beyond franchisee sensitivity, Fox says the
operations that survived and thrived were those
that could pivot. Better still if they’d been preemptive
about it, like Firehouse, which had
already seen its dine-in business begin to shrink
pre-pandemic.. At its annual franchise conference
at the end of 2019, with dine-in business
down to just 37 per cent, Fox indicated the skislope
descent on a chart and facetiously told his
operators, “Look, folks, it’s not like it’s going to
go down to zero.” Still, with the majority of its
business off-premise, “We realized we had to do
something to make off-premise better.”
That meant signing up with third-party
delivery companies, creating online-ordering
platforms and improving packaging, its online
ordering experience, its app and on franchisees’
use of third-party delivery apps — all of which
took place pre-pandemic. The timing is key, says
Fox, who points to franchisees’ readiness to shift
into a no-contact operation as indicative of their
ability to weather this revised universe.
Then, when the pandemic hit, these assets
were in place, though there did need to be some
operational changes to become more touchless.
BY LAURA PRATT
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MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 19
For example, the dispensers of proprietary
Captain Sorensen’s Datil Sauce, had to be
removed (restaurants switched to take-away
cups) and the franchisor identified suppliers
for Plexiglas for franchisees to purchase and
sent them digital files of signage and stickers
to print and save on shipping.
The company really had two missions for
Canada, where it operates 41 restaurants:
to let people know they were open and to reassure
them they could take care of their offpremise
dining needs. “Our franchisees did a
superb job in Canada, adds Fox. We have
an excellent reputation for the level of food
quality, customer service.”
The company also quickly introduced
curbside service alongside various other
franchisee-led innovation, including “pop-up
drive-thrus,” where interior restaurants erected
parking-lot tents with mobile-payment
systems and food runners. In some cases,
stores also sold grocery-type items on that
pavement. “We quickly enabled it for operators
to sell bread, bulk deli meat, anything they
had in the restaurant, which, prior to the
pandemic we would never have done,” says
Fox. “At the heart of it was embracing creativity,
allowing flexibility.”
THE ART OF INNOVATION
Innovation has also saved the day at Gabby’s.
Todd Sherman, president of Urban Dining
Group, which operates District Eatery and
Hey Lucy! in addition to its 17 (soon to be
19) Gabby’s restaurants, just signed a new
lease on a 6,400-sq.-ft. former restaurant in
Mississauga, Ont., and will build two unique
concepts — a Gabby’s pub and a Thai
restaurant — inside the space. They’ll share
a corridor, bathrooms, a POS system, service
contracts, a purchaser and some management.
Tucked in the middle of the dining-room is
a granite handwashing station, freeing guests
from having to visit the washroom to wash
up. “We feel this is a post-COVID feature
that’ll stick around,” says Sherman. This new
design also features a full-blown liquor store
at the front door, whose reach-in refrigerator
is stocked with all the wine, liquor and cold
beer both concepts sell to spare customers an
after-dinner trip to the LCBO. “This is a huge
consumer convenience and an opportunity to
increase sales.”
Gabby’s also stopped collecting franchise
royalties and ad-fund submissions from its
franchisees last March and helped its franchisees
with graphic and communication support,
including floor stickers, sidewalk decals, frontof-house
foam-core boards to communicate
COVID-19 protocols to guests and a COVID-
19 task list for guests and operators to follow.
Those of Gabby’s 16 sites that were closest
to downtown cores have fared the worst in the
pandemic, but the more suburban stores have
done well. All told, Urban Dining Group has
lost about $10 million in sales to COVID-19
but, says Sherman, “we’ve found ways to adapt
to new opportunities that we feel will make
us stronger as we move forward.” With eyes
on distressed locations with reduced rents
that might be viable for his new dual concept,
the leader of this 32-year-old family-run business,
whose stores are primarily in the GTA, is
hopeful. But he acknowledges the pandemic
has impacted the interest level of would-be
franchisees, killing the interest of about 10 per
cent of would-be investors.
In the meantime, communication has been
revealed as critical to survival. From the start,
Fox began communicating with his franchise
community every day, a significant bump
from the posts he would send out every two
weeks before. He started a daily blog whose
content was not only regular but regularly
positive. “You think back to those early days
and, from my perspective, optimism had to
prevail. If we were in a situation where everybody
was expecting the worst and fearing for
the worst, [they’d] carry that into their restaurant
every day and nothing good would come from
it. Optimism has to start at the top. So,
CONTINUED ON PAGE 22
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I would set that tone, share the good news,
share the good practices. My message was
simple. I said, ‘Look, we’re going to go one
day at a time and figure out what we have
to do to generate more sales than we did the
day before, even if it’s just a dollar. And we’re
going to succeed at that today. And tomorrow,
we’re going to beat that — day after day, at
every restaurant.’ And it worked.”
When COVID-19 hit, says Fox, “Our number
-1 fear was that we would have restaurants
close. It costs money to close a restaurant, but
even more money to re-open one. The most
efficient thing to do is to keep restaurants
open. That’s why we stopped collecting royalty
and advertising fees.”
In Canada, not a single Firehouse restaurant
closed. “Achieving that took a lot of sacrifice, a
lot of hard work and a lot of determination on
the part of the franchisee. In many respects,
forgiving those royalties was my way of saying
thank you. By keeping those restaurants open
we kept the brand open.”
“I’m very, very grateful,” says Carlos Lopez,
a Firkin franchisee whose franchisor extended
the same gift of relaxed royalties. Lopez,
whose seven Firkin pubs in and around
Toronto make him the organization’s biggest
franchisee, has had to shut his two downtown
locations, but is staying afloat with his
remaining five.
In addition to losing in-house dining, he’s
lost about 20 per cent of his staff — who
considered government relief offerings preferable
to hanging around — and a shameful
stash of food. Food waste has been an issue
as restaurants struggle to be responsive
to the government’s whiplash
changeups that don’t give enough
notice about impending openings
and shutdowns, Lopez says. “If the
keg was already tapped and you
just put it into the line, you don’t
get a full refund on it. And, if you
close for three months, the beer
goes bad.”
Takeout sales, meanwhile,
have been marginal, while delivery
apps skim so much off the
top that delivery’s been a constant
challenge. “The situation
right now is very difficult,” says
Lopez. “Uber and Skip taking 25
or 30 per cent of what we sell
doesn’t work when you’re only
doing takeout because it doesn’t
cover what we have to pay for
overhead expenses. And sometimes
we spend days where we’re
here with kitchen staff and the
tablets don’t ring.”
Along with waiving the usual
franchising fees, head office has
been “extremely helpful,” Lopez
says, in helping franchisees grasp
rules and guidelines, including
insisting on records of every person
who enters the premises, negotiating
rent subsidies with landlords and
interpreting government support.
UBER
AND SKIP
TAKING 25 OR
30 PER CENT
OF WHAT WE
SELL DOESN’T
WORK WHEN
YOU’RE ONLY
DOING TAKE-
OUT BECAUSE
IT DOESN’T
COVER WHAT
WE HAVE
TO PAY FOR
OVERHEAD
EXPENSES.
AND SOME-
TIMES WE
SPEND DAYS
WHERE WE’RE
HERE WITH
KITCHEN
STAFF AND
THE TABLETS
DON’T RING
Firehouse Subs was able to
support its franchisees in pivoting
the fast-casual locations
to takeout and delivery
Additionally, the franchisor
has helped franchisees
adjust their menus to
feature popular, deliveryfriendly
items. “As a
franchisee, it makes me
feel like I have someone
behind me who’s supporting
the brand and
helping us to stay in
business.
“I’m nostalgic for
what we used to have,”
says Lopez. “I believe
we’ll have it again,
which will be awesome.
People will go out and
party again.”
Firehouse Subs’ Fox
is equally optimistic.
“We’ve already shown
that we’ve done very well
in the worst conditions,
so I’m bullish that we’ll
continue to perform.” For
one, he says, there will be
less competition.
The company’s January sales in
JONATHAN CHEN [LOADED PIEROGI]
22 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
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THEY WERE AHEAD OF THE GAME.
THE SPEED AT WHICH YOU WERE
ABLE TO IMPLEMENT OR CONVERT
YOUR CHANNELS WAS KEY. WE HAVE
BRANDS THAT HAD NEVER DONE
ONLINE ORDERING AND DELIVERY,
BUT THEY WENT INTO IT AND WERE
ABLE TO CAPTURE A PART OF THEIR
MARKET. THE WILLINGNESS OF
FRANCHISEES TO PIVOT
WAS IMPORTANT
Canada are 18 per cent above last year’s sales
for average-unit volume; it hasn’t closed any
stores and has opened 10 units in Canada in
the pandemic.
“In our brand history, there was already a
shift in traffic from on- to off-premise. The
entire industry was in decline for dine-in
business. The big question was where that
decline was going to stop. Now the question
isn’t how far will dine-in business fall
but how far will it rise and where will it level
off? It’ll take at least the next few years to get
the dine-in business at the point to which it
would have otherwise fallen before the pandemic.
We’ll reach a point of equilibrium that,
given entertainment, technology, all those
factors that go into consumer behaviour, will
stabilize. And restaurants will have adjusted
their business models accordingly. Those
restaurants whose concepts are in line with
consumer needs will succeed. But we probably
won’t be at that settling point until 2023.
“Overall, our franchisee partners are hanging
in there,” says Marie-Line Beauchamp, COO
for the casual-dining division with MTY
Group, which has 7,200 sites. “I’m trying to
send a positive message because COVID-19
could be very depressing for a lot of people.
As a company, we have a lot of great stories for
our franchisees and there are some brands
that are doing phenomenally because of
COVID-19.” For example, sales at Yuzu, a
sushi brand that’s mainly in Quebec, have
exploded. “Why?” Beauchamp ponders. “A few
reasons. Anyone can cook a pizza or a chicken,
but they rarely make their own sushi,” she
says, adding MTY’s sushi brands have excelled
over the last 10 months.
So, too, says Beauchamp, have those brands
that had perfected their online ordering systems
before the pandemic. “They were ahead
of the game. The speed at which you were
able to implement or convert your channels
was key. We have brands that had never done
online ordering and delivery, but they went
into it and were able to capture a part of their
market. The willingness of franchisees to
pivot was important.”
The franchisor helped with procurement,
recruitment, digital support, ongoing menu
engineering and safety. For some brands,
MTY adjusted its royalty structure. Some of
the units in downtown urban centres have
closed, but sales in rural regions have been
steady. “We haven’t lost a lot of franchisees,”
Beauchamp says. “As a matter of fact, there
are opportunities. The government, with
labour and rent subsidies, it’s a game changer.
We had to be agile and to adapt all the time
because we were facing challenges all the time.
You had to be on the tip of your toes. I have
some franchisees who had decided they were
going to make it work and they were able to
retain 60 or 70 per cent of their delivery in
the breakfast space. Some really went out of
their way to make sure an eggs Benedict could
Yuzu Sushi Moncton Team
(below); Firkin Pubs (above
left)
24 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
travel properly. Our breakfast chains, that had
been open 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., were very busy
serving breakfast from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. What
COVID-19 did was increase the need for
speed to make [things] happen. We’re testing
different types of equipment, doing drive-thru
with franchisees who’d never done that before.
The franchisees were willing to do all kinds of
things in order to survive.
“Clear and frequent communication with
franchisees was critical,” says Beauchamp.
“We were cheerleaders.” From day one, MTY’s
management team increased communication
efforts, trading annual national meetings
for weekly and, in the early days, twice-daily
check-ins. The franchisor, Beauchamp says,
is there “to simplify operations, to stay top of
mind by making sure their marketing continues
to be involved in the community. Making sure
people don’t forget about them and they have
all the products they need — that they have
the protocol for consistency and the proper
tools to support health-and-safety regimes.
To support them to stay open in at least one
channel. To remain open. And to accompany
them throughout.”
Early in the pandemic, she asked her
franchisees what was important for them and
they said being heard. “People want to know
that you’re there to listen and bring turnkey
solutions, to know they’re not alone. As a franchisor,
they’re my partners. We want to make
sure we’re there for franchisees to do whatever
we can in order for them to succeed.”
To that end, MTY invited franchisees to
submit new recipes with a promise to share
the winners across the network. “We’re interested
in increasing creativity, motivating franchisees,”
Beauchamp says. “We’re trying to focus on the
good, because there’s so much bad right now.
It’s a daily validation. Some of our people
were afraid they’d lose everything.”
You bet, agrees Bryan Burke, owner
of Toronto-based Loaded Pierogi, which
has six locations (three franchises) in
FREEPIK.COM
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 25
Edmonton, Winnipeg and Ontario — and
soon Vancouver Island, Regina and P.E.I.
“Communication was the biggest thing for
keeping everybody calm. Everyone was in
panic mode. We had to project strength and
confidence.” Head office went from its onceweekly
franchisee meeting to five. “Every time
there was a new regulation, recommendation
or concern, we would research what was going
on and reach out to our franchisees before
they could digest [it]. We always tried to stay
one step ahead of them before panic could
set in.”
The company waived royalties at the beginning
and provided franchisees with PPEs and
Plexiglas safety barriers. It also stepped in to
maintain supply chains and advised franchisees
they would not be in breach of any agreements
for adjusting operating hours. From an
operational standpoint, pivoting to reduced
or zero dining in was a challenge, Burke
concedes, and a quarter of its franchisees —
particularly those in malls — suffered dips
in sales, but three quarters saw spikes. Burke
credits that to consumers whose dining-out
impulses were stifled, turning to delivery and
takeout. “The pandemic drove people to delivery
platforms who hadn’t used them before.
And, as the main focus of our business was
always takeout, we were only hit by one of our
revenue streams.
“How strong some of the locations stayed
and how they grew was a shock,” Burke
admits. “We anticipated that everybody’s sales
would drop 50 or 60 per cent. And some did,
as the government stoked fear in the public.
But, overall, more than two thirds of our
stores grew, with all three franchisees wanting
to do second locations during the pandemic.
We looked at how we could drive more takeout
business. We didn’t focus on dine in. From
the beginning of the pandemic, we took our
tables out and tried to create an environment
where staff felt safe coming to work, tried to
promote that through social media. We put a
big push on that in the beginning, before
anyone else was doing that. Public safety is
what pays our rent and mortgages. We
didn’t put any marketing or time into
trying to drive dine-in business. We just
focused on takeout and looked at how to
adapt to delivery platforms. We had specials
on takeout orders so we could help franchisees
save on delivery commissions. We really tried
to gear customers to come in, while, at the
same time, pushing how safe it was. We got
some amazing feedback from guests very
excited to see that we were being so proactive
and putting their safety first.”
Going forward, Burke says, “our anticipation
is of continued growth, as people start to feel
more safe, mobile, with vaccines coming out,
government restrictions loosening. It’s about
making sure we’re listening to our franchisees.
They’re our most important customers as a
franchisor. We look at what we were able to
give back to them above and beyond what we
normally would. Don’t look at your business as
finite, as this is all you’ll ever be. Every business
should have the ability to pivot and make
changes to help them grow and stay strong.
It’s a very challenging time, but you [must]
always keep the entrepreneurial positive
outlook. All of this is out of our control, so
let’s find ways to make it work. That was
always the image we projected to franchisees.
They would call and complain about the latest
government requirement; we would say going
against the government isn’t going to increase
your sales. Let’s take this as the new normal,
the new reality, and make the best of it.” FH
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26 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
2021 FRANCHISE REPORT
TEAM
EFFORT
A franchisor advisory board is there to
help franchisors every step of the way
BY ALLAN D.J. DICK
FREEPIK.COM
Franchising is a business model that requires a franchisor
to constantly be wearing two hats. Under the first hat, it
retains responsibility for the development of the brand
and oversight of the business economics, much like it
would if it continued to operate the underlying business
by itself. Under the second hat, it operates all of the necessary
business components for franchising — new franchisee
recruitment, disclosure, site selection, brand fund, franchisee compliance,
system growth, human-resource management, territorial expansion, crisis
management, system finance and succession.
Not surprisingly, start-up and developing franchisors don’t usually
possess all of the management talent they need to fulfill all of these
functions in-house. As such, it’s common for them to purchase the
services they require — legal, accounting, sales, marketing, real-estate
brokers and other consultants — on an as-needed basis. Similarly, the
founders often remain the only formal members of the board of directors
and may be heavily reliant on organizations such as their national
franchise association and other providers of continuous education
or programming so they can learn general strategies and best practices.
People experienced in the industry don’t typically want to join a
nascent board of directors because of liability concerns.
It’s strongly recommended that franchisors, from their earliest days,
establish for themselves an advisory board to provide guidance in the
development, oversight and accomplishment of strategic plans. An
advisory board is a collection of industry expertise ownership is not
likely to possess itself. The franchisee principals would retain an
individual to act as the advisory board chair and assist the principals
on the selection and recruitment of board members based on the skill
sets that are not available in-house to the principals.
An advisory board is to be contrasted with a franchisee advisory
council, which the franchisor may also come to have. A franchisee
advisory council is a committee typically made up of franchisees
selected by the franchisor and franchisor management personnel who
discuss issues relating to the operation of the franchise system of
concern to the franchisees or for the discussion and implementation
of potential changes to the system.
An advisory board should be made up of up to six individuals to
ensure full-membership meeting attendance is regular. The board would
meet to assist the principals in establishing their short-, medium- and
long-term strategic plans and provide advice to the principals on
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
action plans to accomplish the strategies. Members would remain
available between meetings to address any particular issue that may
arise in their areas of speciality. The principals remain accountable to
the advisory board. The board may be used to interview key prospective
members of the management team as the needs arise to hire and, as
resources warrant, the hiring of in-house expertise.
Advisory-board members don’t have the same exposure to liability
as do formal directors — their appointments are generally at will.
They’re often paid a flat fee to attend meetings. Key in-house personnel
may be asked to make appearances at or make presentations to the
advisory board from time to time. The advisory board owes no legal
duty to the franchisor per se; it serves only in a strategy-advisory
capacity to the principals. Membership expertise at the advisory-board
level may change from time to time as the franchisor evolves.
Advisory-board members are expected to bring substantial industry
and franchising expertise to the table and to take a keen interest in the
overall performance of the franchisor. They’re also expected to have excellent
contacts to be able to provide recommendations for whatever services
or resources the franchisor may require in the operation of its business.
As examples, many franchisors are often in need of capital at various
stages of growth. An advisory board with a strong finance representative
should be able to assist in the planning for when such requirements
will arise and the options and contacts for securing capital. Similarly, an
advisory board can assist in the development of a crisis-management
plan and assist if a crisis occurs. An advisory board can also plan for and
assist the principals in determining potential exit scenarios or assist in
identifying the need for and options for system change.
