this post was submitted on 26 May 2026
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Just found out this Wikipedia article where it says its american: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A%26W_Restaurants

But then in there there is a link to this other article where it says that A&W Canada is actually a separate Canadian company: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A%26W_(Canada)

Kind of confusing to be honest but if I understood correctly, it seems like buying in there is not supporting the americans, am I right?

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[–] CanadianCorhen@lemmy.ca 34 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Yea, I believe A&W Canada is an entierly seperate company, and Canadian owned

[–] SreudianFlip@sh.itjust.works 7 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Last few times I was in there they were making claims about sourcing Canadian beef. Veggie burger is good. It’s the only fast food place I go to. Proudly Canadian I think.

[–] Canconda@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 months ago

They also use less processed ingredients. Tomatos/lettuce get sliced and prepped daily. Onion rings are battered in house!!

[–] adarza@lemmy.ca 29 points 2 months ago (1 children)

a&w canada is separate from a&w in the u.s., correct.

unilever (uk) bought the canadian business only of a&w in the 1970s--that's what split the u.s. and canadian parts. some franchisees in canada grouped-together and bought the canadian a&w from unilever in 1995.

[–] HubertManne@piefed.social 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I was kinda wondering when I saw this because I thought it was one of those things yum(pepsi) bought up.

[–] adarza@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

the american a&w was part of yum brands until it was divested about 15 years ago.. yum itself was originally formed from the merger of pepsi's spun-off restaurant business and the american a&w's parent.

[–] HubertManne@piefed.social 1 points 2 months ago

oh that funny. I know pepsi spun off yum because it pissed off restaurant customers but did not realize a&w was kind of the parent.

[–] PorkchopDisco@lemmy.ca 22 points 2 months ago

Having eaten at both US and Canadian A&W restaurants, the Canadian chain is much better fyi.

[–] HumanOnEarth@lemmy.ca 19 points 2 months ago (3 children)

Yes.

My A&W consumption went way up after Trump was re-elected.

Best fast food breakfast (hashbrowns are superior), best beef burgers. Chicken is a bit meh. Onion rings are obviously S tier. Root beer is great.

With coupons they're a no brainer. Regular price I'd rather do A&W twice for every 3 visits of other stuff.

[–] lobut@lemmy.ca 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

oh thank goodness ...

I'm so tired of eating at Harvey's ... and Mary Brown's is too far!

[–] kent_eh@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I wish there was a Harvey's anywhere near me.

[–] Canconda@lemmy.ca -1 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Local Home Depot tried replacing them with a subway but now its just shopping cards.

[–] GrindingGears@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 months ago

They do have a pretty mean hashbrown. Their coffee isn't half bad either. I'm always down for a teen burger too. I don't get it much, but it's the only fast food joint that doesn't send my blood sugar into a death spiral.

[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 1 points 2 months ago (3 children)

It's very expensive fast food.

[–] kent_eh@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Pretty much all fast food has become expensive in the last few years.

[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca -1 points 2 months ago

I wouldn't know. I wouldn't eat any of that shit.

[–] HumanOnEarth@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 months ago

6.49 egger combo with a coupon this morning. Regular price is maybe a couple bucks more than a similar McDonalds meal.

Hence, "go twice there instead of three times somewhere else".

Very expensive? What's your definition of that? Any suggestions on where to go instead? Or just a shit and run comment?

[–] BCsven@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 months ago

It's all that price where we are, so A&W is better with real cheese, organic coffee, actual eggs.

[–] panda_abyss@lemmy.ca 16 points 2 months ago

A&W Canada is Canadian, separated from the US chain a while ago

[–] Canconda@lemmy.ca 10 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (2 children)

I worked at one.

  1. A&W Canada is a completely separate entity from A&W USA with no legal ties whatsoever.

  2. They do source their ingredients from Canada. Much less processed than McDonalds or Arbys (I've also worked there).

  3. They make the onion rings by hand. They slice the tomato's/lettuce every morning.

  4. Many have 24 hour drive thrus and open late lobbies.

  5. The immigrants working there aren't TFWs (which Canadian taxes pay for), they're good people who sincerely want to be Canadian.

  6. They have frosted mugs instead of ice. Every single ice machine is contaminated with fecal bacteria.

In the hellscape that is late stage capitalism... they're on my shortlist like Costco

[–] BurgerBaron@quokk.au -3 points 2 months ago (1 children)
[–] Canconda@lemmy.ca 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

133/~20,000 employees according to your link and wikipedia.

Compared to Tim Hortons who has >10x the TFW use with about 5x the employees.

...

For me the thing is that A&W has maintained it's quality. While Tim Hortons has gotten worse in every aspect.

[–] k0e3@lemmy.ca 6 points 2 months ago (1 children)

What I would also like to know is if the Okinawan A&W is independent from the US one as well. It's the only prefecture in Japan that has it. I haven't gone in years because it's just not as good as the Canadian one and because it might be US-owned.

[–] adarza@lemmy.ca 6 points 2 months ago (1 children)

pretty sure okinawa a&w locations are franchisees of the american a&w.

[–] k0e3@lemmy.ca 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Yeah, I thought so... Oh well, I'll just stick to my MOS burger I guess.

[–] melsaskca@lemmy.ca 1 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Whenever I want 'amburgers and woot beer, I go to the A&W. /s

[–] Kojichan@lemmy.world 4 points 2 months ago

Homestar Runner detected.