(Photo by Karon Liu)
Though critics often dismiss Toronto for never being able to stand alongside London, Tokyo or Paris (City TV likes to remind us by playing the “Toronto is just like New York, but without all the stuff” promo for 30 Rock every 10 minutes), one good thing about being a mid-sized city is that our downtown core hasn’t turned into a Vegas-style tourist trap like Times Square or Shibuya. The recent closure of the garish Florida import Miami Subs shows that in Toronto, independent cafés, bars that seat fewer than 20, and family-run restaurants tend to triumph over the flashy and faddish. Here are nine chain imports that failed to flourish in the city. We’re saving the 10th spot for Cold Stone Creamery.
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- (Photo by Tim Shore via blogto.com)
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- (Photo by Ola Christian Gundelsby)
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- (Photo by Cursed Thing)
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- (Photo by Amy)
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- (Photo by Joe Shiabotnik)
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- (Photo by Karon Liu)
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- (Photo by Terry Ross)
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- (Photo by Krista)
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- (Photo by Yusuke Kawasaki)
There are others that you could research:
Wolfgang Puck: a Puck Express exists in Terminal 1 at YYZ, but a Puck resto closed after a short run by the AMC cinemas in Oakville. In Toronto, signs have been posted in windows at the Colonnade, on Eglinton west of Avenue Road, and up by Yonge & Sheppard, and there were even plans at one point for Puck to go into Metropolis, a complex which eventually opened with a local magazine’s name on it, but without a Puck.
Chi-Chi’s: was here in force in the 80s, with locations at Dufferin and Steeles, Market Square on Front, Markham and Ellesmere, and across from Sherway Gardens. They then opened a pile more suburban locations before closing all Canadian operations a couple of years later. Ten years after that, all Chi-Chi’s were closed for good following a Hepatitis outbreak at a Chi-Chi’s Pittsburgh PA location led to 4 deaths.
Kenny Rogers’ Roasters: Apparently they live on in the Philippines and Malaysia, but I am not sure if a US Bankruptcy took down the T.O. locations of Kenny’s, or if they came and went before that. When the Islington Avenue and Advance Road location opened in the 90s, the food was pretty decent.
KooKooRoo: Like Kenny Rogers’ Roasters, Koo Koo Roo was here for a short while emphasizing healthy non-fried food. Koo Koo Roo still flourishes around LA where it started.
Fuddrucker’s: A Texas based burger chain that I remember for the self-serve toppings bar where (as a kid), being able to drown fries in as much melted cheese as I wanted was a dream come true. I don’t really remember when the location across from Sherway Gardens opened then closed, but I remember that cheese.
There must be other failures beyond those…
December 3, 2009 at 3:53 pm | by Craig WhiteAlso Arbys…
But what I wanted to mention was the complete failure of Outback.
I stopped in there a year os so back – the one on Dundas St west of Toronto. Was the worst meal, the worst (actually snarky) service – so I complained.
I paid my meal and left a small tip explaining that I usually tip 15 – 20% but it is not automatic.
A week or so after the fact a GM called and I told him the story. All his response was – please come back we will make it up to you. Ummm Ok? And how do you plan on doing that?
Well just come back!
Sorry I do not live near ya and after the experience will never go back. But I was happy to Blog it
You know like something tell a couple of folks. Hate something TELL EVERYBODY.
One of the things I see in these franchise messes is captured by that Old Chinese saying
Fish rot from the head down.
December 3, 2009 at 4:07 pm | by moseI miss KK, too. I refuse to support Dead Hockey Player Donutz and its ubiquitous hospital food and hot brown sludge!
December 3, 2009 at 6:35 pm | by Govt CheezThere is also Boston Market, which had opened at least 1 location in the GTA for a short (very) short period of time.
December 3, 2009 at 10:01 pm | by NaomiNo mention of Denny’s. Damn shame.