The end result is that a franchisor has access to experts that work
together as a single team at every stage of development to assist the franchisor’s
principals in the development of their franchise system. These
individuals may not be financially invested in the franchisor, but critically,
they can be expected to be emotionally invested in the franchisor and
dedicated to providing value to the achievement of franchisor success. FH
At Sotos LLP, our team of lawyers have significant experience
in the restaurant and hospitality industry.We are
often called upon to assist franchisors in their strategic
planning including the creation and maintenance of
franchisor advisory boards. The writer can be contacted
at adjdick@sotosllp.com
MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 27
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28 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
THE 2021
FRANCHISE
REPORT
241 PIZZA (2006) LTD.
77 Progress Ave.
Toronto, ON M1P 2Y7
416-288-8515
VP, Franchising and Real-Estate
Development: Larry Santolini
History, Plans
- established in 1986 in Toronto
- 64 units in Canada
- four units under development
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $20,000
- equipment/site cost $60,000 to $75,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
A&W FOOD SERVICES
OF CANADA INC.
171 W. Esplanade, Ste. 300
North Vancouver, BC V7M 3K9
604-988-2141
Director of Franchising: Ryan Picklyk
History, Plans
- established in 1956 in Winnipeg
- 1,006 units in Canada
- single franchise opportunities available
with an unencumbered cash investment
from $250,000 to $450,000+
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $55,000
(20-year term)
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
- other
ALLO MON COCO
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Fast Casual: Marc Benzacar
History, Plans
- established in 2001 in Montreal
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $50,000
- initial Investment: $750,000 to $950,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- architecture/design
- construction and equipment
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- research and development
- site location
- supplies
- training/support
APPLEBEE’S *
DINE BRANDS GLOBAL
450 North Brand Blvd.
Glendale, CA 91203
647-533-3333
President: John Cywinski
History, Plans
- established in 1983 in Decatur, Ga.
- 16 units in Canada; 2,200 outside
of Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee US$40,000
- estimated build costs US$556,000 to
US$2,600,000
- national advertising fee 3.5%
- royalty fee 4%
Services
- information available upon request
AROMA ESPRESSO BAR*
AROMA ESPRESSO BAR CANADA INC.
446 Spadina Rd., Ste. 300
Toronto, ON M5P 3M3
416-281-2233
COO: Sam Wadera
History, Plans
- founded in 2007 in Toronto
- 45+ units in Canada (nearly all
franchised); 150+ outside of Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $55,000
- Start-up costs $527,500 to $1,495,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 7%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
- other
AU COQ
FOODTASTIC
9245, Rue Thimens
Pierrefonds, QC H8Y 0A1
514-856-5555, ext. 260
855-771-0177
franchise@foodtastic.ca
Directors Franchising & Development:
Nikki Arvanitakis; Guyaume Arseneault
History, Plans
- established in 1960 in Montreal
- nine units in Canada
- new opportunities available across
Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- project cost $500,000 to $700,000
- royalty fee 5%
- advertising fee 2%
- local advertising fee 3%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
BACARO
FOODTASTIC
9245, rue Thimens
Pierrefonds, QC H8Y 0A1
514-856-5555, ext. 260
855-771-0177
franchise@foodtastic.ca
Directors, Franchising & Development:
Nikki Arvanitakis; Guyaume Arseneault
History, Plans
- established in 2014 in Montreal
- 10 units in Canada
- new opportunities available across
Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- project cost $400,000 to $600,000
- royalty fee 5%
- advertising fee 2%
* Denotes 2021 updates were not received and information is current as of February 2020
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 29
THE 2021 FRANCHISE REPORT
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
BASKIN-ROBBINS
INSPIRE BRANDS
130 Royall St.
Canton, MA 02021
800-859-5339
CEO: Paul Brown
History, Plans
- established in 1945 in Glendale, Calif.;
first Canadian store opened in 1971
- 104 units in Canada (all franchised);
8,024 worldwide (all franchised)
- expanding newly designed units
primarily in Ontario (Toronto and Ottawa)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
(20-year term)
- total costs $93,550 to $401,800
- advertising fee 5%
- royalty fee 1%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
BATON ROUGE
MTY GROUP
200, 8150 Trans-Canada Hwy.
Saint-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Casual Dining: Marie-Line
Beauchamp
History, Plans
- established in 1992 in Laval, Que.
- 29 units in Canada (26 franchised)
- plans to expand in Ontario and Quebec
in 2021
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $60,000
- total costs $1,960,000 to $2,500,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
BEAVERTAILS CANADA INC.
3700 St. Patrick St., Ste. 106
Montreal, QC H4E 1A2
514-392-2222
Development Director: Kristina
Zappavigna
History, Plans
- established in 1978 in Ottawa
- 160+ units worldwide
- currently focusing on U.S. expansion and
full shops
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee US$30,000
- shops start at US$200,000
- mobiles start at US$75,000
Services
- advertising/marketing
- business development coaching
- staff training
BEN & FLORENTINE
RESTAURANTS INC.
MTY GROUP
200, 8150 Trans-Canada Hwy.
Saint-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Casual Dining: Marie-Line
Beauchamp
History, Plans
- founded in 2008 in Montreal
- 56 units in Canada (48 franchised)
- plans to expand into Ontario and
Maritimes, as well as continued growth
in Quebec
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $35,000
- equipment/site cost $562,000 to
$767,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
BENNY ROTISSERIE
FOODTASTIC
9245, rue Thimens
Pierrefonds, QC H8Y 0A1
514-856-5555, ext. 260
855-771-0177
franchise@foodtastic.ca
Directors, Franchising & Development:
Nikki Arvanitakis; Guyaume Arseneault
History, Plans
- established in 1960 in Montreal
- seven units in Canada
- new opportunities across Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- project costs $500,000 to $600,000
- royalty fee 5%
- advertising fee 2%
- local advertising fee 3%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
BIG RIG
FOODTASTIC
9245, rue Thimens
Pierrefonds, QC H8Y 0A1
514-856-5555, ext. 260
855-771-0177
franchise@foodtastic.ca
Directors, Franchising & Development:
Nikki Arvanitakis; Guyaume Arseneault
History, Plans
- established in 2013 in Montreal
- four units in Canada
- new opportunities available across
Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $40,000
- project cost $1,000,000 to $1,300,000
- royalty fee 5%
- advertising fee 2%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
BIG SMOKE BURGER
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Fast Casual: Marc Benzacar
History, Plans
- established in 2011
- nine units in Canada; nine outside of
Canada (two corporate)
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $35,000
- other costs $338,000 to $650,000
- marketing/advertising 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
BLENZ COFFEE *
2285 Clark Dr., Ste. 250
Vancouver, BC V5N 3G9
604-682-2995
President: Marc West
History, Plans
- established in 1992 in Vancouver
- 65 units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $35,000
- store cost $200,000 to $300,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 8%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- operational support
- training
BOOSTER JUICE
8915-51st Ave., Ste. 205
Edmonton, AB T6E 5J3
780-440-6770
President & CEO: Dale S. Wishewan
History, Plans
- established in 1999 in Sherwood
Park, Alta.
- 400 units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- equipment/site development cost
$280,000 to $320,000
- total costs $310,000 to $350,000 (turn
key investment)
- advertising fee 3.5%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
* Denotes 2021 updates were not received and information is current as of February 2020
30 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
THE 2021 FRANCHISE REPORT
BOSTON PIZZA*
BOSTON PIZZA INTERNATIONAL INC.
1 City Centre Dr., Ste. 708
Mississauga, ON L5B 1M2
905-848-2700
History, Plans
- established in 1964 in Edmonton
- 396 units in Canada (392 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $60,000
- equipment/site cost $1,500,000 to
$2,500,000
- 35% liquid funds required for investment
- advertising fee 3% (food sales only)
- royalty fee 7% (food sales only)
Services
- information available upon request
BROWNS CRAFTHOUSE
BROWNS RESTAURANT GROUP
3540 W. 41st Ave., Ste. 207a
Vancouver, BC V6N 3E6
778-980-2440
EVP - Business Development: Bruce Fox
History, Plans
- four units in Canada (one franchised)
- two additional locations (one
franchised) set to open in 2021
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $50,000
- equipment/site costs $2,500,000
- other costs $450,000
- total costs $3,000,000
- royalty fee 6% (all in)
- no marketing/co-op fees
Services
- culinary development
- lease negotiation
- opening support
- operational reviews and field support
- POS and payment platforms
- purchasing
- site selection
- supplies
BROWNS SOCIALHOUSE
BROWNS RESTAURANT GROUP
3540 W. 41st Ave., Ste. 207a
Vancouver, BC V6N 3E6
778-980-2440
EVP - Business Development: Bruce Fox
History, Plans
- established in 2004 in North Vancouver,
B.C.
- 67 units in Canada (64 franchised);
- two new Ontario franchises to open in
2021 (Ottawa and Waterloo)
- primarily focused on Western Canada
infill and Ontario expansion
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $50,000
- equipment/site costs $2,500,000
- other costs $450,000
- total costs $3,000,000
- royalty fee 6% (all in)
- no marketing/co-op fees
Services
- culinary development
- lease negotiation
- opening support
- operational reviews and field support
- POS and payment platforms
- purchasing
- site selection
- supplies
CAFE DEPOT
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Fast Casual: Marc Benzacar
History, Plans
- established in 1994 in Montreal
- 52 units in Canada (49 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- start-up capital required $125,000
- franchise fee $25,000
- other costs $243,000 to $460,000
- royalty fee 6%
- marketing/advertising 2%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
CAPT. SUB.
GRINNERS FOOD SYSTEMS LTD.
105 Walker St.
Truro, NS B2N 5G9
902-893-4141
History, Plans
- established in 1972 in Charlottetown
- 39 units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $30,000
- total investment $204,500 to $278,500
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design/construction
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- supplies
CARLOS & PEPES
FOODTASTIC
9245, rue Thimens
Pierrefonds, QC H8Y 0A1
514-856-5555, ext. 260
855-771-0177
franchise@foodtastic.ca
Directors, Franchising & Development:
Nikki Arvanitakis; Guyaume Arseneault
History, Plans
- established in 1984 in Montreal
- four units in Canada
- new opportunities available across
Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- project cost $700,000 to $800,000
- royalty fee 5%
- advertising fee 2%
Services
-advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
CASA GRECQUE
MTY GROUP
200, 8150 Trans-Canada Hwy.
Saint-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Casual Dining: Marie-Line
Beauchamp
History, Plans
- established in 1980 in Montreal
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $35,000
- initial Investment $750,000 to $900,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 4%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies (central kitchen and
distribution centre)
CHICKEN CHEF FAMILY
RESTAURANTS*
CHICKEN CHEF CANADA LTD.
97 Plymouth St.
Winnipeg, MB R2X 2V5
204-694-1984
President: Jeff Epp
History, Plans
- established in 1978 in Carmen, Man.
- 39 units in Canada (all franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $12,000
(Canada only)
- equipment/site costs $180,000
- royalty fee 3% (Canada only)
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
CHICKEN DELIGHT*
CHICKEN DELIGHT OF CANADA LTD.
395 Berry St.
Winnipeg, MB R3J 1N6
204-885-7570
President: Jim Cartman
History, Plans
- established 1958 in Portage la Prairie,
Man.
- 20 units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $20,000
- equipment/site costs $245,000 to
$270,000
- total cost $273,000 to $306,000
- advertising fee 4%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
* Denotes 2021 updates were not received and information is current as of February 2020
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 31
THE 2021 FRANCHISE REPORT
CHOCOLATO
FOODTASTIC
9245, rue Thimens
Pierrefonds, QC H8Y 0A1
514-856-5555, ext. 260
855-771-0177
franchise@foodtastic.ca
Directors, Franchising & Development:
Nikki Arvanitakis; Guyaume Arseneault
History, Plans
- established in 2015 in Quebec
- 22 units in Canada
- new opportunities available across
Canada and the U.S.
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- project cost $300,000 to $500,000
- royalty fee 6%
- advertising fee 3%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
THE CHOPPED LEAF
INNOVATIVE FOOD BRANDS
531 North Service Rd. E.
Oakville, ON L6H 1A5
905-337-7777
Brand President and Founder:
Blair Stevens
History, Plans
- established in 2009 in Kelowna, B.C.
- 100 units in Canada (all franchised);
one outside of Canada (franchised)
- expanding to Quebec, Nova Scotia
and U.S.
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- equipment/site cost $420,000
- unincumbered cash $150,000
- total costs $450,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
CHUCK’S ROADHOUSE
BAR AND GRILL
OBSIDIAN GROUP INC.
1770 Argentia Rd.
Mississauga, ON L5N 3S7
905-814-8030
Franchise Development Manager:
Elaine Macheras
History, Plans
- established in 2015 in Ontario
- 70 units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $50,000
- estimated development cost $375,000
to $750,000
- advertising fee 1.25%
- royalty fee 3.75% on gross sales up to
$38,000/week; 7% on gross sales in
excess of $38,000/week
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design and construction
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- supplies & purchasing
- site location
- staff training
COFFEE CULTURE CAFE
& EATERY
OBSIDIAN GROUP INC.
1770 Argentia Rd.
Mississauga, ON L5N 3S7
905-814-8030
Franchise Development Manager:
Elaine Macheras
History, Plans
- established in 2006 in Ontario
- 35 units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $35,000
- estimated development cost $300,000
to $400,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 7%
* Denotes 2021 updates were not received and information is current as of February 2020
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design and construction
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- supplies & purchasing
- site location
- staff training
COFFEE TIME
77 Progress Ave.
Toronto, ON M1p 2Y7
416-288-8515
VP, Franchising and Real-Estate
Development: Larry Santolini
History, Plans
- established in 1982 in Toronto
- 71 locations worldwide
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $25,000
- training fee $5,000
- equipment/leasehold improvements
$210,000 to $395,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
CORA BREAKFAST
AND LUNCH*
CORA FRANCHISE GROUP INC.
2798 Thamesgate Dr.
Mississauga, ON L4T 4E8
905-673-2672
Manager, Operation Standards:
Danica Varjacic
History, Plans
- established in 1987 in St-Laurent, Que.
- 130+ units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $45,000
- equipment/site costs $600,000 to
$900,000+
- advertising fee 3.5%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
COUNTRY STYLE
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of QSR: Jason Brading
History, Plans
- established in 1963
- 350+ units in Canada; one outside of
Canada (358 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $30,000
- royalty fee 4.5%
- advertising fee 3.5%
- total investment up to $517,000
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
CRABBY JOE’S TAP & GRILL
OBSIDIAN GROUP INC.
1770 Argentia Rd.
Mississauga, ON L5N 3S7
905-814-8030
Franchise Development Manager:
Elaine Macheras
History, Plans
- established in 1996 in Ontario
- 20 units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- estimated development costs $700,000
to $850,000
- franchise fee $35,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design and construction
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- supplies & purchasing
- site location
- staff training
32 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
THE 2021 FRANCHISE REPORT
CULTURES
MTY FRANCHISING INC
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of QSR: Jason Brading
History, Plans
- founded in 1979
- 50+ units in Canada (47 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- initial Investment $293,000 to $497,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
DAGWOODS
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of QSR: Jason Brading
History, Plans
- established in 1989 in Montreal
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $15,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- franchisee training
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
DAIRY QUEEN CANADA INC.
1111 International Blvd., Ste. 601
Burlington, ON L7L 6W1
905-636-4741
Director, Franchising: Tony Watters
History, Plans
- established in 1940 in Illinois
- 668 units in Canada; 6,404 outside
of Canada (all franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $45,000
- investment range $1,083,525 to
$1,850,425
- advertising fee 5% to 6%
- royalty fee 4%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- site selection
- staff training
- supplies
DENNY’S*
DENNY’S, INC.
203 E. Main St.
Spartanburg, SC 29319
864-597-8705
Senior Director of Global Franchise
Development: Doug Wong
History, Plans
- established in 1953 in Lakewood, Calif.
- 75 units in Canada; 1,628 outside of
Canada (1,633 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- equipment/site cost $1,180,000 to
$2,050,000
- other costs $150,528 to $354,695
- total costs $1,330,528 to $2,404,695
(exclusive of land)
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 4.5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiations
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
DIXIE LEE FRIED CHICKEN
DIXIE LEE CAPITAL CORPORATION
RR 2
Bruce Mines, ON, P0R 1C0
info@dixieleefriedchicken.com
History, Plans
- established in 1964 in Belleville, Ont.
- 40+ locations in Canada
- recently launched Roosters Diner brand
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- advertising fee 5%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
DRUXY’S
DRUXY’S INC.
52 Abbotsford Rd.
Gormley, ON L4A 2C1
416-637-5976
VP, Marketing: Peter Druxerman
History, Plans
- established in 1976 in Toronto
- 25 units in Canada (all franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- total cost $175,000 to $225,000
(full- size café)
- advertising fee 1%
- royalty fee 6.5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- franchisee/staff training
- intranet and regional director support
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
EAST SIDE MARIO’S
RECIPE UNLIMITED CORPORATION
199 Four Valley Dr.
Vaughan, ON L4K 0B8
905-760-2244, ext. 2255
VP, Franchising & International
Development: Courtney Hindorff
History, Plans
- established in 1987
- 69 units in Canada (65 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $60,000
- average investment $1,300,000 to
$1,600,000
- advertising fee 3% national, 1% local
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
EDO JAPAN
6807 Railway St. S.E., Ste. 310
Calgary, AB T2H 2V6
403-215-8822
VP, Operations, Franchising: Terry Foster
History, Plans
- established in 1979 in Calgary
- approximately 148 units in Canada (139
franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $35,000
- equipment/site cost $475,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- information available upon request
EGGSMART FOOD CORP.
77 Progress Ave.
Toronto, On M1P 2Y7
416-288-8515
VP, Franchising and Real-Estate
Development: Larry Santolini
History, Plans
- established In 2008 in Toronto
- 48 units in Canada
- five units under development
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- training fee $5,000
- architectural drawings $15,000 to
$25,000
- equipment/leasehold improvements
$265,000 to $415,000
- signage fee $15,000 to $30,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design/construction
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
EGGSPECTATION
RESTAURANTS*
EGGSPECTATION CANADA
7960 St. Denis St., 2nd Fl.
Montreal, QC H2R 2G1
514-282-0677
President & COO: Jon Hinkle
History, Plans
- established in 1993 in Montreal
- 15 locations in Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $50,000
- total cost varies
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
- local marketing 1%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
* Denotes 2021 updates were not received and information is current as of February 2020
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 33
THE 2021 FRANCHISE REPORT
ELEPHANT & CASTLE
RECIPE UNLIMITED CORPORATION
199 Four Valley Dr.
Vaughan, ON L4K 0B8
905-760-2244, ext. 2255
VP, Franchising & International
Development: Courtney Hindorff
History, Plans
- established in 1977
- two units in Canada, six outside Canada
(none franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $60,000
- total costs $1,400,000 to $1,600,000
- advertising 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
-advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
EXTREME PITA
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of QSR: Jason Brading
History, Plans
- established in 1997 in Waterloo, Ont.
