Top 10 Fast Food Restaurants
1) Tim Hortons You can’t be a Canadian without mentioning Tim Hortons once a day. Okay, maybe that’s a made up rule, but if we’re talking fast food restaurants that are delicious and local, you can’t miss Tim Hortons. Morning coffee runs, late night Timbit snacks and their new line of sandwiches are all what keeps people coming back to the great Canadian fast food chain. There’s practically a Tim Hortons on every street in major cities, and even smaller cities have a fair few. Guelph alone has over 15 Tim Horton’s locations, including one in Stone Road Mall.
2) Mc Donald’s Canada Although it’s not Canadian, McDonald’s is definitely one of the best fast food places in Canada. The Canadian franchises started popping up in Canada in 1967, and can now be found everywhere in Canada (except for Nunavut). Mc Donald’s selection of burgers, chicken, fries and now salads, is what keeps people coming back for more. And who can forget about the Happy Meals? We’re all still “lovin’ it”.
3) Wendy’s Remember when everyone was talking about the fast food marriage of a lifetime? When Tim Horton’s and Wendy’s joined brands back in the 1950’s, there was so much Canadian pride in fast food and the two brands. Even in 1993 when Ron Joyce’s son (owner of Wendy’s) quite literally married the Tim Horton’s brand by marrying Tim Horton’s daughter, Jeri-Lyn, people were ecstatic. Wendy’s seems to be in every city across Canada and offers a selection of burgers, salads and of course, Frosties! If you have yet to try a juicy Baconator, head to a local Wendy’s for that taste of Canadian bacon heaven.
4) Smoke’s Poutinerie Smoke’s Poutinerie brings together Canadian locally sourced potatoes and the deliciousness of all things poutine. Smokes Poutinerie was born in Quebec by founder “Smoke”, in his attempts
to impress a girl he liked, using potatoes and recipes that are pure genius. The perfect fries, the perfect gravy and the perfect cheese curds mix together to make one of Canada’s greatest delicacies —the classic pountine. Pountines are quickly becoming a staple of Canadian fast food. Guelph is lucky to be home to a Smoke’s Pountinerie franchise. If you haven’t had the delights of a Smoke’s Poutine, you must check it out!
5) Harvey’s They don’t call Harvey’s the “Home of Canada’s Best Tasting Burger” for nothing! Harvey’s grills up millions of burgers per year for Canadians across the country. Harvey’s falls just behind Tim Hortons as one of the largest Canadian restaurant establishments, but we love it just the same. When you visit a Harvey’s location, you’ll be delighted to see your burgers charbroiled, dressed and wrapped neatly in a package right in front of your eyes. Try one of their Angus burgers for that true Canadian burger taste. As a bonus, you can collect Cineplex Scene Points with every purchase you make at Harvey’s to go towards your next movie at a Cineplex Theatre.
6) Freshii Freshii may not be your conventional fast food place, but it is a popular healthy option when it comes to fast food. Freshii has grown its presence in Canada since its initial opening in Toronto. Even Guelph has a Freshii location. Freshii offers salads, wraps, bowls and juices galore with the option to customize a meal to your needs. With fresh options and quick friendly service, Freshii has grown a place in our hearts. The company’s Canadian founder, Matthew Corrin (who is a Top 30 Under 30 member) keeps the company headed in a green direction. Stores are committed to preparing and serving food in ways that are eco-friendly and biodegradable.
7) Burger King Burger King is the answer to your burger and chicken fast food cravings. Burger King has been around since the 1950’s and made its way across the United States and up to Canada. Its flame grilled beef burgers have made mouths water for years, and the additional toppings like cheese, bacon and onions truly let you “have it your way”.
Although it takes two hands to eat, the Burger King Whopper is the true star of the menu. There are various locations to try a Whopper across Canada, including a location in Guelph.
8) A&W Canada Although A&W was originally a product of the U.S, it is now fully Canadian and operates under the A&W Food Services of Canada Inc. A&W Canada is home to the “Burger Family” where you can order a delicious burger that coordinates to its name and size—like the Baby Burger for the little ones, or the new Buddy Burger that is available in a small size or regular size. A&W is also one of Canada’s best fast food restaurants that serves a full breakfast. Eggs, bacon, sausage, coffee? It’s all on the menu! If you wake up early enough, you can visit A&W twice in a day (once for breakfast and once for lunch or dinner)
9) Pita Pit If you’re in looking for great Canadian fast food that isn’t a burger, try out Pita Pit. Proudly Canadian, Pita Pit is the home to freshly made pitas, much lower in calories and fat than traditional fast food, but still made quick enough time to be considered “fast food”. Students and busy workers are particularly drawn to Pita Pit, with locations scattered across university campuses and downtown cores. Guelph has multiple locations across the city, so be sure to check one out for a fresh spin on Canadian fast food.
10) Mary Brown’s Rounding off the list is Mary Brown’s, Famous Chicken & Taters. Yet another Canadian born fast food restaurant, Mary Brown’s is an upgrade from KFC, with tastier recipes, Canada Grade A Chicken, and potatoes that are freshly grown across the country. Their Southern Chicken Sandwich is becoming a Canadian fast food classic and is definitely worth a try if you ever head to a Mary Brown’s location.