OpenTube

Why A&W Thrives in Canada but is FLOPPING in the States

Maple Inc.

542,344 views

Venn: Canadian Business banking trusted by 15K+ companies - https://venn.ca/?utm_source=influence...

To a vast majority of the world, A&W is a faded retro relic of dusty mid-century drive-ins that’s slowly withering away into a supermarket soft drink brand. But across Canada, a fiercely independent offshoot executed a daring corporate divorce from its American parent, weaponizing its nostalgia to build a multi-billion-dollar fast-casual juggernaut.

👋Hey, I'm Cam. I've always been interested in retail & how business shapes the world around us, and I decided to start this channel and tell these stories! Hope you all enjoy the videos:)

If you want to learn more about myself and the team, check out my website - https://www.frontiermediaco.com

🎬Video Credits:
Narrators - Cam
Editor - Markus
Writers - Jul
Audio - Lyz

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
2:57 The Root Beer Stand That Conquered The Suburbs
7:21 The Great Corporate Divorce
9:41 The Nostalgia Moat
12:29 The Better Beef Rebellion
15:55 The Beyond Meat Moonshot
17:47 Smashing The Giants
21:45 Conclusion

20 Comments

@MapleIncYT Creator 1 month ago Pinned

Venn: Canadian Business banking trusted by 15K+ companies - https://venn.ca/?utm_source=influencer&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=maple&utm_content=002

@TheNiteinjail 1 month ago

A&W have carved an interesting niche for themselves. Slightly more expensive. MUCH better experience than the biggest chains.

@guspaz 1 month ago

Let's be honest, Allen the A&W Guy is the real A&W mascot. He's been their face for a quarter century now.

@alanlensink 1 month ago

Canadian millenial here. I had no idea that A&W in the US isn't like how it is here at home. This video is on point.

@Heimdal00 1 month ago

You can just ask for a lettuce wrap for any burger, and it's done. It's a surprisingly incredible solution to keep celiac people as customers!

@cciderplays 1 month ago

It might cost more then the other places, but you don’t feel horrible after eating it. A&W is the goat

@chrisvickers7928 1 month ago

If I got out for a fast food burger it's A&W. The fact it's a Canadian owned company seals the deal in these crazy, current times.

@WhatsTruth777 1 month ago

As a Canadian I like A and W because I love the way it's served. The frosted mug the fries in a basket. My Children love it Wife loves it.

@garmdianmelonking5211 1 month ago

Fun fact the Famous Teen burger was also a Canadian invention, it was made during a contest by a teen that worked at one of the Calgary Alberta locations, I got to meet him once and he showed us how to make them.

He also won $250 for the contest which is almost $3000 today!

@vitz3 1 month ago (edited)

I will say they don't mess around at breakfast time. Can order a full breakfast (eggs over easy, toast, bacon, sausage, hashbrown and tomato) and they bring it to your table on a tray with a real plate, fork and knife, plus coffee in a mug with refills. Pretty weird dichotomy for a place I consider fast food with a drive thru window.

@Disciple_of_fih 1 month ago

I’m Canadian, A&W is one of the only fast foods that doesn’t feel like total slop when you’re eating it

@ReZerO100 1 month ago (edited)

one small thing you missed is that A&W Canada also never gave up on the car culture that birthed it, go to a lot of different stores across this country on a summer weekend and you'll often find a car meet, a car show, just the parking lot full of classic and suped up cars *edited spelling mistake*

@sharpjs 1 month ago

As a transplant to Canada from the States, thanks for closing the loop on why A&W is so successful here while almost vanished from the US.

@Abcadeaz 1 month ago

Can confirm as a Canadian burger fanatic, no burger compares in quality to the A&W teen burger. It’s better than $30 burgers in sit down restaurants

@Corosar 1 month ago

I love Canadian A&W it really does feel like a Canadian restaurant. And i have such a deep nostalgia with it. My grandmother would take us out to A&W for breakfast and.. it really does remind me of happier times.

@joscelynvos5473 1 month ago

A&W breakfast is also super legit!

@shioramenrabbit 1 month ago

In small cities and large towns A&W also has little to no competition. The only other chain that ever went into any of those markets was Subway; McDonalds et al of the burger chains, and even Tim Hortons simply refused to expand into a lot of areas. A&W already existed in the communities and had for decades; the amount of goodwill that they generated by willing to stick it out and be one of the main places you can be reasonably sure of getting good hot food on the highway can't be understated. Also: Yeah they were smart they didn't try to say they were the cheapest; they said they'd always feed you good food and they stuck to it.

@Vespuchian 1 month ago

Speaking of the beloved 'Burger Family', I cannot for the life of me understand why they haven't made the Mozza Burger (my personal favourite) the "Aunt Mozza" by now.