- 100 units in Canada (96 franchised);
11 outside of Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $20,000
- initial Investment $249,000 to $446,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
FAMOSO ITALIAN
PIZZERIA + BAR
FDF BRANDZ
1901 Rosser Ave., Ste. 401
Burnaby, BC V5C 6S3
888-597-7272 (West)
647-234-2363 (East)
History, Plans
- founded in 2007 in Edmonton
- 29 units in Canada (one franchised)
- plans to expand in Western and Eastern
Canada and internationally
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $45,000
- initial investment $400,000 to $700,000
- marketing fee 2%
- local store marketing 1%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
FATBURGER
FATBURGER - CANADA
401-1901 Rosser Ave.
Burnaby, BC V5C 6S3
888-597-7272
History, Plans
- founded in 1952 in Los Angeles, Calif.;
first Canadian location opened in
Vancouver in 2005
- 63 units in Canada (three franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $50,000
- total required investment $425,000 to
$525,000
- marketing fee 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
FAT FRANKS*
10560-114 St.
Edmonton, AB T5H 3J7
780-413-0278
History, Plans
- founded in 1995 in Edmonton
- 18 units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $10,000
- minimum cash required $150,000, plus
working capital and net worth >$300,000
- total average investment $300,000, plus
lease deposit
- royalty fee 3%
- advertising fee 2%
Services
- central purchasing
- complete turnkey package
- development and design
- field support
- inspection system
- lease negotiation
- management training
- quality assurance
- quality control
- staff training
- technical services
FETA & OLIVES*
FETA & OLIVES MEDITERRANEAN GRILL
1 Palace Pier Ct., Ste. 809
Toronto, ON M8V 3W9
416-251-3353
President: Vicki Vasiliou
History, Plans
- established in 2006 in Barrie, Ont.
- 13 units in Canada (all franchised)
- opportunities available in Ontario,
Quebec, Nova Scotia, British Columbia
and Alberta
Franchise Costs
- information available upon request
Services
- information available upon request
FIONN MACCOOL’S
RECIPE UNLIMITED CORPORATION
199 Four Valley Dr.
Vaughan, ON L4K 0B8
905-760-2244, ext. 2255
VP, Franchising & International
Development: Courtney Hindorff
History, Plans
- established in 1996
- 34 units in Canada (30 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $60,000
- average investment $1,300,000 to
$1,600,000
- advertising fee 1% national; 3% local
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
FIREHOUSE SUBS
FIREHOUSE SUBS OF CANADA
12735 Gran Bay Pkwy., Ste. 150
Jacksonville, FL 32257
800-388-3473
VP, Franchise Development: Greg Delks
History, Plans
- established in 1994 in Jacksonville, Fla.
- 41 units in Canada; 1,191 units total (38
company-owned)
- expanding throughout Ontario
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 6%
- system marketing fund 1%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
- other
(THE) FIRKIN GROUP OF PUBS
FIRKIN CAPITAL CORP.
20 Steelcase Rd. W., Unit 1C
Markham, ON L3t 1B2
905-947-4444
Director, Franchising: Paul Saraiva
History, Plans
- established in 1987 in Toronto
- 27 units in Canada (18 franchised); one
in U.S.
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- equipment/site cost $800,000
- other costs $100,000
- total cost $830,000
- advertising fee 1%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
(THE) FORTUNATE FOX
THE PEGASUS GROUP
44 Upjohn Rd.
Toronto, ON M3B 2W1
terry@pegasusgroup.ca
History, Plans
- established 2018 in Toronto
- one unit in Canada
- seeking franchise partners across
Canada and internationally
* Denotes 2021 updates were not received and information is current as of February 2020
34 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
THE 2021 FRANCHISE REPORT
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $40,000
- royalty fee 4%
- advertising fee 1.5%
- estimated total costs $520,000 to
$1,700,00
Services
- accounting services (by request, billable
service, not included in fees)
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
FOX & FIDDLE
THE PEGASUS GROUP
44 Upjohn Rd.
Toronto, ON M3B 2W1
terry@pegasusgroup.ca
History, Plans
- established in 1989 in Toronto
- 13 units in Canada (12 franchised)
- seeking franchise partners across
Canada and internationally
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $40,000
- royalty fee $3,000 to $4,000/month
- advertising fee $500/month
- estimated total costs $520,000 to
$1,700,00
Services
- accounting services (by request, billable
service, not included in fees)
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
FRESHII*
2 Toronto St., Ste. 235
Toronto, ON M5C 2B5
Founder & CEO: Matthew Corrin
History, Plans
- established in 2005 in Toronto
- 400+ units worldwide
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- advertising fee 1.5% corporate; 1.5%
local
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- information available upon request
FROZU!
GRINNERS FOOD SYSTEMS LTD.
105 Walker St.
Truro, NS B2N 5G9
1-800-565-4389
History, Plans
- founded in 2013 in Truro, N.S.
- 14 units in Canada
- plans to expand in Atlantic Canada,
Ontario and Western Canada; clip-on
concept also available
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $20,000
- equipment/site cost $22,085 to $43,085
- total costs $39,985 to $60,985
- advertising fee 4%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease-negotiation advice
- management training
- purchasing
- site-location training and support
GABBY’S RESTAURANT & BAR
URBAN DINING GROUP INC.
41 Industrial St., Unit 204
Toronto, ON M4G 0C7
416-967-9671
President: Todd Sherman
History, Plans
- established in 1989 in Toronto
- 16 units in Canada (eight franchised)
- two units set to open in 2021
- plans to convert restaurants that have
closed due to COVID-19 to Gabby’s brand
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- equipment/site cost $375,000
- other costs $475,000
- total costs $875,000
- advertising fee 1%
- royalty fee 4%
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THE 2021 FRANCHISE REPORT
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
GOOD EARTH COFFEEHOUSE
GOOD EARTH CAFES LTD.
4020 7th St. S.E.
Calgary, AB T2G 2Y8
403-294-9330
Founders: Nan Eskenazi & Michael Going
President & COO: Gerry Docherty
Director of Franchising: Gerry Docherty
History, Plans
- established 1991 in Calgary
- 47 units in Canada
- plans to expand in Greater Victoria,
Saskatoon, Winnipeg and Edmonton in
2021
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $35,000
- site costs $395,000 to $595,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 7%
Services
- commissioning support
- design/construction
- field support
- lease negotiation
- marketing
- product development
- site selection
- staff training
- supply chain management
(THE) GREAT CANADIAN BAGEL
3300 Hwy. 7, Ste. 101
Vaughan, ON L4K 4M3
905-566-1903
President: Ed Kwiatkowski
History, Plans
- established in 1993 in Toronto
- 18 units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee full $20, 000 to
$30,000
- equipment/site cost (full production)
$300,000 to $350,000
- non-production fee $85,000 to $175,000
- advertising fee 1.5%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
- other
GRECO PIZZA
GRINNERS FOOD SYSTEMS LTD.
105 Walker St.
Truro, NS B2N 5G9
902-893-4141
History, Plans
- established in 1977 in Moncton, N.B.
- 100+ units in Canada
- plans to expand in Nova Scotia, New
Brunswick, P.E.I. and Newfoundland
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $20,000
- equipment/site cost $85,000 to
$105,000
- other costs $79,500 to $108,500
- total costs $184,500 to $233,500
- advertising fee 4%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation advice
- management training
- purchasing
- site location training and support
HARVEY’S
RECIPE UNLIMITED CORPORATION
199 Four Valley Dr.
Vaughan, ON L4K 0B8
905-760-2244, ext. 2255
VP, Franchising & International
Development: Courtney Hindorff
History, Plans
- established 1959 in Ontario
- 290 units in Canada (281 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- total costs $500,000 to $1,000,000
- advertising fee 4% national; 1% local
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
HERO CERTIFIED BURGERS
ANGUS INC.
78 Signet Dr., Ste. 201
Toronto, ON M9L 1T2
416-740-2304
President: John Lettieri
History, Plans
- established in 2003 in Toronto
- 50 units in Canada; one outside Canada
- actively expanding HERO VK concept
Franchise Costs
- equipment/site cost $160,000
- other costs $140,000
- total costs $275,000 to $300,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
HOUSTON AVENUE BAR & GRILL
MTY GROUP INC.
4628 Louis B. Mayer St. Laval, QC H7P 6E4
450-688-3793
CEO: Eric Lefebvre
History, Plans
- established in 1998 in Rosemère, Que.
- 12 units in Canada (three franchised)
- seeking expansion opportunities in
Quebec
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $50,000
- total costs $1,070,000 to $3,705,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
HUMPTY’S FAMILY
RESTAURANTS/ HUMPTY’S
CLASSIC CAFES*
HUMPTY’S RESTAURANTS
INTERNATIONAL INC.
2505 Macleod Trail S.
Calgary, AB T2G 5J4
403-269-4675
Director, Franchising: Sergio Terrazas
History, Plans
- established in 1977 in Calgary
- 45 units in Canada (43 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- equipment package $130,000
- other costs $530,000
- total costs $690,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
IL FORNELLO
IL FORNELLO RESTAURANTS
576 Danforth Ave.,
Toronto, ON M4K 1R1
416-920-9410, ext. 113
President: Ian Sorbie
History, Plans
- established in 1986
- six units in Ontario (four franchised)
- plans to open one corporate and two
franchised locations in 2021; three
franchised locations planned for 2022
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $35,000
- equipment costs $100,000 to $160,000
- turnkey costs $350,000 to $800,000
- advertising fee 1%
- royalty fee 4%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- operational support
- purchasing
- site location
- social media
- staff training
- supplies
FORNELLO PRESTO
IL FORNELLO CORPORATION
576 Danforth Ave.,
Toronto, ON M4K 1R1
416-920-9410, ext. 113
President: Ian Sorbie
History, Plans
- new fast-casual/quick-service concept
based on the IL FORNELLO model
- plans to open a corporate and
franchised location in 2021; three to four
additional locations by 2022
* Denotes 2021 updates were not received and information is current as of February 2020
36 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
THE 2021 FRANCHISE REPORT
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $25,000 to $35,000
- equipment costs $80,000 to $140,000
- turnkey costs $250,000 to $600,000
- advertising fee 1%
- royalty fee 4%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- operational support
- purchasing
- site location
- social media
- staff training
- supplies
INDUSTRIA
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
CEO: Eric Lefebvre
History, Plans
- established in 2014 in Montreal
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $50,000
- initial investment $1,066,000 to
$3,705,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
JIMMY THE GREEK INC.
1 First Canadian Pl.
100 King St. W., P.O. Box 334
Toronto, ON M5X 1E1
416-214-9237
President: Jim Antonopoulos
History, Plans
- established in 1985 in Toronto
- 55 units in Canada (54 franchised)
- continued expansion planned for Ontario
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $40,000
- equipment/site cost available upon
request
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- site location
- staff training
JOEY’S SEAFOOD / JOEY’S FISH
SHACK / STREATS – TAQUERIA |
POUTINERIE | FISH & CHIPS
JOEY’S FRANCHISE GROUP
3048 9th St. S.E.
Calgary, AB T2G 3B9
403-243-1216
Vice-President: Max Gagnon
History, Plans
- established 1985 in Calgary
- 57 units in Canada (52 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- equipment/site cost $182,000 to
$285,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 5%of net sales
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
- other
JUGO JUICE
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
A4, 416 Meridian Rd. S.E.
Calgary, AB T2A 1X2
877-377-5846
COO of Fast Casual: Marc Benzacar
History, Plans
- founded in 1998 in Calgary
- 133 units in Canada; two outside of
Canada (132 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- initial Investment $210,000 to $358,000
- marketing fee 4%
- royalty fee 6%
* Denotes 2021 updates were not received and information is current as of February 2020
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THE 2021 FRANCHISE REPORT
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
JUNGLE JIM’S*
SAFARI EATERTAINMENT INC.
657 Topsail Rd.
St. John’s, NL A1E 2E3
709-745-5467
Partners: Stephen Pike; Barry Walsh;
Sean Brake
History, Plans
- founded in 1991 in St. John’s
- 24 units in Canada (all franchised)
Franchise Costs
- equipment/site cost $600,000 to
$750,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 4%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
KARMA
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Fast Casual: Marc Benzacar
History, Plans
- established in 2019 in Montreal
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
(THE) KEG STEAKHOUSE & BAR
KEG RESTAURANTS LTD.
10100 Shellbridge Way
Richmond, BC V6X 2W7
604-276-0242
EVP, Business Development:
James Henderson
History, Plans
- established 1971 in North Vancouver, B.C.
- 98 units in Canada; 10 in the U.S.
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $75,000
- equipment/site cost $4,000,000 to
$5,500,000
- marketing fee 2%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
KELSEYS
RECIPE UNLIMITED CORPORATION
199 Four Valley Dr.
Vaughan, ON L4K 0B8
905-760-2244, ext. 2255
VP, Franchising & International
Development: Courtney Hindorff
History, Plans
- established 1978 in Ontario
- 68 units in Canada (63 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $60,000
- total costs $1,300,000 to $1,600,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
KFC*
KFC CANADA COMPANY
191 Creditview Rd., Ste. 100
Vaughan, ON L4L 9T1
416-664-5200
Sr. Development Manager:
Jeremy Alexander
History, Plans
- established 1952 in Salt Lake City, Utah
- 640 units in Canada; 22,600 outside
Canada
- expects to increase Canadian store
count to 800 in the medium term
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee US$52,000
- equipment/site cost available upon
request
- advertising fee 5%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
KIM CHI
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of QSR: Jason Brading
History, Plans
- founded in 2007
Franchise costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- initial investment: $340,000 to $555,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
KORYO KOREAN BBQ
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of QSR: Jason Brading
History, Plans
- founded in 2004
- 16 units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- initial investment $375,000 to $563,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
KOYA JAPAN
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of QSR: Jason Brading
History, Plans
- founded in 1985
- 10 units in Canada (all franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- initial investment $375,000 to $563,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 6% to 7%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
LA BELLE ET LA BOEUF
FOODTASTIC
2365 Guenette St.
Montreal, QC H4R 2E9
514-856-5555, ext. 260
info@foodtastic.ca
Director of Franchising: Nikki Arvanitakis
History, Plans
- established in 2012 in Montreal
- 14 units in Canada; one outside Canada
(seven franchised)
- new opportunities available across
Canada and the U.S.
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $40,000
- total $1,100,000 to $1,300,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
LA BOITE VERTE
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Fast Casual: Marc Benzacar
History, Plans
- established in 2018 in Montreal
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
* Denotes 2021 updates were not received and information is current as of February 2020
38 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
THE 2021 FRANCHISE REPORT
LA CAGE - BRASSERIE
SPORTIVE
SPORTSCENE GROUP INC.
1180 Place Nobel, Ste. 102
Boucherville, QC J4B 5L2
450-641-3011
President: Jean Bédard
History, Plans
- established 1984 in Montreal
- 38 units in Canada (12 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $75,000
- equipment/site cost $2,400,000
- other costs $25,000
- total costs $2,400,000
- advertising fee national 3%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
LA CARNITA
MONARCH & MISFITS INC.
44 Upjohn Rd.
Toronto, ON M3B 2W1
terry@pegasusgroup.ca
History, Plans
- established 2011 in Toronto; franchising
since 2015
- six units in Canada (five franchised); two
units outside of Canada
- seeking franchise partners across
Canada and internationally
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $40,000
- advertising fee 1.5%
- royalty fee 4%
- estimated total costs $700,000 to
$2,000,000
Services
- accounting service (by request, billable
service not included in fees)
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
LA CHAMBRE
FOODTASTIC
9245, rue Thimens
Pierrefonds, QC H8Y 0A1
514-856-5555, ext. 260
855-771-0177
franchise@foodtastic.ca
Directors, Franchising & Development:
Nikki Arvanitakis; Guyaume Arseneault
History, Plans
- established in Montreal
- three units in Canada
Franchise costs
- franchise fee $25,000
- projected cost $500,000 to $700,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
LA CREMIERE
MTY FRANCHISING INC
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Fast Casual: Marc Benzacar
History, Plans
- established in 1979
- 47 units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000 to $30,000
- initial investment $175,000 to $500,000
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
* Denotes 2021 updates were not received and information is current as of February 2020
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THE 2021 FRANCHISE REPORT
LA DIPERIE
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Fast Casual: Marc Benzacar
History, Plans
- established in 2014 in Montreal
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
(five-year agreement)
- initial Investment: $127,000 to $173,000
- advertising fee 2.5%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
LA PREP*
4500 Dixie Rd,
Mississauga, ON L4W 1V7
514-510-5001
CEO: John Essaris
VP of Franchise Development:
John Beauparlant
History, Plans
- established in 2010 in Montreal
- 55 units in Canada
- expansion planned in Canada and U.S.
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $35,000
- total cost $450,000 to $650,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
L’GROS LUXE
FOODTASTIC
9245, rue Thimens
Pierrefonds, QC H8Y 0A1
514-856-5555, ext. 260
855-771-0177
franchise@foodtastic.ca
Directors, Franchising & Development:
Nikki Arvanitakis; Guyaume Arseneault
History, Plans
- established in Montreal
- seven units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $25,000
- projected cost $500,000 to $700,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
LIBERTY KITCHEN
BROWNS RESTAURANT GROUP
3540 W. 41st Ave., Ste. 207a
Vancouver, BC V6N 3E6
778-980-2440
EVP - Business Development: Bruce Fox
History, Plans
- first franchise open in B.C.
- new location set to open in 2021
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $50,000
- equipment/site costs $2,500,000
- other costs $450,000
- total costs $3,000,000
- royalty fee 6% (all in)
- no marketing/co-op fees
Services
- culinary development
- lease negotiation
- opening support
- operational reviews and field support
- POS and payment platforms
- purchasing
- site selection
- supplies
LITTLE CAESARS PIZZA*
LITTLE CAESAR OF CANADA ULC
2301 Royal Windsor Dr.
Mississauga, ON L5J 1K5
905-822-7899
Director of Real Estate & Franchise
Development: James Jenkins
History, Plans
- established 1959 in Garden City, Mich.
