Plus their best menu items, according to TripAdvisor!

By: Sakina Chaudary

While I was waiting in line to order a smoothie from Booster Juice the other day, I started to look around at the different vendors in the food court. A sudden thought occurred to me: “How many of these businesses are actually Canadian?” After that moment, I decided to do some research and I’m here to share the results.

It’s probably no surprise that many of the largest restaurant chains in Canada are born out of our neighbouring giant, the United States. However, you may be amazed to learn how many of your favourite places are actually Canadian. CanCulture conducted some polls to determine how many people were previously aware that these chains are Canadian.

If you’ve never heard of them before, I made sure to also include a recommendation of an item you can get without regret.

1. New York Fries

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After 109 Canadians participated in a poll, results showed that 17 per cent knew this was a Canadian chain and 83 per cent did not, which is understandable with a name like “New York Fries.”

This Canadian fast-food chain has locations all around the world, including in the United Arab Emirates and India. It’s known for a straightforward menu selling hotdogs, fries and poutine. You may be most familiar with seeing New York Fries locations in mall food courts, which makes them the perfect spot for grabbing a quick bite!

The New York Fries classic poutine is a go-to order for many, and it’s offered at locations outside of Canada as well! The store in India adds some fun twists on the menu, like different poutine customizations including butter chicken and paneer. Back in Canada, TripAdvisor reviews consistently agree on the excellent quality of the fries here.

2. Booster Juice

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The results of surveying 108 Canadians showed that 39 per cent knew that Booster Juice was a Canadian brand and 61 per cent did not. What about you?

In 1999, Booster Juice opened its first location in Sherwood Park, Alta. At the time, there were not many smoothie bars or juice stores available on the market, so when Booster Juice emerged, it really hit the spot.

Just two years later, in 2001, 50 Booster Juice franchise locations had been opened, enforcing the chain’s massive impact on Canadians. Today, there are roughly 394 locations in Canada and more around the world, like in China.

Coveted menu items from this chain are the Mango Hurricane or Funky Monkey smoothies.

3. A&W

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A&W is Canada's first and best-known burger restaurant. Out of the 65 Canadians who participated in a survey poll, 55 per cent knew that A&W was a Canadian chain and 45 per cent did not.

In 1956, the company opened its initial location in Winnipeg. A&W Food Services was top-rated amongst baby boomers and their families at the time. By 1996, 40 years later, more than 200 drive-in restaurants were in operation. Today, there are more than 1,000 A&W restaurant locations spread across Canada.

Some famous A&W items to try include its root beer and Beyond Meat burger. I learned from a TripAdvisor review that this burger has the choice of lettuce instead of traditional buns.

4. Harvey’s

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Out of 110 Canadians polled, 70 per cent knew this was a Canadian brand and 30 per cent did not, so it’s definitely more well-known as a local spot.

Harvey’s has been Canadian-owned and operated for over 60 years. Its menu consists of your classic North American fast food with the likes of burgers, fries, hotdogs and milkshakes.

The customizable burgers are a particular favourite among customers. Whether you are looking for a classic beef burger, a chicken burger or a fish burger, there is an option for you!

5. Boston Pizza

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Boston Pizza has more than 380 locations in Canada, so most people are familiar with the chain’s presence. When polling 110 Canadians, however, results showed that 40 per cent knew of its Canadian roots and 60 per cent did not.

Boston Pizza goes back to 1964, when it was one store opened by Greek immigrant and first-generation Canadian Gus Agioritis. Then in 1968, Dragons’ Den’s very own Jim Treliving franchised his first location in Penticton, B.C., after leaving his job as an RCMP officer.

In 1973, accountant George Melville became business partners with Treliving to open more locations across B.C. Together, they later purchased the chain and expanded all across Canada. Boston Pizza currently serves an extensive array of options on its menu, including nachos, pizza, pasta, salads, wings and sandwiches.

A great item to try at this restaurant is the unique spicy perogy pizza. There is sour cream, bacon, potatoes, green onion, mozzarella and cheddar cheese.

Were you surprised to see some of the restaurant chains that made this list? Well, the more you know, the more you can explore — Canada surely has a range of home-owned and operated food spots, both big and small.

Beyond Meat products are becoming popular in restaurants, grocery stores and fast-food chains, but how healthy is the plant-based meat alternative?

