[Johnny Au]

When I look at lots with the chain restaurants, all sitting empty, such as at Warden and Eglinton my first thought is tear them down and build housing.

Chain restaurants are primarily inexpensive with numerous coupons and loyalty points, low quality, and have very large marketing budgets.

In times like this, it's better to eat from an independent restaurant (and not chain restaurants masquerading as independents like Pasqually's (actually owned by Chuck E. Cheese)). The American government bailed out many chain restaurants, but independent restaurants have a much smaller financial cushion.

 

[gabe]

Chain restaurants are primarily inexpensive with numerous coupons and loyalty points, low quality, and have very large marketing budgets.

In times like this, it's better to eat from an independent restaurant (and not chain restaurants masquerading as independents like Pasqually's (actually owned by Chuck E. Cheese)). The American government bailed out many chain restaurants, but independent restaurants have a much smaller financial cushion.

Yup. Chain restaurants have a better chance surviving. Cheap frozen boxed food off the Sysco truck into the oven/deep fryer and Voila! Dinner is served. The independent restaurants are going to get hit real hard. A lot of their dishes are made in house from scratch. They have high food costs compared to the chains. No idea how these higher end places are going to do, being closed for so long and with a 50% capacity in the dining room when they go into stage 3. And with no tourists, no business travelers, no concert/ show/sporting events /festivals to bring people in, I hope the owners got deep pockets.

Nobody budgeted for this pandemic. Restaurants across Canada are all in the same boat. Sadly it doesn't look like this virus is going away anytime soon.

 

[soundmuseum]

Atrium Toronto says Hazukido croissants is opening soon there.

https://www.facebook.com/atriumtoronto/photos/a.378706045557247/3160517830709374

Hazukido will be opening in the former Timothy's cafe, near the 40 Dundas entrance. They're also planning to open locations at First Canadian Place and Union Station, according to their website. They are based in Taiwan, with stores also in Hong Kong, Macao, China and Malaysia.

Rumour has it that Popeyes might be opening in the Atrium food court as well.

 

[Johnny Au]

Hazukido will be opening in the former Timothy's cafe, near the 40 Dundas entrance. They're also planning to open locations at First Canadian Place and Union Station, according to their website. They are based in Taiwan, with stores also in Hong Kong, Macao, China and Malaysia.

Rumour has it that Popeyes might be opening in the Atrium food court as well.

Will the Popeyes move from its current location across the street from the Samsung Store or will there be a second Popeyes?

 

[Johnny Au]

Yup. Chain restaurants have a better chance surviving. Cheap frozen boxed food off the Sysco truck into the oven/deep fryer and Voila! Dinner is served. The independent restaurants are going to get hit real hard. A lot of their dishes are made in house from scratch. They have high food costs compared to the chains. No idea how these higher end places are going to do, being closed for so long and with a 50% capacity in the dining room when they go into stage 3. And with no tourists, no business travelers, no concert/ show/sporting events /festivals to bring people in, I hope the owners got deep pockets.

Nobody budgeted for this pandemic. Restaurants across Canada are all in the same boat. Sadly it doesn't look like this virus is going away anytime soon.

Don't forget that unlike independents, chains have much larger marketing budgets and many such chains advertise to children and their parents (brand loyalty has to begin somewhere). To pay for the marketing (and to expedite food orders), real quality would be reduced; marketing creates the perception of quality (often through trick photography and Photoshopping) where there is actually none.

Here's an example of a photoshoot for McDonald's Canada Quarter Pounder with Cheese:

Notice how the Quarter Pounder with Cheese when ordered from McDonald's looks nothing like the photo.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Had a nice patio breakfast this morning at the Sunset Grill on Laird. It's the first time my wife and I have had breakfast out since early March. Normally it's every Sunday.

 

[Tuscani01]

Time to rename the thread to ‘Restaurant Goings’

 

[Fritter]

I have no doubt that there will be devastation in the restaurant industry due to Covid, but at the end of all this and things are back to "normal", I wonder if there will be new growth.
Restaurants A, B and C may close up and be financially ruined, but will there be new entrepreneurs opening new restaurants and concepts as we continue into late 2021 and 2022?

 

[Jonny5]

I have no doubt that there will be devastation in the restaurant industry due to Covid, but at the end of all this and things are back to "normal", I wonder if there will be new growth.
Restaurants A, B and C may close up and be financially ruined, but will there be new entrepreneurs opening new restaurants and concepts as we continue into late 2021 and 2022?

I wonder if more foreign based chains and brands which survive this will take advantage of the carnage for a quick foreign expansion at cheap commercial rents in Canada? Could we get a proliferation of US, Japanese, and European chains that many have wanted to try for years?

Could we have flunch in Canada?

 

[gabe]

I have no doubt that there will be devastation in the restaurant industry due to Covid, but at the end of all this and things are back to "normal", I wonder if there will be new growth.
Restaurants A, B and C may close up and be financially ruined, but will there be new entrepreneurs opening new restaurants and concepts as we continue into late 2021 and 2022?

I think there will be growth when things get back "normal" But I can't see restaurants or bars recovering or new openings until there is a cure or vaccine. Most if not all the recent restaurant openings were planned long before Covid hit.

Restaurants with indoor dining are not a safe place to be during this pandemic. We have seen Covid outbreaks in restaurants across Canada and the world, even with social distancing. Three workers at the Earls restaurant location in Port Coquitlam BC tested positive the other day, and they were all wearing masks. The restaurant is now shutdown for cleaning and all customers have been told to go get tested for Covid.

Next question is when things do get back to normal, how long is it going to take for people to go out to eat? I used to eat out 4 to 5 days a week. I haven't dined out since the shut down in March, not even on a patio. Only take-out a few times a month.
I have a boyfriend who has Inherited heart disease, i can't risk going out and getting Covid, passing it on to him, which would probably kill him.

 

[AlbertC]

Gianna's Patties & Pies, which specializes in Detroit style pizza, has opened at 1554 Queen St W in Parkdale, replacing the former Tennessee Tavern.

Gianna's

Gianna's Patties & Pies deals in just that: burgers and Detroit-style rectangular pizzas. The restaurant was once home to Tennessee Tavern, and is still r…

www.blogto.com

 

[PinkLucy]

Restaurants have been reinventing themselves. I agree that dining in is still rather iffy. There has been some creative takes on take-out, and patios are great during the summer months. Fine dining is the biggest loser though You can't recreate the ambiance / experience with takeout there.

 

[CityStay]

I wonder if more foreign based chains and brands which survive this will take advantage of the carnage for a quick foreign expansion at cheap commercial rents in Canada? Could we get a proliferation of US, Japanese, and European chains that many have wanted to try for years?

Could we have flunch in Canada?

Yeah, we need more chains, especially more American chains. The 10 bajillion American chains we already have aren't nearly enough. And they should deliver. We're not nearly as fat and unhealthy as we could be.

 

[Towered]

Restaurants have been reinventing themselves. I agree that dining in is still rather iffy. There has been some creative takes on take-out, and patios are great during the summer months. Fine dining is the biggest loser though You can't recreate the ambiance / experience with takeout there.

Definitely. It's so weird seeing fancy steak houses with large "take out" signs - I get that they're desperate, but that just doesn't work at all.

 

[Bayer]

I wonder if more foreign based chains and brands which survive this will take advantage of the carnage for a quick foreign expansion at cheap commercial rents in Canada? Could we get a proliferation of US, Japanese, and European chains that many have wanted to try for years?

Could we have flunch in Canada?

I love everything about flunch... but I can't believe English-speakers find that name appealing.