List of Canadian restaurants

Although many of the largest restaurant chains in Canada are USA-based (McDonalds and Yum Brands among others), Canadian-based restaurant chains are numerous and have expanded into other markets, specifically the USA.

Cara Operations
Cara Operations operates Harvey's, Swiss Chalet, Montana's Cookhouse, Kelsey's Neighbourhood Bar & Grill, Milestone's Restaurants and other brands. The company also provides catering services to airlines. The revenue for its over 1200 restaurants and airline solutions division in 2008 was over 2 billion dollars.

Cara Airline Solutions operates about 10 flight kitchens across Canada that serve more than 50 air carriers and rail travel customers. Montana's Cookhouse started in 1995, was acquired by Cara in 2002, and currently operates 90 restaurants across Canada. Harvey's is the 2nd largest Canadian established restaurant chain. There are 200 Swiss Chalet restaurants in Canada and the USA.

Tim Hortons


Tim Hortons is the 4th largest publicly-traded quick service restaurant chain in North America based on market capitalization, and the largest in Canada. Tim Hortons has cornered the Canadian market for baked goods (76%) and coffee (62% compared to Starbucks, in the number two position, at 7%). . The company has substantial growth in the US where it has 536 stores (about 140 more shops than it did in June 2008 and sales grew 3.3%. The new partnership it has with stone cold creamery could push its US presence closer to 600 stores. It has had over 2 billion dollars in sales for 2008. It was controlled by Wendy's International Inc. for 11 of the 46 years of operation, from August 8, 1995 until the end of 2006 and has 100,000 employees.

As of May 1, 2010, Tim Horton's total equity was $5.92 billion CAD. For 2009 it had a net income of 296.37 million CAD and made $2242.14 million in revenue.

On forbes 2010 list of the 2000 top comanies, Tim Hortons was put in the 1714th spot with annual sales of $2014 million, profits totalling $280 million, assets worth $1.90 billion and a market value of $5.41 billion. source

Mr. Greek
Mr. Greek is a Greek-themed restaurant chain based in Ontario, Canada. It is the largest and fastest-growing Greek franchise in North America. 14 full service (1 opening soon will make it 15 restaurants), 13 Mr.Greek Express quick service locations. 27 total locations all in Southern Ontario, Canada.

Imvescor Restaurants Inc
Imvescor is the parent company of the restaurant chains Scores, Pizza Delight, Mikes, Baton Rouge with a history that goes back to 1968. It was known as Pizza Delight Corporation until 2007 when the name was changed to Imvescor. As Pizza Delight Corporation the company purchased Mikes in 2000 for $14.5 million, Quebec company Scores Rotisserie Barbecue and Ribs in 2005 for $32 million and Baton Rouge Restaurants. Headquarted in Moncton, the company is in change of 259 restaurants across Canada (101 Pizza Delight, 91 Mikes, 39 Scores, and 28 Baton Rouge).

Imvescor was previously a privately owned corporation that was licensed the trademark and intellectual property of the 4 restaurants by PDM Royalties Income Fund. In 2009 the income fund and Imvescor combined their businesses into a new corporation called Imvescor Restaurant Group Inc. The 4 restaurant chains employ over 10,000 people. Total system sales in 2009 were $324.8 million.

Boston Pizza
Boston Pizza, known as BP in Canada and Boston's the Gourmet pizza in the USA and Mexico has franchised 396 restaurants in North America. Boston Pizza International Inc. is Canada's No. 1 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" . Edmonton, Alberta was the location of the first restaurant which opened in 1964. Operated by Gus Agioritis it was called Boston Pizza and Spaghetti House.  It took 32 years to open its first 100 locations but only 8 for its next 100 .  The current owners of the restaurant chain Jim Treliving and George Melville purchased the business in 1983 15 years after he 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.

Chairman’s Brand Corporation
Chairman's is largely a coffee retailer with operations in every Canadian province as well as in Greece, Poland, China, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. With a history that goes back to a store opened in 1982 by Tom Michalopoulos in Bolton, Ontario, it made its biggest move in October 2006 when it doubled its size after purchasing the Afton Food Group the company that previously held Robbins Donuts, 241 Pizza and Mrs. Powell's Cinnamon Buns. Coffee Time was at the core of the company's business before that time. Chairman's owns and operates the eating chains Coffee Time, Robbins Donuts, The Friendly Greek, 241 Pizza, and Mrs. Powell's stores. There are in total 500 stores across Canada

Cora
Cora, based in Montreal, has 89 restaurants and was started by Cora Tsouflidou in 1987. It can be found in every Canadian province except British Columbia. In 2008 the restaurant changed its name from Cora's breakfast and lunch to Cora.

OPA Souvlaki of Greece
OPA! Souvlaki was founded in 1997 by Nikos Tiginagas and opened its first location in Market Mall, Calgary, Alberta. This fast food restaurant has 64 locations in 19 cities across Canada, 3 in Arizona and Minnesota.

Prime Restaurants
Prime Restaurants is the parent company of the restaurant chains East Side Mario's, Casey's, Pat and Mario's, Fionn MacCool's and Bier Markt Esplanade. Founded in Sudbury in 1980 by Bernard C. Dyer, the Mississauga based company operates in Canada and the USA.

St-Hubert
Laval, Quebec-based St-Hubert operates 97 restaurants in Canada making it the 16th largest restaurant chain in the country. It used to have many locations outside of Quebec but withdrew. Swiss Chalet has taken advantage of that growing into more locations but has narrowed its presence in Quebec. Their unique brand of gravy is one of more than 600 products they sell through grocery stores in eastern Canada. It serves more than 31 million meals every year including 3.2 million kilograms of cabbage, 6.062 million kilograms of french fries, 8.3 million servings of desserts.

MTY Food Group
MTY is the parent company of Yogen Fruz Canada, Tiki Ming, Mrs. Vanelli's, Taco Time, Country Style, Thai Express, Tandori. The 25 year old company oversees 1500 quick service restaurants. Sales increased by 49% over the last year.

Vanelli's
Mrs. Vanelli's is an international chain of Italian food counter service restaurants, based out of Mississauga, Ontario. The chain has rebranded simply as Vanelli's. In addition to their Canadian locations, Vanelli's has locations in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. since 1981 it has been in Canada. In 1995 it opened its first location abroad in Bahrain and now operates 110 locations worldwide.

Smitty's Family Restaurants
Smitty's Family Restaurants began selling food in 1960 after Walter Chan opened the first location in Calgary, Alberta where it is still based. It is Canada's largest family restaurant chain with 115 locations all in Canada. revenue : 50-100 million dollars and employs 5800 people.

New York Fries
New York Fries is a Canadian company with 201 stores in Canada, Hong Kong, UAE, Kuwait, and South Korea.

Pizza Pizza
Pizza Pizza has its HQ in Toronto and has 500 locations.

Cows ice cream
Cows (ice cream) has 9 locations in Canada and 1 in the USA. It started in 1983 in PEI as an ice cream parlor. Today it's known for its 32 varieties of ice cream, unique cheddar cheese, and cow themed merchandise.