By Allie Murray

Since its release in 1942, Canada’s Food Guide suggested that Canadians eat between two to three servings of meat or alternatives a day. In early 2019, Health Canada released an updated version of the food guide, which moved away from the recommendation of meat products and suggested eating more plant-based products instead.

The new food guide recommendations are why Rena Mendelson, a professor in Ryerson University’s School of Food and Nutrition, believes Beyond Meat products have become so popular.

“You see the new Canada food guidelines recommend a plant-based diet, which doesn’t mean vegetarian necessarily. It means eating more foods that are plant-based and reducing our overall intake of animal-based foods,” she said. “Beyond Meat is a product that gives people the sense that they’re moving in the plant-based direction without giving up eating hamburgers that they like.”

Mendelson explained that while Beyond Meat products have their benefits, they also have downsides.

“It’s a reasonably good substitute, but it’s high in fat, it’s high in calories, it’s high in sodium, it’s actually high in saturated fats even though it’s a plant based product; but it is high in protein as well,” said Mendelson.

Novella Lui, a registered dietician and nutrition consultant with Live to Nourish, adds that while Beyond Meat may appear healthy, it is still a processed product that is made up of about 20 ingredients. A few of those ingredients include pea protein isolate, expeller-pressed canola oil, refined coconut oil, flavouring and more.

“In order to boost the meaty flavour and texture [of] Beyond Meat products, a substance [is used] that is naturally available in soy roots but never used as a food product, called leghemoglobin,” explained NAD Nutrition registered dietician Nadine Khoury. “However, the form used has been produced artificially from yeast making it a genetically modified product.”

Khoury adds that a lot of the products contain less healthy refined oils, food additives, flavours and sugars, and may include common allergens like soy, wheat and nuts.

Healthy alternatives versus the fast-food industry

Beyond Meat has become frequently found in restaurants and fast-food chains, including Tim Hortons, which offered Beyond Meat products as a limited time offer. The chain ended up pulling back on Beyond Meat products in Canada, except for locations in Ontario and British Columbia.

“We have particularly seen positive reaction to our Beyond Meat offerings in Ontario and B.C., especially in breakfast,” an email statement from the Tim Hortons PR team reads. “The Beyond Meat breakfast sandwiches will continue to be available in Ontario and B.C., which is about 60 per cent of Tim Hortons restaurants in Canada.”

Speaking to the fast-food industry’s increased offering of Beyond Meat burgers, Lui notes that nutritionally speaking, the Beyond Meat burgers from fast-food chains aren’t much different than a regular burger.

According to Lui, an A&W Beyond Meat burger has 1,110 milligrams of sodium, which is more than half of one’s daily recommended sodium intake. It also has 500 calories, 29 grams of fat and 22 grams of protein.

On the other hand, a Teen Burger from A&W of the same serving size also has 500 calories, but has 26 grams of fat, 25 grams of protein and 200 milligrams less sodium at 910 milligrams.

Environmental and lifestyle benefits of Beyond Meat

While the believed popularity of Beyond Meat products has stemmed from the updated food guide, the plant-based alternative has also become a go-to meal for vegetarians, vegans and others who refrain from eating meat.

For a lot of vegetarians, Beyond Meat has been a solution for the ones who want to enjoy the taste of a hamburger without actually eating meat. Sydney Borton, a consumer of Beyond Meat products explained that Beyond Meat is one of the only vegetarian meat options that fits that criteria.

“I like that a lot of them don’t taste like typical veggie burgers or vegan meat alternatives,” Borton said, noting that a lot of vegetarian burgers taste dry because they’re made with soybeans, chickpeas and other dry ingredients. “But the Beyond Meat line of products is trying to do something different. They don’t taste dry or like a meat alternative, but they don’t taste exactly like real meat either. It’s a weird in between, but I really like it.”

In addition to the health benefits, Khoury also says that Canadians should start shifting towards eating plant-based products for the environmental benefits they pose.

“Another benefit is that they contain more fibre than meat products,” she said. “Eating less industrially farmed and processed meats is better for the environment and for our health.”

Mendelson, Lui and Khoury all note that in transitioning to a plant-based diet, Canadians should add more foods such as legumes like beans, lentils and chickpeas, soy products like tofu and tempeh, and whole grains.