44 h. ago Hooters files for bankruptcy and here's what that means for Toronto location

U.S.-based restaurant chain Hooters, which is known for its chicken wings and all-female serving staff wearing revealing outfits, has officially filed for bankruptcy protection, and here's what that means for the chain's only Toronto location. On Monday, Hooters of America (HOA) Restaurant Group filed the motion for Chapter 11 protection in the North Texas Bankruptcy Court in Dallas.The company has been facing mounting financial challenges, and as a result, announced that it has entered into a restructuring support agreement to effectuate a sale transaction that will allow for the continued operation of the business under new ownership. The company has reached an agreement with a group of current franchisees, called the Buyer Group, to acquire and operate certain company-owned Hooters locations. The group is comprised of two existing Hooters franchisees, who collectively currently own and operate over 30 per cent of the domestic franchised Hooters locations, including...

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47 h. ago These were the best April Fools' Day pranks in Ontario this year

If you haven't caught on yet, it's officially April Fools' Day 2025 in Toronto, and as anticipated, many local attractions, businesses, and restaurants are taking to social media in hopes of pranking their followers and customers.From unrealistic moves to head-scratching and custom-made drinks for your four-legged friends, here are our picks for the best April Fools' Day pranks that tricked people in Toronto this year.Canada's Wonderland relocationDid you hear? Canada's Wonderland is relocating! Well, not actually, but plenty of people fell for this prank posted by the amusement park's social team this morning.    View this post on Instagram           A post shared by Canada's Wonderland (@canadaswonderland)The team joked that the park will be relocating to Wonder Island in 2031, a custom-built island located right by downtown Toronto. One person even asked if the amusement park would be providing a...

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49 h. ago Hooters, known for chicken wings and skimpy uniforms, files for bankruptcy

The latest iconic restaurant brand to falter in the face of stubborn inflation and Americans’ fading interest in eating out

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54 h. ago Toronto servers at this restaurant get to choose how much you need to tip

As you take your last few bites of your meal and the bill arrives, you're suddenly faced with a familiar dilemma — should you tip 15, 18, 20 per cent, or maybe even more? You might find yourself reflecting on your waiter's service, the quality of the food, or how perfectly your steak was cooked.However, at this new Toronto restaurant, you can forget all that. Here, the servers do all the deciding for you.That's right, at Revoir le Calendrier, located in Toronto's Financial District, servers are given the power to decide exactly how much you need to tip. The restaurant, which officially opened its doors on Tuesday, is shaking up the traditional tipping concept with its revolutionary take, and some customers are still finding it difficult to wrap their heads around the idea.General Manager Alfred Pols tells blogTO that the restaurant's unique approach aims to reward both excellent service and customer etiquette."People are struggling financially more than ever. Food is expe...

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4 d. ago Former Toronto steakhouse to finally get new tenant after months sitting vacant

One of Toronto's preeminent downtown steakhouses has closed down permanently, and after sitting dormant for months, it's finally about to get a new tenant.Let's face it: steakhouses in Toronto are a dime a dozen, but that doesn't discredit the very real and good things they're doing for the city's residents, namely ensuring we all get our fair share of Surf and Turf and $25 cocktails when the whim strikes.In the past year or so, the city's steakhouse numbers, both within and beyond the downtown core, seem to have been on a steep increase, with new-ish additions like Animl, Linny's and Blue Bovine earning their fair share of limelight in the past several months.Unfortunately, with such a surge also comes the inevitable loss of some preexisting establishments: it's just the law of the concrete jungle.This past summer, one such casualty was The Shore Club, Toronto's own location of what was once a nationwide chain that has since been reduced to just a sing...

Sport

7 d. ago Toronto bar backpedals on permanent closure amid delays with new concept

Members of Toronto's CityPlace community were rattled, to say the least, when the news about the neighbourhood's beloved Fox and Fiddle location's impending closure first broke.A local fixture for years, the franchise was something of a neighbourhood watering hole despite its obvious position as a member of the nationwide pub chain.Independent or not, it served as a go-to spot for after-work drinks and sports game-viewing parties for the community's many residents and workers for years, until early 2025, when the location suddenly shut down, marking the second Fox and Fiddle location in Toronto to close within the space of a week.It wasn't all bad news when the closure was announced, though, as franchise owners, the Reign Company, who also own Fox on John, shared that a brand-new day-to-night social club called Charlie Social House would be taking over the space."We saw an exciting opportunity to create something truly transformative that aligns with our vision for th...

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1 week ago Toronto man 'blindsided' after company quietly hands franchise over to new owner

The owner of one Toronto restaurant location was shocked to find himself locked out of his business after his parent company quietly handed it over to someone new, he claims.For the past 13 years, Allen, a Toronto resident and owner of three different sushi restaurants in the city, has proudly owned and operated the Sushi Shop location in Union Station, but, he tells blogTO, it all came crashing down earlier this week."[On the morning of March 18,] I arrived at my store as I had done every day for 13 years, but this time  I wasn’t allowed in," Allen claims. "The locks had been changed. My business, my livelihood, my existence had been taken from me overnight."Allen tells blogTO that he was ultimately "blindsided" to show up for work and find that MTY, the parent company of Sushi Shop and a number of other quick-service food companies in Canada, had, apparently without his knowledge, sold the franchise to a new owner, who would be taking over the restaurant immed...