- 200 units worldwide
- opportunities available across Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $20,000; $15,000
per unit thereafter
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- supplies
LOADED PIEROGI*
839 Queen St. W.
Toronto, ON M6J 1G4
647-352-5060
Owners: Adam Dolley; Bryan Bruke
History, Plans
- established in 2014
- opportunities available across Ontario
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $25,000
- royalty fee 5% turn key locations
$225,000+
- advertising/marketing fee 2%
Services
- available upon request
LOOKOO
FOODTASTIC
9245, rue Thimens
Pierrefonds, QC H8Y 0A1
514-856-5555, ext. 260
855-771-0177
franchise@foodtastic.ca
Directors, Franchising & Development:
Nikki Arvanitakis; Guyaume Arseneault
History, Plans
- established in Montreal
- two units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $25,000
- projected cost $350,000 to $500,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
MADISONS
MTY GROUP
200, 8150 Trans-Canada Hwy.
Saint-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Casual Dining: Marie-Line
Beauchamp
History, Plans
- established in 2006 in Dollard des
Ormeaux, Que.
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $50,000
- initial investment $1,066,000 to
$3,035,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
MANCHU WOK
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of QSR: Jason Brading
History, Plans
- established in 1990
- 75 units in Canada (all franchised); 35
outside of Canada
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $30,000
- initial investment $375,000 to $563,000
- royalty fee 6% to 7%
- marketing fee 1%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
MANDARIN RESTAURANT
MANDARIN RESTAURANT FRANCHISE
CORPORATION
8 Clipper Ct.
Brampton, ON L6W 4T9
647-533-2610
President: James Chiu
History, Plans
- established in 1979 in Brampton, Ont.
- 29 units in Canada (28 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $300,000
- equipment/site cost $1,500,000
- other costs $1,200,000
- total costs $3,000,000
- advertising fee $10,000
- royalty fee $25,000
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
- other
* Denotes 2021 updates were not received and information is current as of February 2020
40 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
THE 2021 FRANCHISE REPORT
MARY BROWNS CHICKEN
MARY BROWNS INC.
100 Renfrew Dr., Ste. 130
Markham, ON L3R 9W7
905-513-0044
franchising@marybrowns.com
History, Plans
- established in 1969 in St. John’s
- 180+ units in Canada
- projected to reach 300 units by 2022
Franchise Costs
- initial franchisee fee $30,000
- equipment/site cost $500,000 to
$600,000
- total cost $650,000
- advertising fee 4%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design/construction
- operations/marketing support
- lease negotiation
- management/staff training
- purchasing/supply chain
- site location
McDONALD’S RESTAURANTS
OF CANADA LIMITED*
1 McDonald’s Pl.
Toronto, ON M3C 3L4
416-443-1000
Franchising Manager: Tom Marlow
History, Plans
- established 1967 in Richmond, B.C.
- 1,450 units in Canada (85% franchised)
Franchise Costs
- information available upon request
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
MENCHIE’S FROZEN YOGURT*
YOGURTWORLD ENTERPRISES
259 Yorkland Rd., 3rd Fl.
Toronto, ON M2J 5B2
416-645-5110, ext. 401
President: David Shneer
History, Plans
- established in 2010 in Toronto
- 58 units in Canada; 300+ outside of
Canada
- plans to expand throughout Maritime
provinces
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $40,000
- equipment cost $140,000
- site cost/construction $150,000
- total costs $300,000 to $350,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
MICHEL’S BAKERY CAFE*
THREECAF BRANDS CANADA INC.
55 Administration Rd., Unit 37
Vaughan, ON L4K 4G9
905-482-7300
1-877-434-3223
Director of Operations: Ian McDougall
History, Plans
- established in 1979 in Toronto
- five units in Canada (four franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $40,000
- total costs $450,000 to $775,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 7%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
MILESTONES GRILL AND BAR
RECIPE UNLIMITED CORPORATION
199 Four Valley Dr.
Vaughan, ON L4k 0b8
905-760-2244, ext. 2255
VP, Franchising & International
Development: Courtney Hindorff
History, Plans
- established 1989 In B.C.
- 44 units in Canada (15 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $75,000
- total costs $2,000,000 to $3,000,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
MONTANA’S
RECIPE UNLIMITED CORPORATION
199 Four Valley Dr.
Vaughan, ON L4K 0B8
905-760-2244 Ext 2255
VP, Franchising & International
Development: Courtney Hindorff
History, Plans
- established in 1995 in Ontario
- 103 units in Canada (98 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $60,000
- total costs $1,400,000 to $1,800,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
MONZA
FOODTASTIC
9245, rue Thimens
Pierrefonds, QC H8Y 0A1
514-856-5555, ext. 260
855-771-0177
francise@foodtastic.ca
Directors, Franchising & Development:
Nikki Arvanitakis; Guyaume Arseneault
History, Plans
- established in 2009 in Montreal
- six units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $40,000
- project cost $1,100,000 to $1,400,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
MR. GREEK RESTAURANTS INC.
44 Upjohn Rd.
Toronto, ON M3B 2W1
647-993-3266
franchising@mrgreek.com
History, Plans
- established 1988 in Toronto
- 17 units in Canada
- four new units planned in 2021 in
Ontario; one unit under development
outside of Canada
- plans to expand in Canada and
internationally
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $35,000
- start-up capital required >$150,000
- total investment $300,000 (retro) to
$400,000+ (new)
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- administrative support
- advertising/marketing
- design
- construction (turn key)
- lease negotiation
- location
- menu development
- purchasing
- training
MR. MIKES RESTAURANT
CORPORATION*
RAMMP HOSPITALITY BRANDS INC.
3700 N. Fraser Way, Ste. 100
Burnaby, BC V5J 5H4
647-527-9574
Director of Franchising: Ryan Lloyd
History, Plans
- established 1960 in Vancouver
- 41 units in Canada (38 franchised)
- plans to open 30 units in Canada in the
next five years
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $50,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
- other
* Denotes 2021 updates were not received and information is current as of February 2020
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 41
THE 2021 FRANCHISE REPORT
MR. SOUVLAKI
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of QSR: Jason Brading
History, Plans
- founded in 1997
- 16 units in Canada (all franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- initial Investment: $318,000 to $558,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- information available upon request
MR. SUB
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of QSR: Jason Brading
History, Plans
- founded in 1968
- 271 units in Canada (all franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- initial investment $303,000 to $447,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
MUCHO BURRITO
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Fast Casual: Marc Benzacar
History, Plans
- established 2006 in Mississauga, Ont.
- 119 units in Canada (all franchised); two
outside of Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- initial investment $359,000 to $671,000
- advertising fee 4%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
MUFFIN PLUS
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Fast Casual: Marc Benzacar
History, Plans
- established in 1982 in Montreal
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
NEW ORLEANS PIZZA
CHAIRMAN’S BRANDS CORP.
77 Progress Ave.
Toronto, ON M1P 2Y7
416-288-8515
VP, Franchising and Real-Estate
Development: Larry Santolini
History, Plans
- established 1978 In Waterloo, Ont.
- 40 units in Canada (38 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $20,000
- training fee $5,000
- architectural drawings $12,500 to
$20,000
- signage fee $8,000 to $12,000
- equipment/leasehold improvements
$129,500 to $167,500
- advertising fee 3 %
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- information available upon request
NEW YORK FRIES
RECIPE UNLIMITED CORPORATION
199 Four Valley Dr.
Vaughan, On L4K 0B8
905-760-2244, ext. 2255
VP, Franchising & International
Development: Courtney Hindorff
History, Plans
- established 1983 in Toronto
- 151 units in Canada; 36 outside of Canada
(132 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- total costs $230,000 to $350,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
NICKELS DELICATESSEN
FOODTASTIC INC.
9245 rue Thimens
Pierrefonds, QC H8Y 0A1
514-856-5555, ext. 260
855-771-0177
franchise@foodtastic.ca
Directors, Franchising & Development:
Nikki Arvanitakis; Guyaume Arseneault
History, Plans
- established 1990 in Montreal
- 12 units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $25,000
- project cost $700,000 to $800,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
(THE) OLD SPAGHETTI FACTORY
OLD SPAGHETTI FACTORY CANADA LTD.
55 Water St., Ste. 210
Vancouver, BC V6B 1A1
604-684-1287
Director, Franchising: Ken Lobson
History, Plans
- established 1970 in Vancouver
- 15 units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- information available upon request
- royalty fee 5%
- advertising fee 3%
Services
- marketing assistance
- opening assistance
- procurement
- research/development
- site approval
- staff training
- support and development
OPA! OF GREECE
OPA! SOUVLAKI FRANCHISE GROUP INC.
7235 Flint Rd. S.E.
Calgary, Ab T2H 1G2
403-245-0033
President, CEO: Dorrie Karras
History, Plans
- founded 1998 in Calgary
- 100 units in Canada (all franchised)
- plans to expand within Canada
Franchise Costs
Food Court:
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- equipment cost $150,000 to $200,000
- total investments $355,000 to $480,000
- advertising fee 3% of sales
- royalty fee 6% of sales
Street Front:
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- equipment cost $150,000 to $220,000
- total costs $405,000 to $497,000
- advertising fee 3% of sales
- royalty fee 6% of sales
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
ORIGINAL JOE’S
RESTAURANT & BAR
RECIPE UNLIMITED CORPORATION
199 Four Valley Dr.
Vaughan, ON L4K 0B8
905-760-2244, ext. 2255
VP, Franchising & International
Development: Courtney Hindorff
History, Plans
- established in 1997 in Calgary
- 59 units in Canada (43 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $60,000
- total costs $1,400,000 to $1,700,000
- advertising 2%
- royalty fee 5%
* Denotes 2021 updates were not received and information is current as of February 2020
42 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
THE 2021 FRANCHISE REPORT
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
PANAGIO’S ALL DAY GRILL*
PANAGIO’S INC.
6085 Creditview Rd., Unit 17
Mississauga, ON L5B 0C5
800-265-6298
History, Plans
- established in 2008
- four units in Canada
- seeking franchisees for Ontario-wide
expansion
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- equipment/site cost $300,000 to
$400,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- business development
- lease negotiation
- opening assistance
- pricing/quality controls
- procurement
- research/development
- site selection
- training
PANAGO PIZZA INC. *
33149 Mill Lake Rd.
Abbotsford, BC V2S 2A4
604-859-6621
Director of Franchising: Nigel Beattie
History, Plans
- established 1986 in Abbotsford, B.C.
- 195 units in Canada (187 franchised)
- capitalizing on new market opportunities
in Western Canada; building the
momentum in key Eastern-Canadian
markets
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- total costs $560,000
- royalty fee 5%
- advertising fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
- other
PANNIZZA RESTAURANTS INC.*
3230 des Aristocrates
Laval, QC H7E 5H7
514-501-7876
President: Pierre Guertin
VP Marketing & Strategic Planning:
Ritou Maloni
History, Plans
- founded 2013 in Montreal
- six units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $20,000
- total costs $175,000 to $225,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
(THE) PANTRY RESTAURANTS*
TRIUMPH HOSPITALITY GROUP
33048 – 1583 Marine Dr. W.
Vancouver, BC V7V 4W7
604-281-1380
History, Plans
- seven units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- information available upon request
Services
- information available upon request
PARAMOUNT FINE FOODS*
10 Four Seasons Pl., Ste. 601
Toronto, ON M9B 6H7
416-695-8900
Franchise Coordinator:
Magda Chelminska
History, Plans
- founded 2006
- 65 units globally
- plans to expand across Canada and
internationally
Franchise Costs
- information available upon request
Services
- advertising/marketing
- lease negotiations
- regional operations support
- site selection
- supplies
- training
PARKER’S BBQ & PRIME
RIB GRILL
PARKERS BRANDS INC.
1770 Argentia Rd.
Mississauga, ON L5N 3S7
905-814-8030
Franchise Development Manager:
Elaine Macheras
History, Plans
- established in 2020 in Ontario
- five units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $30,000
- estimated development costs $250,000
to $400,000
- advertising fee 1%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design and construction
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- supplies & purchasing
- site location
- staff training
PERKINS RESTAURANT
& BAKERY*
6075 Poplar Ave., Ste. 800
Memphis, TN 38119-4709
901-766-6400
VP, Franchising: Dave Blouin
History, Plans
- established 1958 in Cincinnati, Ohio
- 16 units in Canada; 355 outside of
Canada
- seeking to expand in Alberta, B.C.,
Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and
Saskatchewan
Franchise Costs
- information available upon request
- advertising fee 3%
- local advertising commitment 0.5%
- royalty fee 4%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
PINKBERRY
PINKBERRY CANADA INC.
210 Shields Ct.
Markham, ON L3R 8V2
905-479-8762
Chairman and CEO: Aaron Serruya
History, Plans
- established 2005 in Los Angeles
- 93 units in Canada; 113 outside of Canada
- plans to expand across Canada and
internationally via traditional and nontraditional
units
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee US$45,000
- total costs US$150,000 to US$500,000
- advertising fee 3% of gross sales
- royalty fee 6% of gross sales
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
PITA PIT CANADA
425 Princess St.
Kingston, ON K7L 1B9
855-748-2748
Franchise Development: Melanie D’Aloisio
History, Plans
- established in 1995 in Kingston, Ont.
- 570+ units worldwide
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $10,000 to $20,000
- total investment $291,900 to $365,150
- advertising fee 1%
- royalty fee 5% of monthly gross sales
Services
- information available upon request
PIZZA 73
PIZZA PIZZA LIMITED
4949 51 St. S.E.
Calgary, AB T2B 3S7
403-221-7373
SVP of Operations and Development:
Philip Goudreau
History, Plans
- established in 1985 in Edmonton
- 89 traditional locations; 17 nontraditional
locations in Canada
Joint Venture Costs
- initial partnership fee $50,000
- advertising fee 8%
- administration fee 3%
* Denotes 2021 updates were not received and information is current as of February 2020
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
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THE 2021 FRANCHISE REPORT
Services
- accounting/finance
- call centre operations
- IT infrastructure
- operational support
- payroll
- real-estate development/renewals
- training
PIZZA DELIGHT
MTY FRANCHISING INC
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Casual Dining: Marie-Line
Beauchamp
History, Plans
- established 1968 in Shediac, N.B.
- 71 franchised units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000 (street);
$15,000 (mall)
- total costs $288,000 to $646,000
- advertising fee 1.5% to 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
PIZZA HUT*
YUM! BRANDS INC.
191 Creditview Rd., Ste. 100
Vaughan, ON L4L 9T1
416-664-5200
Director of Development: Marco Moretto
History, Plans
- established 1958 in Wichita, Kan.
- 419 units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee US$24,200
- application fee CAD$12,000
- advertising fee 5%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- site location
- staff training
PIZZA NOVA
2247 Midland Ave.
Toronto, ON M1P 4R1
416-439-0051
President: Domenic Primucci
Franchise Development Manager:
Meraj Jamal
History, Plans
- established 1963 in Toronto
- 154 units in Canada (152 franchised)
- continued expansion into key markets
with plans to add up to 10 units
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $20,000
- site cost $450,000 to $505,000
- total costs: $450,000 to $525,000
- advertising fee 4%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
- other
PIZZA PIZZA
PIZZA PIZZA LIMITED
500 Kipling Ave.
Toronto, ON M8Z 5E5
416-967-1010
VP of Franchising: Sebastian Fuschini
History, Plans
- established 1967 in Toronto
- 418 units in Canada (373 franchised)
- 204 non-traditional locations
- continued growth planned in B.C.,
Maritimes and Quebec
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- equipment/site cost $350,000 (depends
on location; turnkey)
- advertising fee 6%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- call centre operations
- financing assistance
- IT infrastructures
- marketing support
- operational support
- real-estate development
- training
PIZZAVILLE INC. *
741 Rowntree Dairy Rd., Unit 1
Woodbridge, ON L4L 5T9
416-736-3636
History, Plans
- established in 1963 in Toronto
- 80 units in Canada (79 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- total costs $300,000 to $350,000
- flat-fee advertising (weekly)
- flat royalty fee (weekly)
- more information available upon request
Services
- information available upon request
POPEYES LOUISIANA KITCHEN
RESTAURANT BRANDS INTERNATIONAL
5707 Blue Lagoon Dr.
Miami, FLA 33126
General Manager, Canada: Rob Manuel
History, Plans
- founded 1972 in New Orleans
- 230 units in Canada; 3,300 worldwide
- continuing global expansion through
2021
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee US$45,000
- advertising fee 4.3%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
POULET FUSÉE
FOODTASTIC
9245, rue Thimens
Pierrefonds, QC H8Y 0A1
514-856-5555, ext. 260
855-771-0177
franchise@foodtastic.ca
Directors, Franchising & Development:
Nikki Arvanitakis; Guyaume Arseneault
History, Plans
- established in Montreal
- 20 units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $25,000
- projected cost $500,000 to $700,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
PRESSE CAFE*
LES CAFES V.P.
1422 Nôtre-Dame W.
Montreal, QC H3C 1K9
514-935-5553
History, Plans
- founded in 1994
- 62 units in Canada; eight outside of
Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $35,000
- total cost $200,000 to $400,000
- minimum investment required 40% to
50% of project cost
Services
- information available upon request
PUMPERNICKELS*
JSF FRANCHISE GROUP INC.
90 Adelaide St. W., Ste. 700
Toronto, ON, M5H 4A6
877-308-4889
Franchising: Joel Friedman
History, Plans
- established 1986
- 15 units in Canada
- plans to expand in the Greater Toronto
Area and other parts of Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $35,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 6.5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
QUESADA BURRITOS - TACOS
QUESADA FRANCHISING OF
CANADA CORP.
1240 Bay St., Ste. 304
Toronto, ON M5R 2A7
866-854-2400
President: Steve Gill
History, Plans
- established 2004 in Toronto
- 165 units in Canada
- 15 locations in development
* Denotes 2021 updates were not received and information is current as of February 2020
44 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
THE 2021 FRANCHISE REPORT
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- equipment cost $68,000 to $73,500
- construction cost $110,000 to $155,000
- total costs $238,500 to $320,500
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- franchisee training
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
QUIZNOS*
QUIZNOS CANADA RESTAURANT
CORPORATION
1267 Cornwall Rd., Ste. 301
Oakville, ON L6J 7T5
647-259-0333
Director, Franchising: Marc Choy
History, Plans
- established 1981 in Denver, Colo.
- 750+ locations worldwide
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $10,000
- total investment $211,850 to $326,549
- marketing fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- information available upon request
RICKY’S GROUP OF FAMILY
STYLE RESTAURANTS
401-1901 Rosser Ave.
Burnaby, BC V5C 6S3
888-597-7272
History, Plans
- established 1962 in Vancouver
- 79 units in Canada (77 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $45,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
ROBIN’S DONUTS (2006) LTD.