December 3, 2009 at 11:57 pm | by spoonIf spot number 10 is for Coldstone, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let spot number 11 be for the vile temple of industrially produced nostalgia that is Johnny Rocket’s. PLEASE.
December 4, 2009 at 9:41 am | by AndrewRestaurant chains not making it…a feel good story if there ever was one.
December 4, 2009 at 9:54 am | by mattagascar slimI just moved to Toronto from Tokyo and found this article spot on. I’m originally from the USA and am so excited about Toronto’s hip and international variety of restaurants. Glad to be here.
December 5, 2009 at 4:40 am | by Fancy NancyNext: the dreaded Rainforest Cafe?
Arby’s is actually still in Toronto – right downtown in the Eaton Centre:
http://web.sa.mapquest.com/arbys/advantage.adp?transaction=search&searchQuantifier=AND&mapStyle=european&maxSearchResults=10&radius=999&country=CA&county=&proxIconId=400&search1=&search2=&search3=&search4=&search5=&search6=&search7=&search8=&search9=&search10=&address=&city=Toronto&stateProvince=ON&postalCode=&recordId=&x=0&y=0
And there is a Denny’s in Mississauga. (Actually, was there ever one in Toronto? Did we actively reject it, or was it just generally assumed that we would?)
http://best-of-foodpages.ca/dennysmississauga
December 7, 2009 at 9:04 pm | by St. GeorgeI won’t miss any of these places… Maybe we could be like Iceland, and let McD’s slip quietly into the night?
G.
December 8, 2009 at 6:36 am | by Food VideosColdstone Creamery Ice Cream is fantastic….but harder to find than a needle in a haystack in Toronto. The only ‘easy access’ location is the Coldstone ‘hidden’ in the Tim Hortons’ on Bay, South of Bloor Street. Love it!
Movenpick WAS incredible when it was run by Jorg and Marianne Reichert – I can still remember their personal touch – they made Movenpick great in the good ‘ole days. Now the Richtree ‘marchés’ are crappy.
Oddly, I kinda liked Olive Garden – I’m sure they would have success again if they opened strategically placed restaurants on a smaller scale.
December 10, 2009 at 1:50 pm | by AnaCANADIANS ARE HAPPY WITH THE CANADIAN FOOD CHAINS ,,DO NOT NEED IMPORTED JUNK FOOD CHAINS …YES ..WE NEED MORE HARVEYS AND SWISS CHALLETS AND MR SUBS AND PIZZA PIZZAS ACROSS CANADA ,,THERE IS A GOOD RESTURANT CHAIN IN WINNIPEG,, BUT ONLY LIMITED TO WINNIPEG CALLED SALSBURY HOUSE ,,NOW THIS CHAIN SHOULD EXPAND ACROSS CANADA, THEY MAKE A GOOD SCOTCH BROTH SOUP AS EXAMPLE …LIKE A BEEF BARLEY SOUP ..
December 11, 2009 at 5:38 pm | by BRIAN SOKOLOSKIAnyone up on the ice cream scoop knows that Ed has the best ice cream in town. How could Ben and Jerry even think they could compete?
December 13, 2009 at 12:46 am | by Kate(My thoughts when Ben & Jerry’s opened in 2004)
They make good soup so they Brian? Well hell ya, why wouldn’t they go nationwide? No one is doing good soup these days!
December 15, 2009 at 5:02 pm | by mattagascar slimRe: Olive Garden-the closest one to Toronto/Southern Ontario is in Amherst, NY, not Ancaster, NY. I almost thought you meant Ancaster,ON but all that recently came here was Texas Border Grill, in the former Outback site in the Meadowlands. Dundas, ON used to have the closest Olive Garden but it became an East Side Mario’s shortly after the local one closed up.
Re: Krispy Kreme-just go and buy those donut in Mississauga (land of Heartland Centre and no 5 cent/bag fee except in grocery stores). I once bought a box of them in the local Wal-mart in Ancaster and they were stale. Not making a second mistake with that item.
December 17, 2009 at 10:17 pm | by Ciel