Economics

2 w. ago Busy downtown Toronto supermarket shut down by health authorities

A big-name grocery store is not exactly what comes to mind when we think of "City of Toronto health code violations," but a downtown location of Canada's third-biggest supermarket chain was just forcibly shut down for a few major food safety issues.The Metro store that has long stood right across from the city's famed St. Lawrence Market was ordered to close its doors on Thursday after inspectors deemed it unfit to remain open due to one crucial infraction that endangers saleable food directly, alongside a significant infraction and another minor one.The main problem? A rat infestation — not exactly rare in Toronto, but still very yuck."Food premise maintained in manner permitting health hazard (Rodents)," reads the closure notice shared to the City's DineSafe page on March 13. The required action included a court summons and health hazard order, which were listed as "pending on March 17."The store, at 80 Front S...

Science

2 w. ago Dickey’s Barbecue Opens in Toronto, Serving Authentic Texas BBQ

The Iconic BBQ Brand Continues Its Growth in Canada, Bringing Legendary Flavors to Toronto’s Food Scene Toronto, Ontario, March 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc., the world’s largest barbecue franchise, is excited to announce the opening of its latest location in Toronto, Ontario. Located at 2150 Bloor Street W In High Park […]

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2 w. ago Trendy cannabis brand appears to have shut down all Toronto locations

A line of cannabis dispensaries that made a big splash across Ontario appears to be going the way of the dodo, with all locations in the province but one closing down for good.Could it be? The dispensary boom that's made Toronto the butt of wide-spread jokes over the years (which we laughed along with, because, when there's a dispensary every 200 metres, you find yourself laughing a lot for whatever reason,) is finally coming to an end?Well, not exactly.When cannabis was finally legalized in Canada back in 2018, it took infinite patience and a healthy amount of tongue-holding to convince my parents that the good-old devil's lettuce isn't bad or evil, and that the people who use it aren't (exclusively) grubby hippies. Not that there's anything wrong with being a grubby hippie anyway.It wasn't until strolling through Rosedale one day that my mom and I stumbled upon Ottawa-based dispensary chain Superette's first Toronto location that her eyes were opened to a whole new image...

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3 w. ago Filipino restaurant in Toronto embarking on big expansion in new neighbourhood

A Toronto restaurant is closing down their original location in favour of a new neighbourhood, in a move its owners call "bittersweet."Ever since opening their doors in 2017, Islas Filipino has been much more than just one of the best Filipino restaurants in Toronto; it's served as a hub for events and community building in its beloved Parkdale neighbourhood.From live music nights to Filipino heritage celebrations, it seems like the restaurant, situated on the block of Queen West immediately east of Roncesvalles, is always alive, bringing a bright spirit to the already deeply community-oriented neighbourhood."We are deeply grateful for the unwavering support of our Parkdale community over the years," owners Marc and Mariel Buenaventura write in the caption of a recent Instagram post.Despite all the support the community has offered over the past 8 years, and vice versa, though, Marc and Mariel announced, in the very same post, that Islas would soon be leaving the neighbourhood,...

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3 w. ago Toronto's 5 most expensive parking spots all found in two condos

Parking comes at a premium in downtown Toronto, and many spots selling in constrained locations in the core have been known to sell for stratospheric prices.Having a car in the city centre can be a costly luxury, especially in some of the most sought-after new developments in built-out areas with scarce on-street parking.As of early March, all five of the city's most expensive parking spots for sale can be found within two new buildings, with staggering prices as high as $139,000.Traditionally, the highest-priced parking spots in Toronto have been found within ultra-luxury condominiums, though the current list of the most expensive parking in the city appears to come down purely to demand.The recently built Waterworks Building on Richmond Street — a condo building that houses a new food hall within a restored Art Deco water facility — currently has the most expensive and third-most expensive (tied) parking spots in Toronto.Another new condo at 55 Mercer Street ...

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4 w. ago Canadians buy up thousands of Teslas in one weekend as federal rebate ends

When Canada announced on Friday, January 10, that it was winding down its federal EV incentive program, it kicked off a weekend of EV buying across the country, especially in Quebec.On Friday, the government claimed there was $71 million left in the account, and by Monday, the account was closed.After announcing that the funds would run dry, the Toronto Star is reporting that a single Tesla dealership in Quebec City claimed $20 million in subsidies in one weekend by selling more than 4,000 cars as buyers rushed to take advantage of the $5,000 discount.Two dealers in Toronto and one in Vancouver, alongside the Quebec City location, all went from selling a few dozen cars per day to offloading 2,500 or more. Over the weekend, the four dealerships together made 8,600 sales, which accounted for $43 million out of the remaining $71 million.Alongside the removal of the federal incentive, Tesla also announced that it would raise prices on February 1 since it no longer needed ...

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