CHAIRMAN BRANDS CORP.
77 Progress Ave.
Toronto, ON M1P 2Y7
416-288-8515
VP, Franchising and Real-Estate
Development: Larry Santolini
History, Plans
- established 1975 in Thunder Bay, Ont.
- 151 units in Canada (137 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $25,000
- training fee $5,000
- equipment/leasehold improvements
$165,000 to $350,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design/construction
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
ROTISSERIE BENNY
FOODTASTIC
9245, rue Thimens
Pierrefonds, QC H8Y 0A1
514-856-5555, ext. 260
info@foodtastic.ca
Director of Franchising: Nikki Arvanitakis
History, Plans
- established in 1960 in Montreal
- six units in Canada
- franchise opportunities across Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- project costs $500,000 to $600,000
- advertising fee 2%
- local advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
SALAD LOOP*
SALAD LOOP GROUP INVESTMENTS INC.
124 W. 1st St., Unit 1002
North Vancouver, BC V7M 3N3
604-729-4717
President: Sean Kim
History, Plans
- founded 2000 in Vancouver
- 10 units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- information available upon request
Services
- information available upon request
SAN FRANCESCO FOODS*
28 Industrial St., Unit 203
Toronto, ON M4G 1Y9
416-535-7805
History, Plans
- founded in 1954 in Toronto
- seven units in Canada
- plans to expand in Southern Ontario
Franchise Costs
- information available upon request
Services
- design/construction
- purchasing
- staff training
- other
SAWMILL PRIME RIB &
STEAK HOUSE*
4180 Calgary Trail S., 2nd Fl.
Edmonton, AB T6H 5H5
780-463-4499
Director of Operations: Len McCullough
History, Plans
- founded in 1976 in Edmonton
- nine units in Canada (seven franchised)
- continued growth in Alberta, B.C.,
Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario,
New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, P.E.I. and
Newfoundland
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $50,000
- equipment/site cost $1,500,000 to
$3,000,00 (based on size/location)
- total costs $1,500,000+
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
SCORES
MTY GROUP
200, 8150 Trans-Canada Hwy.
Saint-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Casual Dining: Marie-Line
Beauchamp
History, Plans
- established in 1995 in Montreal
- 38 units in Canada (36 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $60,000
- total costs $1,000,000 to $1,200,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 4%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- site location
- staff training
SECOND CUP COFFEE CO. *
AEGIS BRANDS
6303 Airport Rd.
Mississauga, ON L4V 1R8
905-362-1818
VP, Franchise Development: Audra Wosik
History, Plans
- established 1975 in Toronto
- approx. 300 units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $40,000
- Pinkberry fee $5,000
- total costs $300,000 to $500,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 7.5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- regional operations support
- site location
- training
- other
SHOELESS JOE’S SPORTS GRILL*
SHOELESS JOE’S LTD.
551 Jevlan Dr.
Woodbridge, ON L4L 8W1
905-760-1295
VP Business Development: Danny
Grammenopoulos
History, Plans
- founded 1985 in Toronto
- 28 units in Canada (all franchised)
- planning to expand across Canada;
primary growth in the Ontario,
Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta;
accepting opportunities for Nova Scotia,
Newfoundland and B.C.
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $45,000
- development cost $1,000,000 to
$2,000,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5 to 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
* Denotes 2021 updates were not received and information is current as of February 2020
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
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THE 2021 FRANCHISE REPORT
SMITTY’S CANADA INC.
501 18th Ave. S.W., Ste. 500
Calgary, AB T2S 0C7
403-229-3838
Director, Franchising: Jim Weidinger
History, Plans
- established 1960 in Calgary
- 80+ units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $35,000
- equipment/site costs $160,000 to
$180,000
- leasehold improvements $50,000 to
$700,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
SMOKE’S POUTINERIE
SMOKE’S POUTINERIE INC.
85 Kingston Rd. E., Unit 5
Ajax, ON L1S 7J4
905-427-4444
mark@smokespoutinerie.com
VP Franchising,Global Development Officer:
Mark Cunningham
History, Plans
- established 2008 in Toronto
- 150+ units in Canada; nine additional
countries with locations
- aggressive expansion planned for
Canada, the U.S. and international
locations; traditional, non-traditional,
sports and entertainment, educational
and amusement portfolios
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- total costs $350,000 to $450,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- operational support
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
- training
SOUTH STREET BURGER
MTY FOOD GROUP INC.
2 Bishop St., Ste. 400
Toronto, ON M5R 1N2
416-963-5005
COO of Fast Casual: Marc Benzacar
History, Plans
- established 2005 in Toronto
- 40 units in Canada; one outside of
Canada (20 franchised)
- additional units planned in Canada and
internationally
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $35,000
- equipment/site cost $350,000 to
$650,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- management
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
SOUVLAKI BAR
FOODTASTIC
9245, rue Thimens
Pierrefonds, QC H8Y 0A1
514-856-5555, ext. 260
855-771-0177
franchise@foodtastic.ca
Directors, Franchising & Development:
Nikki Arvanitakis; Guyaume Arseneault
History, Plans
- established 1990 in Montreal
- 12 units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $25,000
- project cost $700,000 to $800,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
ST. LOUIS BAR & GRILL*
ST. LOUIS FRANCHISE LIMITED
2040 Yonge St., Ste. 200B
Toronto, ON M4S 1Z9
416-485-1094
CEO/Founder: Brent Poulton
History, Plans
- established 2002 in Toronto
- 70+ units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $40,000
- total costs $850,000 to $950,000
- advertising fee 1.75%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
- other
STATE & MAIN KITCHEN & BAR
RECIPE UNLIMITED CORPORATION
199 Four Valley Dr.
Vaughan, ON L4K 0B8
905-760-2244, ext 2255
VP, Franchising & International
Development: Courtney Hindorff
History, Plans
- established in 2012
- 28 units in Canada (20 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $60,000
- total costs $1,400,000 to $1,700,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
STEAK FRITES ST.
MTY GROUP
200, 8150 Trans-Canada Hwy.
Saint-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Casual Dining: Marie-Line
Beauchamp
History, Plans
- established in 1986 in Montreal
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- initial investment $750,000 to $800,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
SUBWAY
DOCTOR’S ASSOCIATES INC.
325 Sub Way
Milford, CT 06461-3059
203-877-4281
Chief Development Officer: Don Fertman
History, Plans
- established 1965 in Bridgeport, Conn.
- 3,000+ locations in Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $15,000
- advertising fee 4.5%
- royalty fee 8%
Services
- floor plans
- ongoing training
- site selection assistance
- staff training
SUKIYAKI
MTY FRANCHISING INC..
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of QSR: Jason Brading
History, Plans
- founded 1979
- 10 units in Canada; nine outside of
Canada (all franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
SUNNYSIDE GRILL
2 Jane St., Ste. 202
Toronto, ON M6S 4W3
416-604-0650
President: Jeff Parissi
History, Plans
- established 2004
- 12 units in Canada (all franchised)
- plans to grow by one to two units per
year
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $35,000
- total turnkey build-out cost $200,000
- advertising fee 1%
- royalty fee 4%
* Denotes 2021 updates were not received and information is current as of February 2020
46 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
THE 2021 FRANCHISE REPORT
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- ongoing support
- purchasing
- site location
- social media
- staff training
- supplies
SUNSET GRILL
RESTAURANTS LTD.
5100 Erin Mills Town Centre
P.O. Box 53036
Mississauga, ON L5M 5A7
905-286-5833
CEO: Angelo Christou
History, Plans
- established 1985 in Toronto
- 96 units in Canada (all franchised)
- expansion planned across Canada and
in the U.S.
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $55,000
- total costs $650,000
- advertising fee 1%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
SUSHI MAN
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Fast Casual: Marc Benzacar
History, Plans
- purchased in 2014
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
SUSHI SHOP
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Fast Casual: Marc Benzacar
History, Plans
- founded 2000
- 150 units in Canada (132 franchised);
three outside of Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- initial investment $216,000 to $441,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
SWEET JESUS
HOLY SWEET INC.
210 Shields Ct.
Markham, ON L3R 8V2
905-479-8762
CEO: Aaron Serruya
History, Plans
- established in 2015 in Thornhill, Ont.
- seven units in Canada; two outside of
Canada
- plans to expand across Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $40,000
- total costs $231,025 to $670,080
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
SWISS CHALET ROTISSERIE
AND GRILL
RECIPE UNLIMITED CORPORATION
199 Four Valley Dr.
Vaughan, ON L4K 0B8
905-760-2244, ext. 2255
VP, Franchising & International
Development: Courtney Hindorff
History, Plans
- established in 1954 in Ontario
- 204 units in Canada (192 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $35,000 to $75,000
- total costs $1,100,000 to $1,400,000
- advertising fee 4% national; 1% local
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
SYMPOSIUM CAFE INC. *
6021 Yonge St., Ste. 475
Toronto, ON M2M 3W2
416-449-3611
Director of Franchising: Ron Ansett
History, Plans
- established in 1996 in London, Ont.;
franchising since 2004
- 28 units in Canada (27 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $50,000
- equipment/other costs $85,000 to
$130,000
- total costs $625,000 to $675,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
TACO BELL*
TACO BELL CANADA COMPANY
191 Creditview Rd., Ste. 100
Woodbridge, ON L4L 9T1
416-254-4266
Development Manager: Alex Grudkin
History, Plans
- established 1952 in Downey, Calif.
- 170+ units in Canada (all franchised);
7,000 outside of Canada
- plans to expand throughout Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $49,100
- equipment/site cost $700,000
- build cost $1,200,000 to $1,400,000
- other costs $500,000
- total cost $1,249,100
- marketing fee 4.7% of gross sales; 1%
local store marketing
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
TACO TIME
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of QSR: Jason Brading
History, Plans
- founded 1978
- 131 units in Canada (all franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- initial investment $288,000 to $506,000
- advertising fee 4%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
TANDORI
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Fast Casual: Marc Benzacar
History, Plans
- established 1979 in Montreal
- 12 units in Canada (10 franchised); one
outside of Canada (franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- initial investment $294,000 to $570,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
TASTE OF MEDITERRANEAN*
T.O.M FRANCHISE INC.
2 Toronto St., Ste. 324
Toronto, ON M5C 2B5
416-821-5561
CEO: Sam Hussein
* Denotes 2021 updates were not received and information is current as of February 2020
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 47
THE 2021 FRANCHISE REPORT
History, Plans
- established 2004 in Toronto
- nine units in Canada; one outside of
Canada (all franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $12,000
- equipment/site cost $99,000 to $175,000
- no advertising fee
- royalty fee $1,000 flat
Services
- financing
- lease negotiation
- marketing
- site location
- store set up
- training
TCBY
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Fast Casual: Marc Benzacar
History, Plans
- established in 1980 in Little Rock, Ark.
- established in Canada in 1990 in Montreal
and Toronto
Franchise costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000; $10,000 for
co-brand
- initial investment $326,000 to $480,000
- advertising fee included in cost of goods;
3% for co-brand
- royalty fee included in cost of goods; 5%
for co-brand
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
TERIYAKI EXPERIENCE
INNOVATIVE FOOD BRANDS
531 North Service Rd. E.
Oakville, ON L6H 1A5
905-337-7777
Director of Franchising: Nik Jurkovic
History, Plans
- established 1986 in Toronto
- 55 units in Canada; 27 outside of Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- total costs $300,000 to $500,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training (assist onsite)
- other
THAI EXPRESS
MTY FRANCHISING INC
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
Vice President: Dennis Ng
History, Plans
- founded 2000 in Montreal
- 288 units in Canada; five international
(all franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- total costs $336,000 to $714,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
THAI ZONE
MTY FRANCHISING INC
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Fast Casual: Marc Benzacar
History, Plans
- founded 2007
- 39 units in Quebec (all franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- total costs $468,000 to $855,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
TIKI MING
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of QSR: Jason Brading
History, Plans
- founded 1983
- 30 units in Canada (28 franchised); 10
outside of Canada (all franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- initial Investment $375,000 to $578,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- information available upon request
TILTED KILT PUB & EATERY*
JSF FRANCHISE GROUP INC.
3636 Bathurst St., Ste. 1611
Toronto, ON M6A 2Y5
416-819-2644
VP of Franchising: Joel Friedman
History, Plans
- founded 2005 in Arizona
- six units in Canada; 100 outside of
Canada (all franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $75,000
- equipment/site cost $500,000
- total costs $1,750,000
- advertising fee 2% (national); 4% (local)
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
TIM HORTONS
RESTAURANT BRANDS INTERNATIONAL
130 King St. W.
Toronto, ON M5X 2A2
888-601-1616
President, Americas: Axel Schwan
History, Plans
- established 1964 in Hamilton, Ont.
- 3,981 units in Canada; 953 outside of
Canada
- continuing global expansion through
2021
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $50,000
- advertising fee 4%
- royalty fee 4.5% to 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- equipment
- furniture
- management
- purchasing
- staff training
TIMOTHY’S WORLD COFFEE
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
55 Administration Rd., Unit 37
Woodbridge, ON L4K 4G9
877-434-3223, ext. 7314
COO of QSR: Jason Brading
History, Plans
- established 1975 in London, Ont.
- 39 units in Canada (32 franchised);
two outside of Canada
- exploring potential sites in various
markets
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- total cost $241,000 to $633,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 9%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
TOMMY CAFE
FOODTASTIC
9245, rue Thimens
Pierrefonds, QC H8Y 0A1
514-856-5555, ext. 260
855-771-0177
franchise@foodtastic.ca
Directors, Franchising & Development:
Nikki Arvanitakis; Guyaume Arseneault
History, Plans
- established in Montreal
- four units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $25,000
- projected cost $400,000 to $600,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
TOPPER’S PIZZA
TOPPER’S FRANCHISING COMPANY INC.
551 Bryne Dr., Unit N
Barrie, ON L4N 9Y3
705-735-2127
Franchise Development Manager:
Anik Gaumond
History, Plans
- established 1982 in Sudbury, Ont.
- 36 units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
* Denotes 2021 updates were not received and information is current as of February 2020
48 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
THE 2021 FRANCHISE REPORT
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
TOUJOURS MIKES
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
200, 8150 Trans-Canada Hwy.
Saint-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Casual Dining:
Marie-LineBeauchamp
History, Plans
- established in 1967 in Quebec
- 64 units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $22,500 to $45,000
- training fee $5,000
- total costs $600,000 to $700,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
TRIPLE O’S RESTAURANT
WHITE SPOT LIMITED
200 - 8223 Sherbrooke St.
Vancouver, BC V5X 4E6
604-321-6631
Business Development Manager:
Karen Dosen
History, Plans
- founded 1997 in Vancouver
- 68 units in Canada (61 franchised)
- focusing on growth in Western Canada
and Ontario
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $40,000
- equipment/site cost approx. $1,100,000
(depending on site)
- total cost approx. $1,140,000 (depending
on site)
- advertising fee 2.0%
- royalty fee 6.0%
- other fees 1.0%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
TURTLE JACK’S MUSKOKA GRILL
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
3370 S. Service Rd., Ste. 300
Burlington, ON L7L 3M6
905-332-6833, ext. 234
CEO: Eric Lefebvre
History, Plans
- established 1992 in Burlington, Ont.
- 19 units in Canada
- one new unit under construction
Franchise Costs
- information available upon request
Services
- information available upon request
TUTTI FRUTTI
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Casual Dining:
Marie-Line Beauchamp
History, Plans
- founded 1996
- 35+ units in Canada (32 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $35,000 to $40,000
- initial investment $578,000 to $830,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 5% (6% Alta. and B.C.)
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
URBAN KITCHEN/SELECT
SANDWICH*
SELECT FOOD SERVICES INC.
155 Gordon Baker Rd., Ste. 214
Toronto, ON M2H 3N5
416-391-1244
Director of Franchising: Carol Kahn
History, Plans
- established 1979 in Toronto
- 11 properties in Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 7%
Services
- information available upon request
VALENTINE
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of QSR: Jason Brading
History, Plans
- founded in 1984
- 100+ units in Canada (95 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- initial investment $229,000 to $462,000
- advertising fee 2.5%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
VAN HOUTTE
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Fast Casual: Marc Benzacar
History, Plans
- established 1919 in Montreal
- 51 franchised units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $25,000
- initial investment $241,000 to $623,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
VERA’S BURGER SHACK *
42 W. 8th Ave., Ste. 3
Vancouver, BC V5Y 1M7
604-683-8372
President: Gerald Tritt
History, Plans
- established 1977 in Vancouver
- 11 units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- total cost $164,500 to $353,000
- advertising fee 3.5%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
VIA CIBO ITALIAN STREET FOOD
VIA CIBO FRANCHISING INC
2829 Sherwood Heights Dr., Ste. 101
Oakville, ON L6J 7R7
416-449-2221, ext. 114
VP of Development: Sean Black
History, Plans
- established 2014
- eight units in Canada
- plans to expand franchises in British
Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $35,000
- equipment/site cost $600,000 to
750,000
- turnkey costs $650,000 to $800,000
- advertising fee 1.5%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- operational support
- purchasing
- social media
- site location
- staff training (opening)
- supplies
VIE & NAM
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
Vice-President: Dennis Ng
History, Plans
- established in 2008 in Montreal
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 6%
Service
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
* Denotes 2021 updates were not received and information is current as of February 2020
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 49
VILLA MADINA
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of QSR: Jason Brading
History, Plans
- founded in 2003
- 43 units in Canada (all franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- initial investment $318,000 to $558,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
WASABI GRILL & NOODLE
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of QSR: Jason Brading
History, Plans
- founded in 2012
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $30,000
- initial investment $375,000 to $563,000
- marketing fee 1%
- royalty fee 6% to 7%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
WENDY’S RESTAURANTS OF
CANADA INC.
5515 N. Service Rd., Ste. 201
Burlington, ON. L7L 6G4
905-331-0341
wendys.franchising@wendys.com
Manager, Franchise & Strategic Planning:
Jane Dann
History, Plans
- established in 1969 in Columbus,
Ohio; established in Canada in 1975 in
Hamilton, Ont.
- 391 units in Canada (all franchised)
Franchise Costs
- application fee $5,000 (new franchises)
- initial franchise fee $50,000
- total investment $2,000,000 to
$3,500,000
- advertising fee 4%
- royalty fee 4%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- quality assurance
- site development/location
- staff training
- supplies
WHITE SPOT RESTAURANT
WHITE SPOT LIMITED
200 - 8223 Sherbrooke St.
