Although many of the largest restaurant chains in Canada are US-based (McDonald's and Yum! Brands among others), some Canadian-based (owned and operated from Canada) restaurant chains are growing and have expanded into other markets, especially into the US.
Major chains
241 Pizza
241 Pizza was founded in Toronto in 1986. Since then, 241 Pizza has expanded across Ontario, and has locations in Newfoundland and Saskatchewan.
A&W (Canada)
A&W Restaurants entered the Canadian market in 1956. In 1972, the American company sold the Canadian unit to Unilever thus creating A&W (Canada). In 1995, it was spun off into an independent entity with no ties to its American counterpart. They have over 800 locations nationwide.
Bâton Rouge (restaurant)
BeaverTails/Queues de Castor
BeaverTails pastry (or Queues de Castor pâtisserie in Quebec) is a chain of pastry stands operated by BeaverTails Canada Inc. The chain's namesake product is a line of fried dough pastries, individually hand-stretched to resemble a beaver's tail. The chain began in Ottawa and now has franchises and licensees in six countries: Canada (Atlantic Canada, Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba, British Columbia and Quebec), the United States, Japan, France, U.A.E., and Mexico.
Ben & Florentine
Ben & Florentine is a Canadian breakfast and lunch restaurant chain, serving around 2.5 million customers per year. The founders used characteristics from their own families to create the concept of the chain. Each Ben & Florentine restaurant is owned individually as a franchise. Ben & Florentine was founded in 2008 in Saint-Laurent, Quebec and the first restaurant opened in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Quebec. By 2011, it had 16 locations in the province of Quebec. The chain has been a CFA member since 2010. The restaurant chain began by serving an extensive breakfast and lunch menu, and later extended hours to include dinner selections. In 2012 the chain expanded into Ontario, and by 2014 there were 31 locations. In 2015, the chain had 43 franchise units.
Big Smoke Burger
Booster Juice
Boston Pizza
Boston Pizza (branded as simply Boston's outside of Canada) has franchised 396 restaurants in North America. Boston Pizza International Inc. was Canada's number one casual dining brand with more than 340 restaurants in Canada and system-wide sales of $831 million in 2008. Annually, Boston Pizza serves more than 40 million guests. The first Boston Pizza location was opened in Edmonton, Alberta in 1964 by Gus Agioritis under the name "Boston Pizza and Spaghetti House". It took 32 years to open its first 100 locations, and eight years for the next 100. The current owners of the restaurant chain, Jim Treliving and George Melville, purchased the company in 1983, 15 years after Treliving bought his first franchise, and 10 years after he first partnered with Melville. Store sales growth has averaged 6.3% for the last decade compared to the industry average of 2.2%.
Cactus Club Cafe
C-Lovers Fish & Chips
C-Lovers Fish & Chips are fish and chips franchises in Western Canada. It offers all-you-can-eat fish and chips, and serves ocean-wise seafood and locally sourced ingredients. Every December, C-Lovers restaurants donate $1 from each Prawn Madness dish to the BC Children's Hospital Foundation. In 2012, the restaurant served about 150,000 prawns, and since 2003 donated $86,000 to the Foundation.
Chairman's Brands
Chairman's Brands is a privately held corporation dedicated to the franchising, development, and marketing of quick-service restaurants. Until 2006, its main operation was Coffee Time with operations in Canada, Greece, Poland, China, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The chain's first store was opened in 1982 by Tom Michalopoulos in Bolton, Ontario. In October 2006, the company doubled in size, when it purchased the Afton Food Group, a company whose assets included Robin's Donuts, 241 Pizza and Mrs. Powell's Cinnamon Buns. The company also operates Eggsmart, and The Friendly Greek. In all, Chairman's Brands operates more than 500 stores across Canada under its seven brands.
As of November 15, 2016, they operated eight brands with over 440 locations in five countries. The brands were 241 Pizza, Coffee Time, Eggsmart, Mia Fresco, New Orleans Pizza, Robin's, and The Friendly Greek.