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Toronto non-mall retail (Odds & Ends)

  • Thread starter marksimpson7843
  • Start date
taal said:
Honestly, I've never met anyone who really loved Cheese cake say that the Cheese cake factory makes a decent product ... I'm not saying it terrible, its just OK ... really all they have going for them is the variety of flavors ... but that doesn't mean it is a good cheese cake ..
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Cheesecake isn't the only reason to go to The Cheesecake Factory. Honestly, whenever I go there I never get to the cheesecake because their portions are so big.
 
I assume you meant you can easily 'split' a meal ... is that really how we measure the quality of a restaurant nowadays ...


I don't believe this to be true but: When I was at PFChangs, one of the waiters said she over heard the cheesecake factory is opening a location in the shops at don mills. I proceeded to try to find any information about this but couldn't. Maybe I'll email them to ask. Again I could care less, but I do know a lot of folks that share a similar obsession with this place : - )
 
Why do suburbanites like chains so much? I don't mind them, but I wouldn't obsess over a new chain restaurant opening this side of the border.
 
prosperegal said:
Why do suburbanites like chains so much? I don't mind them, but I wouldn't obsess over a new chain restaurant opening this side of the border.
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I dunno. Why do people who live downtown like chains so much? They are always packed! Toronto is probably next on the Cheesecake Factory's list.
 
gabe said:
I dunno. Why do people who live downtown like chains so much? They are always packed! Toronto is probably next on the Cheesecake Factory's list.
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Really? I'm fairly neutral about chains. I'll go to them, maybe even take food pictures for Instagram/Twitter, but I probably won't obsess over the fact that something's opening up. I'd rather get excited about a new restaurant by a well-known chef.
 
Actually I don't think this is one of those typical silly stereotypes ... I think there is some truth in this ...

So downtown chain restaurants being busy (which I agree they are) means nothing, this can easily be occupied by folks from other parts of the city or the 905 / tourists.

Now though this is rather anecdotal, most folks I know who live in the core actually do hate chains, typically for no good reason, but admittedly the Boston Pizza / Jack Astors / Keg / <insert random chain> are meh at best (though typically a good value), and worse yet all taste nearly identical.

Anyway folks I know in the suburbs tend to love them.


So why ! I think its pretty simple; Folks downtown eat out much more often (this is true and many studies have show as much), but more importantly, folks who live downtown (anywhere in the greater core) have at their feet access to thousands of restaurants, the majority not being chains, and I'm not saying they are better or worse, though typically they differ from each other quite greatly in terms of the 'type of food' ...

Anyway, the point here is folks who live in the core are used to this "choice" !

Now in the suburubs, particularly the hmm, predominately white ones ... by far and large chains dominate ! Heck it'd be a challenge in some areas to find anything other then these !

So that's what they're used to when they go out and what they believe they prefer.


Of course there are exceptions to this ! But I wouldn't be surprised if on average its true.
 
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taal said:
Actually I don't think this is one of those typical silly stereotypes ... I think there is some truth in this ...

So downtown chain restaurants being busy (which I agree they are) means nothing, this can easily be occupied by folks from other parts of the city or the 905 / tourists.

Now though this is rather anecdotal, most folks I know who live in the core actually do hate chains, typically for no good reason, but admittedly the Boston Pizza / Jack Astors / Keg / <insert random chain> are meh at best (though typically a good value), and worse yet all taste nearly identical.

Anyway folks I know in the suburbs tend to love them.


So why ! I think its pretty simple; Folks downtown eat out much more often (this is true and many studies have show as much), but more importantly, folks who live downtown (anywhere in the greater core) have at their feet access to thousands of restaurants, the majority not being chains, and I'm not saying they are better or worse, though typically they differ from each other quite greatly in terms of the 'type of food' ....
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What about the folks who grew up in the suburbs and moved downtown over the past decade? a lot them eat at chains because they grew up with them. Just about everyone i know who lives downtown loves The Keg. Why? the food is average, always taste the same, and the menu never changes ( like most chains) Maybe that's exactly what people want? Sometimes people don't want to experiment, they want to go some place familiar. People who grew up with the Cheesecake Factory, would probably dine at the Toronto location.

I didn't grow up with a lot of today's restaurant chains so I'm not that interested in dining at them. In a city like Toronto there is too many other dining options. I do have fond memories eating at Bob Evans in the states. If Toronto got one of those, I'd probably be first in line. ;)
 
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Your right there are probably many other factors ! Argg, you had to mention it, the Keg ! I despise that place, and no not because its a chain ... I just find for the quality its a rip off ... I've never had a good meal from the Keg, and I've been to many various locations on many occasions (not at my choosing of course). There are so many other places out there for steak (and cheaper!) ... and for the rest of their menu ... I find the other chains are much better on average and cheaper.
 
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When I moved downtown, I couldn't wait to get away from the chains and go to different restaurants.
 
gabe said:
What about the folks who grew up in the suburbs and moved downtown over the past decade? a lot them eat at chains because they grew up with them. Just about everyone i know who lives downtown loves The Keg. Why? the food is average, always taste the same, and the menu never changes ( like most chains) Maybe that's exactly what people want? Sometimes people don't want to experiment, they want to go some place familiar. People who grew up with the Cheesecake Factory, would probably dine at the Toronto location.

I didn't grow up with a lot of today's restaurant chains so I'm not that interested in dining at them. In a city like Toronto there is too many other dining options. I do have fond memories eating at Bob Evans in the states. If Toronto got one of those, I'd probably be first in line. ;)
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I think a lot of people who live downtown grew up in the suburbs, and many are, at best, neutral towards chains. I am one of these people. I grew up in North York (Willowdale).
 
One thing I can't stand... people speaking for everyone.

What kind of restaurants and where you live is so snobby. You can like whatever you want, live wherever you want, and have an opinion that is different from yours.
 
wow !! Indeed that would be great news. I love it ... move more density on King, and leave Queen low rise ... makes perfect sense.
 
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