Vancouver, BC V5X 4E6
604-321-6631
Business Development Manager:
Karen Dosen
History, Plans
- founded 1928 in Vancouver
- 61 units in Canada (37 franchised)
- focusing on growth in Western Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $75,000
- equipment/site cost approx. $1,900,000
(depending on site)
- total cost approx. $1,975,000 (depending
on site)
- advertising fee 2.5%
- royalty fee 5%
- other fees 0.5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
WILLIAMS FRESH CAFE INC.
52 Abbotsford Rd.
Gormley, ON L4A 2C1
416-637-5976
VP, Marketing: Peter Druxerman
History, Plans
- established 1993 in Stratford, Ont.
- 19+ units in Canada (17 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- total cost $180,000 (express unit) to
$650,000 (sit-down café)
- advertising fee 1%
- royalty fee 6.5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- franchisee/staff training
- intranet
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- regional director support
- site location
* Denotes 2021 updates were not received and information is current as of February 2020
WIMPY’S DINER INC. *
160 Konrad Crest., Unit 1
Markham, ON L3R 9T9
888-594-6797
GM: Jim Daikos
History, Plans
- founded 1961
- 61 units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- total cost $250,000 to $500,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 4%
Services
- information available upon request
WOK BOX FRESH ASIAN
KITCHEN*
19074 22nd Ave., Unit 102
Surrey, BC V3S 3S6
778-545-0233
CEO: Lawrence Eade
History, Plans
- established 2004 in Edmonton
- 53 units in Canada
- expanding in Western Canada during
the next two years; planned growth in
Ontario and Eastern Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
(THE) WORKS
MTY FRANCHISING INC
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Fast Casual: Marc Benzacar
History, Plans
- established 2001 in Ottawa
- 27 units in Canada (23 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $45,000
- total costs $622,000 to $1,063,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
YEH!
YEH! WORLDWIDE INC.
210 Shields Ct.
Markham, ON L3R 8V2
905-479-8762
CEO: Aaron Serruya
History, Plans
- established 2008 in Quebec
- seven units in Canada
- plans to expand across Quebec
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise cost $32,000
- total costs $219,850 to $399,500
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
YOGURTY’S
INTERNATIONAL FRANCHISING INC.
210 Shields Ct.
Markham, ON L3R 8V2
905-479-8762
Founder: Aaaron Serruya
History, Plans
- established 1987 in Toronto
- 15 units in Canada
- plans to expand across Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- equipment/site cost $153,000 to
$483,000
- total costs $178,000 to $508,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
50 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
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TECHNOLOGY
AHEAD OF SCHE
TECHNOLOGY HAS ALLOWED RESTAURANTS TO CREATE A NEW REALITY
BY BRITTAIN BROWN
Brittain Brown is president of
Givex. Since joining Givex in
2003, he’s held various managerial
roles in the national accounts and
Operations divisions and has been
responsible for some of the company’s
largest client successes. As president,
Brown has driven Givex’s international
expansion efforts and
overseen the successful acquisition
of new additions to the Givex
family of companies.
The pandemic served
a harsh blow to the
restaurant industry,
forcing countless establishments
to permanently
shut down, leaving many
Canadians out of work
and, ultimately, cutting
people off from the local
watering holes that, for
many, served as critical community hubs.
The realization that the only way out of this
is through it, had restaurant owners across
the country quickly finding ways to adapt
to the new normal, implementing technology
to enhance safety for staff and guests and
pivoting their services and operations to
meet evolving customer demands. After a
year of innovative technology adoption and
re-imagining the restaurant experience, the
profound resilience of this tenacious industry
has catapulted restaurants far into the future,
accelerating the modernization of operations
and launching them into a new reality.
OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH
THE NEW NORMAL
COVID-19 came in like a wrecking ball, devastating
restaurants across the country and leaving
the survivors grappling with how to. While
many fast-food restaurants were able to maintain
drive-thru operations and some restaurants
were able to switch to a take-out model, dining
establishments that relied primarily on dine-in
service lacked the technology and infrastructure
to keep running — a reality that forced immediate
and sweeping closures. Since the beginning
ISTOCK.COM/TIJANA87
52 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
DULE
of the pandemic, at least 10,000 restaurants have
closed across Canada, according to Restaurants
Canada, which reported industry layoffs totalling
approximately 800,000 at the height of
COVID-19. Turning to technology was the only
way for many establishments to survive.
Social restrictions and lockdowns resulted
in a surge in delivery and takeout as Canadians
continued to support local businesses from the
comfort of their homes, requiring restaurants
to establish digital systems to accommodate the
influx of orders. Many businesses utilized thirdparty-delivery
apps to reach new customers, capitalizing
on the easy set up and access to drivers.
Others opted to develop in-house ordering
systems, which allowed them complete control
over customer service and the ability to drive
customer loyalty without the costly fees of
third-party apps. User-friendly online solutions
were critical in streamlining ordering to
maintain restaurants’ revenue.
Adopting in-house technology to
streamline orders has also been critical in
reducing costs and maintaining efficiency.
Implementing kitchen display systems
(KDS) allows restaurants to streamline
orders for the back-of-house by replacing
the traditional paper-chit system with
digital tools. In kitchens known for their
fast-paced and chaotic environments, KDS
streamline food preparation by automatically
calculating cooking times and queuing
up orders, negating the need to shout across
the kitchen and preventing food waste and
other costly errors caused by the manual
organization of paper chits at the risk of
misplacing or mis-ordering them.
Restaurants have also widely adopted technology
for the front of house to improve efficiency
and reduce high-touch points in a dedicated
effort to enhance safety for both staff and
guests. Since the beginning of the pandemic,
there’s been a notable spike in tableside QR
codes to direct guests to digital menus accessible
from smartphones, as restaurants quickly
worked to reduce touch points by replacing
physical menus with online-ordering tools. QR
codes also served to direct guests to restaurants’
social-media channels and website.
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
Many restaurants replaced shared point-ofsales
(POS) systems with personal, handheld
tablets for servers. This not only limits contact
by preventing servers from lining up for their
turn at a shared POS system, but reduces the
risk of costly errors by allowing servers to ring
through an order directly at the table placing
it. Additionally, contactless payment options
have become the new normal, with touchless
technology such as tap payments more often
expected than considered a luxury.
The demand for gift cards also grew, offering
customers a means of supporting local businesses
at the start of the pandemic, and hitting new
records during the holiday season as e-gift cards
provided a safe solution to gift-giving. Ongoing
safety concerns meant that gift cards became an
ideal form of payment to reduce the use of cash.
LEVERAGING FUTURISTIC
TECHNOLOGY
The re-imagining of restaurant operations has
catapulted the industry into the otherwise distant
future, expediting restaurant innovation
to levels well beyond where we expected to be
at this point in time.
In many ways, the restaurant experience is
being re-designed to meet evolving customer
demands and expectations of heightened safety
protocols, especially as customers continue to
opt for convenience and at-home dining. If the
future of restaurants relies on automation, then
Toronto’s Box’d has a vision we can expect to
see more of. Box’d operates on a new model
whereby a digital-ordering system and contactless
pick-up has removed any need for frontof-house
staff. Robots may have seemed like
an unattainable futuristic idea, but 2020 has
evidently launched us into the future.
Similarly, quick-service restaurants are
implementing new concepts to re-define the
drive-thru experience. The launch of Taco
Bell’s new “Go-Mobile” concept is a sign of
the shift in drive-thrus as they begin to offer
digital ordering through mobile apps to create
a frictionless ordering experience.
While previously, loyal bar patrons may
have been missing their favourite bartenders,
convenience and health concerns have customers
avoiding in-store experiences, meaning
the date nights and trips to the grocery
store are increasingly replaced by delivery
services — and restaurants are taking note.
Through in-house ordering platforms, many
restaurants have pivoted their services to
offer grocery delivery and meal kits, capitalizing
on the stay-at-home trend and meeting customers
where they are — at home.
TRENDS TO LOOK OUT FOR
Last year saw rapid digitization and the rise of
the country’s most tech-savvy restaurants,
catapulting 2021 into an evolved state, lightyears
ahead of previous forecasts, and giving
restaurants the tools to re-boot once restrictions
are lifted. As vaccines roll out, the weather
improves and restaurant patrons slowly
begin to re-introduce dining out into their
weekly routines, the restaurant industry will
continue to evolve to meet the ever-changing
demands of its beloved and loyal customers.
While foodservice has already shifted to
require reduced contact between servers and
guests, we anticipate the increased reliance on
support-staff to cater to guests’ needs. As many
longtime hospitality workers have left the industry
in search of stable employment during the
pandemic, advanced technology that streamlines
ordering and service operations will support an
increase in entry-level positions and support
staff roles. New positions will likely be created
for delivery and sanitation management, to
ensure all customer needs are met and safety
is the utmost concern. For restaurants operating
with servers, we expect to see more widely
adopted personal tablets for front-of-house
staff to reduce shared touchpoints and streamline
orders. Tableside QR codes with ordering
capabilities could also blossom as a means of
frictionless ordering and payment for an automated
tableside experience.
Now that restaurateurs have had time to settle
into the digital world, this will be an opportunity
to re-claim ownership of the customer experience
from third-party apps. We’ll likely see widespread
adoption of in-house integrated-ordering apps,
which will allow restaurants to have complete
control over customer satisfaction and food-delivery
quality, reservations and loyalty programs that
will encourage returning customers.
The restaurant industry has undergone a
dynamic transformation, evolving rapidly to
meet the ever-changing needs of customers and
ensuring safety is always the top priority. If 2020
taught us anything, it’s that we can’t predict the
future. But the widespread adoption of innovative
restaurant technology and savvy restaurateurs
will ensure that the industry is not just
well-prepared to weather any storm, it’s created
a new reality ahead of schedule. We’ve imagined
what the future could look like — we’re already
living in it. FH
MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 53
WE FOUND THAT, AFTER
THE FIRST MONTH OR
TWO OF PEOPLE BEING
LOCKED DOWN AND
HAVING CASUAL FOOD EVERY
SINGLE DAY, THERE WAS A
DEMAND AND NEED FOR
HIGH-END DINING
AT HOME
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54 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES
TAKE
TWO
COVID-19 restrictions offered
opportunities for operators to
re-think takeout strategies
THE CHALLENGE
BY AMY BOSTOCK
When dining-rooms shuttered
across the country, operators
were forced to re-think their takeout
strategies in order to survive.
While some segments — such
as quick-service and fast-casual
restaurants — were better suited
to pivot, for others, a number of
challenges presented themselves.
“We’ve always taken pride
in having a very diverse portfolio,”
says Nick Di Donato,
president and CEO of Liberty
Entertainment Group (LEG).
“We go from casual dining (Cibo
Wine Bar), which always offered
takeout and was ready to move
forward [during COVID-19], to
BlueBlood, a very high-end steakhouse
with very expensive products.”
With the average check at
BlueBlood ranging between $75
to $100 per person, ensuring the
quality of the takeout experience
matched that of in-restaurant
dining was a challenge. “When
people are spending that kind of
money, they want to have that
quality. We knew steak would
lend itself to being able to be
packaged, because the quality of
steak would resonate, but [the
challenge was] finding the right
packaging, the right containers,
the right products.”
Making space to offer takeout
safely, while adhering to physicaldistancing
guidelines, can also
prove challenging — especially
to restaurants with smaller footprints.
For Vancouver-based
Browns Restaurant Group, (BRG)
which has a number of casualdining
brands under its umbrella,
that meant re-thinking the layout
of their restaurants.
“We’ve increased takeout
packaging and pick-up area
allocation, as well as designating
specific driver access doors wherever
possible to reduce contact
occasions,” explains Bruce Fox,
executive vice-president, Business
Development for Browns (BRG).
Changing consumer behaviour
also impacted takeout
success, says Di Donato. “[Our
takeout business] fluctuates
based on timing and periods. For
example, during special events
such as the Christmas season or
Thanksgiving, it goes up a little
bit, but I found it slowed down
a little bit in January, because
people are staying at home and
making their own food — they
may be getting tired of takeout all
the time.”
THE OPPORTUNITY
While takeout is not a substitute
for in-restaurant dining, Di
Donato says government wage
and rent subsidies are making it
a sustainable alternative in the
short term and, long-term, will
help make re-opening the diningroom
easier.
“Right now, I’ve got my executive
chef for every restaurant,
I’ve got my general manager, my
sous chef and her other assistant
manager, all working. And so,
when I’m re-opening, they can
create and build our team.
While Cibo Wine Bar already
had the logistics of takeout —
from online ordering to packaging
and containers — Di Donato
wondered about the feasibility of
BlueBlood offering its menu to go.
It was here he found an unexpected
opportunity with a consumer
base craving the finer things.
“We decided it was feasible to
create some fantastic products,
but we’d have to scale it a little
bit so it would be more accessible
to homes,” says Di Donato, adding
choosing the right packaging,
containers and products was key
to maintaining both food quality
and the concept’s fine-dining
image. “We found that, after the
first month or two of people
being locked down and having
casual food every single day, there
was a demand and need for highend
dining at home.”
BlueBlood’s current takeout
offerings include Alaskan Crab
Fritters with dill and jalapeño aioli
($22), Short-Rib Wellington ($55),
a selection of steaks ($60 to $75),
side dishes, sauces and desserts.
Di Donato says every order is also
packed with a hand-written note
from the BlueBlood team.
Overall, LEG used the challenges
thrown at it by the pandemic to
find opportunities to re-visit and
re-think its pickup model “and
really fine tune them to be more
effective and make it a part of our
business. We’ve gone through the
effort of creating many [takeout]
packages — cost effective ones —
and can produce a great product to
take home, so that will stay with us
moving forward.”
One of the biggest opportunities,
says Di Donato, has been the new
ability to sell wine and spirits as
part of the company’s takeaway
and delivery options. “This was
not previously permitted, but
the new government provisions
mean we can include a selection
of wine and beer for delivery,
which has allowed us to increase
our sales.”
He’s also taken the opportunity
to “cut the fat” when it comes
to operations. “We’ve become
lean, more effective and have
been forced to look at our weekly
and monthly costs and come up
with ways to do things a little
more cost effectively. This business
really is a nickel-and-dime
business so cutting some of those
costs and being more effective will
make a difference — and that
will continue on as we come out
of this.” FH
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 55
TRADING
SPACES
Inventory levels fall as operators
shift their focus to smaller footprints
BY AMY BOSTOCK
ISTOCK.COM/HALFPOINT
56 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES
THERE’S A LOT OF GREAT
COLLABORATION HAPPENING
IN THE FOODSERVICE
INDUSTRY WITH OPERATORS —
SHARING SPACE, DEVELOPING
NEW PROJECTS AND
COLLABORATING IN SUPPORT
OF ONE ANOTHER — LOTS
OF CREATIVITY
THE CHALLENGE
In March, the phones at Torontobased
CHI Real Estate Group, a
hospitality-business broker that
helps clients buy and sell restaurants
and commercial properties,
stopped ringing.
“The number of incoming
calls our team receives is a good
indication of the market. The
month of March was definitely
‘a brace-and-see-what-happens’
month,” says Ori Grad, broker
and managing director at CHI.
“Our team works as a trusted
partner to some of our city’s finest
restaurateurs with high-quality
locations. A lot of what we do
is discreet and off-market. The
buyers generally attracted to the
calibre of opportunities we offer
dried up and the phone pretty
much stopped ringing.”
In mid-April, he says the
phone started ringing again and,
by summer, his team was back to
being busy, but most callers were
window shopping or looking to
downsize their operations.
“January and February 2020
were historically bad months
for many businesses,” says Grad.
“The combined impact of the
minimum-wage increases and the
uptick in the costs of goods affected
the industry. Typically, business
owners can look forward to business
improvement in March, but this is
when the province-wide shutdown
occurred, leaving most owners
in the most stressful situation of
their career.
“We know picking up the
phone to call us is sometimes not
an easy decision to make. While
there’s a tremendous outpouring
of support for the restaurant
industry, at the end of the day, if
continuing to operate your business
does not make good financial sense,
there’s no shame in admitting defeat
by a global pandemic.”
Bruce Fox, executive vicepresident,
Business Development
for Vancouver-based Browns
Restaurant Group, says the biggest
real-state issue facing his company
right now is rent. “Reduced
seating means reduced revenue,”
he says. “Profit margins are thin
enough in good times and the
pandemic formula, with higher
delivery fees and reduced dine-in
revenue, is a death sentence for
marginal units.” Fortunately, he
adds, “we have very few that fall
into that category and our franchisees
are sharp operators, willing
to adapt.”
As restaurants were forced to
close dining-rooms and pivot to
takeout and delivery only, Grad
says there was a significant shift
in demand for locations with
outdoor space. “Outdoor space
turned into an extremely hot commodity.
We also saw a considerable
increase in demand for smaller
takeout spots in busy areas, but
at the time, landlords were still
expecting 2019 rental rates.”
Browns’ concepts, which
have always boasted small, more
efficient footprints, made some
immediate changes when the
pandemic first hit, pivoting to
COVID-19-compliant seating
“We added plenty of (high-quality)
Plexiglas barriers and have
increased spacing,” says Fox. “We
now remove seats that are not in
use rather than leaving them in
and closing off tables, which just
leads to unnecessary guest discussions/explanations
about why
they can’t sit at a vacant table.”
According to Grad, operators
shifted their focus to quick-service
locations under 1,500 sq. ft.
instead of larger dine-in locations
and locations in the suburbs
became more desirable than those
in downtown Toronto. “Suburban
plazas with direct-entry QSR
[units] became a prized location,
and many independents and franchisors
were chasing after them.”
The rapid rise of off-premise
dining, says Vince Sgabellone,
industry analyst, Canada
Foodservice at NPD Group, has
forced operators to think of new
and faster ways to fill these orders.
Dedicated digital drive-thru lanes,
touchless pick-up lobbies, multiple
drive-thru lanes and curb-side
pickup parking are all considerations
when looking at locations.
As a result all of these shifts,
inventory became a challenge as
there was a lack of suitable spaces
under 2,000 sq. ft. that were in a
good location, but not part of an
existing mall/plaza. Although one
would expect that there would be
a lot of lease availability and lower
lease rates, Grad says for the most
part, there has been little restaurant
inventory. “Existing operators
and their landlords are receiving
assistance through the various
subsidies and programs. There’s
still a risk that a flood of vacancies
may come at some point,
depending on the recovery speed
and the continuation of government
stimulus, but all in all, the
government programs have helped
to avoid a catastrophe thus far.”
THE OPPORTUNITY
As the real-estate challenges
brought on by COVID-19 continued
to mount, CHI took the
opportunity to offer consultations
with its landlord and tenant
clients, participated in educational
offerings with Restaurants
Canada and shared information
via its blog. “There was going
to be no easy or immediate
solution,” says Grad. “The best
way forward was to foster an
open and transparent relationship
where both parties worked
together and compromised to
stay resilient. It was a matter of
trying to draw out the humanity
and creativity required to confront
such a unique and challenging
situation as COVID-19.”
Grad says the situation showed
landlords that tenants cannot pay
the same for rent as they did in
good times — especially in certain
areas that have been affected
the most by COVID-19, such
as financial districts. “Rent and
additional rents (TMI) are high
in the financial core and, without
people going into their offices to
work, restaurants in these pockets
are struggling for consumers,”
says Grad.
It’s a situation that helped fuel
the rise of ghost kitchens, says
Grad. “We have a lot of interest
in ghost kitchens — essentially, a
place in a busy area that is already
set up for foodservice but at discounted
rental rates. These are hard
to come by as downtown Toronto
is expensive, even if it is an industrial
building on a side street.”
CHI has also seen an increased
demand from investors wanting
to buy commercial buildings with
restaurants. “There’s a lot of great
collaboration happening in the
foodservice industry with operators
— sharing space, developing
new projects and collaborating in
support of one another — lots of
creativity,” says Grad. FH
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 57
SLUG HERE
ISTOCK.COM/APIWAN BORRIKONRATCHATA
ROLL
CALL
Operators are forced to reexamine
staffing strategies in
the wake of COVID-19 restrictions
BY AMY BOSTOCK
58 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES
THE CHALLENGE
According to Restaurants
Canada’s Restaurant Outlook
Survey published in April 2020,
an estimated 800,000 foodservice
employees were either laid off or
not currently working as a result
of government-imposed restrictions
put in place to slow the
spread of COVID-19.
“The initial effects were like a
Tsunami that kept on coming and
[there was] no real plan for such
an event as everything happened
very quickly,” recalls Dorrie Karras,
CEO of Calgary-based OPA! Of
Greece. “Our first priority was to
support our franchisees, as most
were forced to close or limit their
operations. We proceeded to slash
royalties and marketing fees by 66
per cent in the form of an abatement
and not a deferral.”
That meant the fast-casual
chain now had its major revenue
stream reduced to 33 per cent.
“And that was on much lower
sales, which meant we had to cut
expenses to keep the company
OUR FIRST
PRIORITY WAS TO
SUPPORT OUR
FRANCHISEES, AS MOST
WERE FORCED TO CLOSE
OR LIMIT THEIR
OPERATIONS
from bleeding at a rapid rate. At
that time, I had to make one of
the most difficult decisions of
my professional career and layoff
almost half the head-office staff.
The remaining staff’s salaries and
hours were also cut, but after a few
months, all staff were brought back
and full salaries reinstated.”
Finding ways to keep people was
a challenge also faced by Calgarybased
Browns Restaurant Group
(BRG). “We have so many great
people in our restaurants and the
biggest challenge has been to find
ways to sustain sales revenues to
allow us to keep as many of our
people employed as possible,” says
James MacFarlane, vice-president,
Operations at BRG. “Maximizing
our off-premise dining as a sales
channel has been key in this effort.
We have adopted new technologies,
adjusted how we operate, changed
our floor plans and our restaurant
designs all to facilitate greater offpremise
sales while keeping our
guests and our teams safe.”
The logistics of staffing were
also a challenge, as regulations
across the country continued
to change when the virus hit its
second wave and sales volumes
continued to fluctuate.
“Typically, in our restaurants,
we can forecast our daily/weekly
sales quite accurately to allow us
to schedule properly to provide
the best possible guest experience,”
says MacFarlane. “Through
the pandemic, forecasting has
become challenging. Consumer
spending habits and patterns seem
to change weekly, depending on
reports in the news or changes in
provincial COVID-19 regulations.
This has resulted in some tough
times for our teams where we have
been unexpectedly understaffed.
Conversely there have been periods
of overstaffing that have challenged
us financially.”
Changes to roles and responsibilities
as a result of these fluctuations
presented yet another
challenge for BRG. “In our
restaurants, and throughout our
organization, our people have
taken on more work or different
work than they did before.
Keeping people engaged and
feeling valued while they take on
more work, or work they weren’t
accustomed to, is an ongoing
challenge,” says MacFarlane.
And as an industry that relies
heavily on part-time workers,
MacFarlane says the introduction of
the Canadian Emergency Response
Benefit (CERB) meant, in many
cases, “we have not been able to
secure the part-time people we need
as they have opted to not work and
collect the CERB benefit instead.”
MacFarlane says, at BRG, “we
haven’t needed to do much hiring,
but when we have, it’s clear that
experienced staff and managers
are not actively looking for work.
We hope that this is because experienced
people are staying put in
their current roles, but we fear this
is a sign that many experienced
people have fled the F&B business
in search of a more stable sector.”
THE OPPORTUNITY
In the 2020 Canadian Chain
Restaurant Industry Review published
by CWB, NPD Group
and fsSTRATEGY, Allan Dick,
co-managing partner, Sotos LLP,
predicted the volume of restaurant
closures “would generate
a tremendous pool of available
employees at a time when
demand had previously outstripped
supply — a trend which
had previously been expected to
accelerate rather than decline.”
The opportunity now exists, says
Dick, for restaurant owners to be
aggressive in attracting top talent.
This is also the time, says
MacFarlane, to re-examine operational
efficiencies. “While we’ve
always prided ourselves on being
very effective and efficient in running
well-planned and well-costed
schedules, the pandemic forced us
to re-visit what lean looked like. In
order to survive the worst days of
the initial COVID-19 shutdown,
and ups and downs since then,
we had to re-visit every minute
of every schedule shift for every
person in our restaurants. This
perspective has allowed us to really
zero-in on where inefficiencies
have existed in the past and how
we can better deploy our people.”
He also points to the newfound
opportunity for cross
training and teamwork as a silver
lining over the past year. “From
our GMs and chefs through to the
front- and back-of-house staff,
everyone has had to become more
knowledgeable and versatile. This
has resulted in improved efficiency
levels and an increase in comradery
and pride,” says MacFarlane.
The biggest opportunity
Karras says he was able to leverage
at Opa! was the “benefit of clear,
open communication. To keep
our restaurants open and make
sure our team rosters were full, we
needed to trust each other (to follow
the rules, to stay home when
you’re sick and come to work when
you’re not). Clear expectations,
strong commitments and trust are
essential and you can’t have those
without communication.”
Operationally, he said the chain
adjusted and accommodated along
the way, but has not made any
permanent changes. “There’s been
a tectonic shift to online ordering,
[which has] added an extra level
of complexity to the stores. For
that reason, we continue to investigate
and adopt new technologies
that can make the operators’ lives
less stressful in managing the new
way of doing things.”
“COVID-19 has thrust change
upon us in many parts of our
business,” agrees MacFarlane.
“This rapid succession of change
and adaptation has made our
teams nimbler and has better
equipped everyone in our restaurants
to handle the evolutions
that will be critical in our recovery
going forward.” FH
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 59
AS RESTAURANTS PLAN FOR
RECOVERY, A CONSISTENT SUPPLY
OF FRESH, LOCAL FOOD CAN HELP
MINIMIZE COSTS AND ENSURE
AVAILABILITY OF KEY INGREDIENTS.
FOCUSING ON STAPLES WILL HELP
DRAW IN GUESTS BY SATISFYING
THEIR CRAVING FOR COMFORT IN
UNCERTAIN TIMES
ISTOCK.COM/HALFPOINT
60 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES
THE CHALLENGE
COST
CRUNCH
New challenges are shifting
restaurants’ operating costs
In an industry with notably low
margins, inflation and added
expenses have a significant
impact on profitability. And,
given revenues have been negatively
impacted by the ongoing
crisis, increased costs weigh heavy
on operators.
As, Nick Di Donato, president
& CEO of Toronto-based Liberty
Entertainment Group, explains,
efforts to pivot to different revenue
streams weren’t enough to
make up for restrictions. “There’s
no way anybody can be profitable
under those circumstances, where
you still have to pay rent, taxes,
hydro and so on, in large spaces,
and your sales were minimal.”
fsSTRATEGY Inc.’s 2020
C-Suite Survey indicates the
majority of industry leaders (68
per cent) expect the cost of sales
as a percentage of revenues to
change in 2021 (up from 60 per
cent in 2019). And, 16 per cent
of respondents anticipate cost of
BY DANIELLE SCHALK
goods sold will increase by more
than two per cent this year.
In terms of food costs, the 11th
edition of Canada’s Food Price
Report predicts an overall foodprice
increase of three to five per
cent for 2021. The report forecasts
meat and vegetables will see some
of the most significant increases,
with expected increases of 4.5 to
6.5 per cent for both categories.
Most C-Suite Survey respondents
(60 per cent) also indicated
they expected other operating
costs (such as utilities, repair and
maintenance, advertising and
promotion) as a percentage of
revenues will increase in 2021.
And, an increase of 0.1 to 1.5 per
cent is anticipated by about half
(48 per cent) of those surveyed.
Continuous efforts to adapt to
ongoing restrictions and requirements
have also proved taxing.
In fact, a recent survey of The
Fifteen Group’s Canadian restaurant
clients found the businesses
had spent an average of $15,000
on pandemic-specific operational
changes. David Hopkins, president
of the Toronto-based consulting
agency, points to items such as
personal protective equipment,
enhanced cleaning supplies, airfiltration
units and patio improvements
as additional expenses
restaurants have taken on.
“In terms of long-term [challenges],
certainly the biggest one
we’re trying to model out for our
clients is the overall, long-term
impact of takeout and delivery
service,” says Hopkins. As he points
out, when third-party services cannibalize
direct/on-site sales, it takes
a real toll. “If you’re a $2-million
restaurant and $100,000 of that
revenue pivots to ordering from
[third-party delivery] instead of
either picking it up themselves or
going to your restaurant, then that’s
costing you $30,000 in straight
profit that you would have had
otherwise,” he explains.
And, he adds, increased demand
for takeout also results in an
increased need for packaging supplies,
which, as we approach a
national ban on many single-use
plastics, represent a greater expense
than in the past. “Restaurants are
going to have to start factoring that
into their entire pricing model,”
adds Hopkins.
THE OPPORTUNITY
The residual effects of the pandemic
are expected to present
some opportunities and relief
on certain operating-cost fronts.
“Probably the biggest one we’re
expecting, and we’re already seeing,
is with the labour market,”
shares Hopkins, noting the current
environment has shifted this
to an employer market — at least
for the short term.
Similarly, restaurant closures
have made the rent market more
favourable. Hopkins notes this
almost exclusively impacts new
openings, but there may be room
for established restaurants to
negotiate better deals.
And, while increased food
costs present a challenge, as
Hopkins explains, coping with
challenges around meat pricing
over the last five years has
dwarfed recent changes in this
category. Having weathered this
on-going problem, he is confident
operators are well equipped to
pivot their menus and pricing to
accommodate increases.
“As restaurants plan for recovery,
a consistent supply of fresh,
local food can help minimize
costs and ensure availability of
key ingredients. Focusing on
staples will help draw in guests
by satisfying their craving for
comfort in uncertain times,”
Sarah Caron, director, Marketing
and Nutrition, Egg Farmers of
Canada, stated in Restaurants
Canada’s Foodservice Facts 2020.
Through this time, restaurateurs
have been forced to adapt and, in
many cases, become more agile in
order to run their businesses as efficiently
as possible. “The restaurant
industry, as a whole, has demonstrated
just how resilient, creative
and innovative it is,” Brian Deck,
CEO of Smooth Commerce, said
during the Canadian Restaurant
Investment & Leadership Summit
in November.
For example, Oakville, Ont.-
based The WORKS Craft Burgers
& Beer took the pandemic as
an opportunity to re-create and
evolve the brand. Changes included
reducing the brand’s menu by
about 20 per cent to help streamline
operations. However, as part
of the re-design, the brand also
introduced a wider selection of
craft beer, new craft poutines and
added successful LTOs such as
The Tragically Maple burger to
the permanent menu.
As the brand’s president, Bruce
Miller explains, these efforts were
made “to make sure that, when
we come out of the pandemic,
that we are set up for success.” FH
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 61
ISTOCK.COM/AKE1150SB
DELIVERING
CONFIDENCE
New delivery procedures ensure orders get
from place to place without the need for
face-to-face contact
BY DANIELLE SCHALK
62 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES
THE CHALLENGE
In order to ensure consumer
confidence and continued trust,
companies offering food delivery
— both in-house and third-party
— were forced to scramble to
define protocols and implement
the digital infrastructure to enable
effective contactless delivery to
meet the demand brought on by
the sudden onset of the pandemic.
The fact that this was essentially
a new service only added to
the challenge restaurants faced
when navigating how to implement
it. Ordering systems now
had to facilitate pre-payment and
collection of drop-off instructions;
restaurant staff and delivery
drivers had to be trained on new
procedures; and many operators
sourced solutions for tamperevident
packaging.
“We’re privileged to be able to
AGILITY HAS BECOME
ESSENTIAL TO BUSINESS
SUCCESS AND DIGITAL-
TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION
THE MAJOR ENABLER. THE
URGENCY TO ADVANCE HEALTH
AND SAFETY AND CONSUMER
CONVENIENCE IS FAST-TRACKING
INNOVATION TO ORGANIZATIONAL
BUSINESS MODELS IN
THE INDUSTRY
provide service to our customers,
but having to incorporate
new zero-contact procedures
— whether it’s delivery or
carry out — [required] a lot
of work,” shares Jeff Kacmarek,
VP Marketing and Product
Development, Domino’s Pizza of
Canada. “A lot of changes have
taken place in our operations as
a result.”
Restaurants had to update
their digital-ordering platforms,
which let to brands such as Swiss
Chalet releasing updated mobile
apps featuring integration with
new contactless-delivery and
curbside-pickup options.
And, once everything was in
place, significant effort had to
be put into communicating the
new offering and educating customers
on the new procedures.
Depending on the contactlessdelivery
procedures employed,
communicating with customers
through the delivery process
has also become increasingly
important.
In an open letter released
during the early days of the
pandemic, Restaurant Brands
International CEO Jose Cil
highlighted the significant work
a company of its scale had to
undertake to quickly respond to
these needs. “Our in-house digital
team has done great work to
rapidly expand and enhance our
online-ordering platforms for all
three brands,” he explained. “At
the same time, our marketing
teams have quickly pivoted to redirect
our substantial marketing
efforts to focus on the importance
and safety of our mobile
app, delivery and drive-thru
channels, in addition to other
major health-and-safety measures
like contactless payments.”
Using tech to communicate
health and safety is of great
importance, Manoj Jasra, Chief
Marketing & Digital Officer,
Northland Properties, stressed
during the Canadian Restaurant
Investment & Leadership Summit
in November, highlighting preorder
communication on this
front as a key element operators
need to be “really great at.” This,
he explained, is because, in the
future, attracting customers will
come down to providing “what
gives consumers the most confidence,
more than anything.”
“As the second wave of the
pandemic intensifies, complying
with stringent safety protocols
is the only way for businesses to
remain open and for our consumers
to have peace of mind
when using services such as food
delivery,” says Di Han, general
manager of Facedrive Foods.
THE OPPORTUNITY
While significant effort was
required to get contactlessdelivery
offerings off the ground,
the opportunity they provided to
build trust and loyalty through
these challenged times will serve
operators well going forward.
“Letting our guests behind the
curtain has always been counterintuitive,
but…being transparent
with respect to what steps
and measures you’re taking [is
important] and guests are willing
to meet you halfway if you make
those steps on that [front],” Royal
Nasager, VP Marketing, St. Louis
Franchise Ltd., shared during the
Canadian Restaurant Investment
& Leadership Summit.
And, those who have invested
on this front are expected to see
continued benefits beyond the
short term. “I really believe there’s
going to be a collective [pandemic]
PTSD or hangover,” says Nasager.
“Even when there is a ‘cure’ or vaccine,
consumer consumption habits
[and] how they want to engage
and interact and brands will not
change that much.”
Having to adopt new tech
and procedures to survive the
pandemic could also shift the
historically slow-to-adapt foodservice
industry, collectively, into
a more agile sector. A Panasonic
Corporation of North America
survey (August 2020), reveals
businesses within the industry
now see an urgent need to rapidly
adapt to changing customer
behaviour and demands. One
in four foodservice operations
and food retailers now view their
companies as tech-forward early
adopters — up from one in eight
prior to the pandemic.
“Agility has become essential
to business success and digitaltechnology
adoption the major
enabler. The urgency to advance
health and safety and consumer
convenience is fast-tracking innovation
to organizational business
models in the industry,” says
Lauren Sallata, Chief Marketing
Officer, Panasonic Corporation of
North America.
As time goes on, there is also
a growing roster of tools to help
restaurants more easily facilitate
and streamline contactless delivery.
For example, Lightspeed launched
Order Ahead in September, an
online-ordering management
system that allows for seamless
integration of ordering platforms
with Lightspeed POS and
the ability to provide real-time
status updates to customers. In
December, DoorDash also introduced
DoorDash Self-Delivery,
which allows operators to handle
delivery in-house while appearing
on the DoorDash marketplace.
And, as Jasra points out, the
future of foodservice will likely
focus on providing “a variety of
different types of experiences,”
rather than relying so heavily on
on-premise visits. FH
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MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 63
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EQUIPMENT
SAFETY
FIRST
- AND THEN SOME
Safety planning has taken on a
whole new dimension in a
COVID-19 world
BY DENISE J. DEVEAU
ISTOCK.COM/VICHIE81
Safety first has always been a
mantra for responsible foodservice
operations from sanitation
and cleaning practices to
work wear and food prep. With
COVID-19, safety planning has
expanded exponentially as customers
demand re-assurances that protocols are
being met in all facets of operations.
Then there are the safety features being
introduced behind the scenes, such as antimicrobial
materials for appliances and clothing,
enhanced ventilation and air-purification
systems and UV sanitation.
Anyone in the planning stages of opening
new locations or expanding have had to
re-think their entire approach to safety. After
Fresh began its chain-wide renovation and
expansion project, planning took a significant
turn, says Randall Papineau, vice-president,
Growth and Operations for the Toronto-based
chain of plant-based restaurants. “We started
planning to be successful in a pre-COVID
world. Then we had to re-design all our projects
to be successful in a COVID world.”
A core part of that planning was upping
the safety protocols to match the new normal,
from HVAC equipment and filtration, to signage
and barriers, to protective equipment for
employees. “Now we’re exploring questions
like where signage needs to be placed, how
much fresh intake we need and how we can
serve the greatest number of guests safely,”
Papineau says.
Another part of the equation is delivering
that message to customers. “The challenge was
how to prove safety and transparency without
the place feeling like a hospital,” Papineau says.
To that end, one change in the revisions
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 65
GRATE
MACHINE
FOR YOUR
OPERATION
With safety on high alert, it’s also important to keep pace with protocols. “A hand
sink is a hand sink, but how do you operate it to make sure the process is properly
sanitized? That’s where an audit comes in,” says Patrick Watt, principal with A
Day in Life Foodservice Development in Saint John, N.B. “We look at everything
related to the preparation and serving of food, from processes and cleaning to
food handling and temperature control. In total we look at about 160 criteria,”
says Ed Moran, principal, Kaizen Foodservice and Design in Oakville, Ont.
Here’s a sampling of what an audit can cover:
SCREENING AND SOCIAL-
DISTANCING PRACTICES
MAINTENANCE AND
CLEANING SCHEDULES
PPE AND
THERMOMETER SUPPLY
COMMONLY TOUCHED SURFACES
(INCLUDING SWAB TESTS)
SOCIAL-DISTANCING
SIGNAGE/MARKERS
FOOD LOGS
PARTITIONING AND HAND-
SANITIZING-STATION
PLACEMENT
WASTE MANAGEMENT
EQUIPMENT AND UTENSILS
TAMPER-PROOF PACKAGING
FOR TAKEOUT
POUNDS
OF CHEESE
IN THREE
MINUTES
YOU CAN ALSO
SLICE, DICE & JULIENNE
Robot Coupe USA, Inc.
264 South Perkins
Ridgeland, MS 39157
1-800-824-1646
www.robot-coupe.com
New technology, such
as UV disinfection
robots, are helping
operators up their
cleaning games
includes switching to open kitchens
behind clear barriers so guests can see
the safety-and-sanitation protocols in
place. “Before guests expected it to be
done. Now they want to see everything
from the ingredients down to the cleanliness
of the uniforms and the use of PPE.”
The importance of having the right
safety equipment and protocols in place
should never be underestimated, says
Patrick Watt, principal with A Day in
Life Foodservice Development in Saint
John, N.B.
One of the “non-sexy safety [features],”
he says, is built-in fire suppression systems
for ventless combi, self-venting
hoods and rapid cook ovens. “Safety First
(Aurora, Ont.) and Ansul (Marinette,
Wis.) have units that can be installed
under cabinets with pull stations that
can be connected to appliances. Halton
and Equipex (Providence, R.I.) also have
hoods that with fire suppression built in.
Ventilation is another key area of focus
as the market sees a growing demand
for various air purifiers and cleansers.
Some can be added to existing duct systems,
Watt says. “If that’s not feasible you
can use self-contained units that can be
mounted on ceilings. Generally, they cover
about 700 sq. ft. per unit.”
Demand for anti-microbial surfaces
and clothing is also growing. These
can be found in everything from metal
casings and appliances to the fabrics
used for uniforms and aprons. “UV
will also find new homes in HVAC and
even for sterilizing utensils and other
re-usable wares,” Watt says. “We see it
being used by manufacturers like Edlund
(Burlington, Vt.) for its UV knife-sterilization
cabinets.”
UV emitters and sunlight spectrum
light bulbs are among of the biggest
requests from operations, says Andrew
Rodricks, vice-president, Sales &
Marketing for R.E.D. in Newmarket, Ont.
“They tend to kill the Coronavirus in air-
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
ISTOCK.COM/RAZOOMGAMES
borne particles. Garland Canada is doing
really well in integrating those features in
appliances it already has.”
Jeffrey McMullen, VP Sales for
Canada at Welbilt Canada in Toronto,
notes other appliance features gaining
traction include self-contained cleaning
systems, anti-microbial housings and “a
lot of foot-pedal and knee-activated type
options. In other words, anything that
minimizes the number of touches on
equipment required to operate it.”
Another must-have item that was
barely a blip on a radar screen until 2020
is Plexiglas barriers, says Kristy Barber,
owner/operator Avondale Restaurant
Equipment Ltd, in Hamilton, Ont. “Now
we get requests for everything from rolling
and stationary, to standard and custom
designs.”
The other demand that comes as no
surprise is sanitizing stations, she adds.
“We always sold soap and dispensers.
Now table-mount or standalone sanitizing
stations are a hot [product]. Along
with barriers, sanitizing stations for customers
are the most-asked-for items
right now.”
Foggers are moving up
the ranks, for both front-
and back-of-house cleaning.
“They’re very effective and fast
without getting surfaces wet, so
operators can re-seat people more
quickly without having to literally
wipe everything down,” Barber
says. Systems can run anywhere
from $300 to $3,000 depending on
the space and need.
As more restaurants
transition to
groceries and takehome
meal kits,
some are
swapping out
conventional hot
and cold units for
open merchandisers.
“Doors used to be more
popular for efficiency
to prevent cold air
going into the atmosphere,”
Barber says.
“COVID-19 changed the game completely.
One customer that always had
a salad bar knew it wouldn’t be the service
model for them in the future, so
took them out and put in hot and cold
open merchandisers.”
For those not willing to give up their
current refrigeration system, there’s
always the option to install non-contact
door openers for refrigerators, as well as
entry and exit doors.
Social-distancing guidelines are also
increasing demand for all-in-one appliances
such as combi and rapid-cook ovens,
Rodricks notes. “Some operators are
reducing kitchen size with technology
with less touchpoints so workers don’t
have to stand together. Combi ovens are
one of the biggest ones and any other
pieces that have combined abilities like
steamers that also do pressure steam and
pressure fryers.”
As for personal protective equipment,
restaurants need to up their game, Watt
says. “The big mistake I see is that many
are focusing on protecting customers, but
not as much on staff. If anything
happens to them, you won’t
have staff and you could end
up being a super spreader.”
Useful items include wallmounted,
hands-free temperature
sensors that allow people
to stand in front of it for an
instant reading; antimicrobial
aprons, chef coats and pants; a
bountiful supply of masks, hats
and gloves; and portable hand
sinks that can be
operated by a foot
pedal or touchless
faucets.
Whatever
the choices,
Papineau at
Fresh says
many are
here to stay.
“Those pieces we
are putting in now will
remain for a while for
a lot of the customer
base we serve.” FH
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 67
SLUG HERE
POURING FOR PROFITS
Collective Power
“What no one’s talking about right now that I
think is going to impact the [beer] industry is a
massive amount of consolidation,” notes Garett
Senez, VP Marketing, PACRIM Distributors. “As
smaller breweries start to have issues, they’re
going to start looking to sell.”He explains that
macro-beer companies such as Budweiser and
Molson already have divisions dedicated to
acquiring craft-beer brands. “There’s going to be
some major acquisitions coming up in the next
six to 12 months for sure,” he says, adding that
some of this consolidation had already began
pre-pandemic.Similarly, Senez expects smaller/craft
brands will band together to form coalitions,
alliances and buying groups in order to weather
the storm and better compete
with ‘big beer.’
The pandemic has caused significant shifts in beer trends
BY DANIELLE SCHALK
iSTOCK.COM/LILECHKA75 [COCKTAIL WITH MINT AND CUCUMBER]; SSTAJIC [ROSES]; CONTRAIL1 [ [Y [YUZU]
When was
the last
time you
went
out for
a beer? Odds are, it’s been
a while.
“Beer occasions in
general are impacted by
COVID-19,” says Garett
Senez, VP Marketing at
Vancouver-based craftbeer
distributor PACRIM
Distributors. “The idea
of going out to a bar or
socializing with people
is gone — and it will be
gone for the next few
months — which means
drinking at home is
now [key].”
“You rewind back
to March of 2020 and,
essentially overnight,
bars and restaurants were
shut down,” says Luke
Chapman, interim president,
Beer Canada. “In a
typical year, those channels
account for between 25
and 30 per cent of total
beer sales in Canada [and
they] were eliminated,”
Chapman explains, noting
these channels are yet to
fully recover. “There was
a pretty strong uptick in
off-trade beer sales (retail
sales for home consumption)
somewhere in the
range of 11 or 12 per cent.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t
enough to offset the elimination
of on-trade sales
in 2020.”
“It’s going to be a
tough road for the [beer]
industry in general, particularly
for the next two
to three years,” Senez adds.
And, the beer industry was
already facing challenges
before the pandemic
struck last year.
“There were some
changing consumer-consumption
patterns prior
to COVID-19 — consumers
seem to be looking
more towards wine and
hard salters are becoming
very popular,” Chapman
explains. “In some ways,
COVID-19 has accelerated
some of the changes
in consumer demand and
I anticipate that will continue
into 2021.”
Senez notes that, while
beer sales have been
down, unit prices have
been up. “That means
premiumization is happening,”
he explains,
which lends itself well
to the craft-beer movement.
And, he points
out, heightened interest
in supporting local businesses
has also benefitted
craft beer.
However, the premiumization
trend limits
volume consumption
because, as consumers
trade up, they tend to
consume less.
This also ties into consumers’
heightened focus
on health and wellness.
Senez highlights demand
for “better-for-you” offerings
as another key trend
LOOSENING
RESTRICTIONS
Over the past year,
many provinces adjusted
regulations to support
businesses by allowing new
channels for alcohol sales,
such as allowing alcohol
as part of takeout/delivery
orders and producers to
deliver their product directly
to customers.
“There’s a great opportunity
in that space and, from
an industry-association
perspective, we’re pleased
to see many provincial governments
have taken the
steps to make those once
temporary changes
permanent,” says Luke
Chapman, interim president,
Beer Canada.
According to Restaurants
Canada’s Foodservice
Facts 2020, 54 per cent of
licensed restaurateurs felt
the ability to offer alcohol
with takeout meals had a
positive impact on
their sales.
that has been influencing
beer. As he explains, this
has led to greater interest
in low-calorie beverages,
as well as a growing appetite
for non-alcoholic beer.
As Chapman points
out, low- and no-alcohol
offerings have been a
bright spot for the beer
segment. “It’s still a relatively
small segment of the
Canadian beer market,
but COVID-19 definitely
has accelerated growth in
that area.”
Not all Canadians have
taken to the less-is-more
mentality. At-home beer
consumption still leans
heavily to large-format
packs, which means many
are turning to domestic
economy lagers from
big breweries.
“In tough times people
always buy beer and lipstick,”
says Senez. “They’re
small luxuries that people
actually have a very high
esteem value for.” FH
68 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
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68
TECHNOLOGY
BY ANDREA VICTORY
FILLING THE
Tech companies are stepping up to help
restaurants run more efficiently
ISTOCK.COM/FRANCESCOCH
In the new normal, government restrictions
and labour shortages have had extensive
impacts on restaurant operations of all sizes.
Over the past year, technology has stepped
in to fill the gap, ensuring kitchens run more
efficiently without breaking the bank.
ACCELERATING WITH ONLINE ORDERING
Previously, where restaurants could rely on consistent walk-in business,
delivery was supplementary. But 2020 saw most foodservice businesses
pivot to a takeout/delivery model. “Online ordering is not going to go
away — the shift from offline to online has happened,” says Zhong Xu,
co-founder & CEO of New York-based Deliverect. “Restaurants are
looking at how to increase online sales and a logical step is to increase
online channels for more sales.”
Launched in 2018, Deliverect offers seamless integration with more
than 50 of the biggest POS vendors to streamline delivery apps. Xu
says that, over the last year, the company experienced massive demand
for its software. In 2019, the company processed 2.3-million delivery
orders and in 2020, that number jumped to more than 16 million.
Adoniram Sides, senior director of Product Global Hospitality for
Montreal-based Upserve by Lightspeed agrees. “We’ve seen the labour
picture change dramatically in the past year and seen a significant change
in what restaurateurs are using our products to do. For example, they’re
using online ordering in a very heavy way. Restaurants that have never
used online ordering now rely on it as a major part of their business.”
Forced to reach customers online, many restaurateurs found managing
a host of delivery options to be labour-intensive, as well as rife with a
high margin of error. Sides makes it clear, “The POS and technology
platforms you choose really determine whether you need a lot of
human labour to cover the gaps or not.”
THE INTEGRATION ECOSYSTEM
Outside of delivery, smart appliances are available to take care of headache-inducing
tasks such as temperature monitoring. Texas-based Swift
Sensors monitors and records food temperatures for compliance and
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
safety using sensors in refrigeration units that send real-time temperatures
to any device and store the information for compliance reporting.
Being able to roll with the daily challenges means owners and operators
can add new technology as needed. Chris Adams, vice-president of
Strategy at Oracle Food and Beverage notes, “Our partner ecosystem
and open API architecture gives customers the ability to spin up new
channels with modern technology that’s fast and easy to roll out, so
they can test, learn and pivot as needed.”
INSIGHTS ADD VALUE
The responsiveness and agility of today’s restaurateur is made possible
by the unprecedented amount of information that even the smallest
operation has within its POS and integrated platforms.
“Understanding business performance, from sales channel to kitchen
productivity, is essential to ensuring restaurants can re-bound and rebuild
their business, even in the face of reduced foot traffic,” says Adams.
Sides says ensuring guests’ return and understanding menu performance,
online and off, is crucial. “Restaurateurs think about cost of
acquisition for a diner. We know it costs you less when a diner comes
back because they enjoyed your meal.”
In addition, modern tech-based POS systems can pull summaries and
predictions based on historical and real-time data at the click of a button
from anywhere be it the restaurant office, on the floor or on the go.
TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES AND CUSTOMER SUPPORT
“We’re all in this together” can feel like overused rhetoric, but tech
companies are taking it seriously. With dizzyingly robust options for
every aspect of running a restaurant, customer-service teams are at the
ready to ensure their tools are understood and optomized by customers.
At Oracle Food and Beverage, Adams notes, “We developed a program
to help reduce the upfront capital expense for customers looking to
upgrade their legacy technology and move to the cloud. Our One-for-
One program gives restaurateurs the opportunity to replace their existing
workstation or tablet with an Oracle MICROS device for one dollar
with every Oracle MICROS Simphony license.”
At Deliverect, customer support provides advice on how to optimize
menus, suggesting caption sizes and keywords. “We see [the relationship]
as a partnership with our customers,” says Xu. FH
MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 69
CHEF’S CORNER
ROLLING WITH
THE PUNCHES
Chef Brandon Clemens on leading through COVID-19
After a period of time cooking
in Europe and England, chef
Brandon Clemens returned to
southwestern Ontario last year.
But, ironically, the day he stepped
into the kitchen as The Bruce Hotel’s new
executive chef in March 2020, he found his
staff busy packing up food and supplies.
“I walked into the kitchen and it’s literally
the first day of lockdown. Chefs are cleaning
out fridges and shutting it down. Being there
while it was happening was a strange experience,”
Clemens recalls.
Fast forward to today and both The Bruce, a
boutique hotel with 25 guestrooms and suites
in Stratford, Ont., and Clemens reflect on what
the pandemic has meant. “How we operate
changed,” he says of a condition that’s industrywide.
“But it was an opportunity to learn new
styles of cuisine — food that we could package
and travels well. It was a dynamic shift and a
whole new market, essentially.”
Cambridge, Ont.-born Clemens, 29, started
BY ANDREW COPPOLINO
his hospitality journey at the nearby Elm
Hurst Inn. “I knew some cooks there and
started as a dishwasher when I was 15 years
old.” It was a time-honoured progression:
having paid his dues in the dish pit, Clemens
was eventually able “to crack some eggs,” he
says, and do some cooking. A high-school
apprenticeship came next and, though he had
an interest in graphic design, he enrolled at
Fanshawe College for formal culinary training.
“It wasn’t until my last high-school year that
I realized cooking was something I was really
interested in. I discovered I liked the push of
the kitchen. Every five minutes there’s a new
adventure, a new problem to solve.”
After achieving his Red Seal, he left for
Alberta’s Fairmont Château Lake Louise to
apply those problem-solving skills as chef de
partie — a position that, in 2015, led him to
another Fairmont icon: The Savoy Hotel in
London, U.K., where he ran Kaspar’s seafood
program and oversaw menu development for
then executive chef Holger Jackisch.
His varied experiences have
helped prepare him for the current
reality. Noting the contrasts and
the varied systems from kitchen
to kitchen and country to
country — how chefs organize
and approach their tasks — is
something he says he’s brought
to his role at The Bruce Hotel.
The times are challenging: the
kitchen — and the tasting menu
— are circumscribed by the
pandemic; it means a crew of
eight cooks, many of whom
attended the Stratford Chefs
School a few blocks away. “We’d love to have
some more,” Clemens says, acknowledging
that COVID-19 has likely changed dining for
a long time. He cites a San Pellegrino forum
he’s joined with chefs around the world discussing
the post-pandemic world and how
food at restaurants is going to be received.
“I think people are going to be so thankful
when they are able to sit together at a table
again and share food with friends. Before the
pandemic, diners were very focused on their
needs and less on the restaurant experience.”
Post-pandemic will be different, he says,
despite the joy we will feel given our new freedom.
A tasting menu offers an experience that
includes engaged conversation about food,
according to Clemens. “It’s the evolution of an
evening that is about more than the food.” But
there will be obstacles too, he notes, including
dealing with a new way of looking at food
and serving across the industry — and not
just at higher-end venues with tasting menus.
“It’s part of a bigger question for after the
pandemic. Food will cost more and it might
be difficult for businesses to prosper in this
market,” Clemens says, predicting small plates
and sharing will be popular.
“When everything re-opens, there will be
a big surge in the sharing scene. That will be
because of cost, but it’s also something that
people will want — that sharing and breakingbread
moment.” FH
PHOTOGRAPHY BY TERRY MANZO PHOTOGRAPHY
70 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2021 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
E27. THE EDUCATORS
featuring five leading educators
E28. FOOD FOR THOUGHT
featuring Christine Couvelier,
President of Culinary Concierge
E29. SAVING HOSPITALITY
featuring John Sinopoli, President
of the Ascari Hospitality Group
E30. SURVIVAL MODE
featuring Tony Elenis, President & CEO
of the Ontario Restaurant, Hotel, Motel
Association and Ian Tostenson, President
& CEO of the B.C. Restaurant Association
E31. HOSPITALITY HEROES
featuring 2020’s Hospitality Heroes
E32. LENDING A HAND
featuring Todd Barclay, President
and CEO of Restaurants Canada
E33. RESPONDING TO CHANGE
featuring Susan Senecal,
President and CEO of A&W Restaurants
E34. ERADICATING RACISM – PART 2
featuring a group of industry leaders
E35. THE EMPATHETIC ENTREPRENEUR
featuring Mohamad Fakih, Founder
and CEO of Paramount Fine Foods
E36. IN SEARCH OF HOSPITALITY
featuring Andy Hickl-Szabo,
professor at George Brown
College in Toronto
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