8845 replies to this topic

[Victoria Watcher]

I’ve seen the scene. I’ve seen it where the floor is thick with garbage. Sometimes they will close at say 4:30am just to clean up a tiny bit. Then back open at 4:45.

[Mike K.]

McDonald’s no longer serves patrons inside after a certain time. Or didn’t last time I was downtown by night. You order through a takeout window.

[Ismo07]

Hi-Five chicken finally opened on Douglas in that plaza kitty corner to City Hall...  Only open till 11pm

[sdwright.vic]

When I stopped by there they said they were contemplating late nights on the weekends

[Victoria Watcher]

Number of locations in the US:

 

 

Subway: 20,603

Starbucks: 16,061

McDonald’s: 13,514

7-Eleven: 9,476

Dunkin’ Donuts: 9,461

Taco Bell: 7,817

Burger King: 6,850

Pizza Hut: 6,824

Circle K: 6,794

Domino’s Pizza: 6,739

Wendy’s: 5,996

Dairy Queen: 4,306

Little Ceasars: 4,187

KFC: 3,979

Sonic: 3,541

Arby’s: 3,406

Chipotle: 3,236

Papa John’s: 3,110

Popeyes: 2,975

Chick-fil-A: 2,951

Jimmy John’s: 2,739

Jersey Mike’s: 2,574

Baskin-Robbins: 2,376

Panda Express: 2,258

Jack in the box: 2,197

Panera Bread: 2,132

Wingstop: 1,808

Hardee’s: 1,635

Five Guys: 1,449

Auntie Anne’s: 1,309

[Nparker]

I'm a bit surprised there are more Subway locations than McDonald's.

[Victoria Watcher]

I'm a bit surprised there are more Subway locations than McDonald's.

 

[Matt R.]

Probably a couple million less to build a Subway, and staffing is much simpler.

[Victoria Watcher]

Probably a couple million less to build a Subway, and staffing is much simpler.

 

Ya, they really sold the concept to mid-level investors.

[Mike K.]

They did didn’t they. It has been #1 for quite some time. It flies totally under the radar but subways are everywhere, if you stop and think about it.

[Matt R.]

Ya, they really sold the concept to mid-level investors.

Yup. Training is easier, clean up is easier, maintenance is easier, it’s all so much easier lol. Sales probably much less but overhead is way less.

[LJ]

Subway is ubiquitous because they don't protect any territory for the franchisee. I can open one up right next door to yours.

 

There was a lawsuit in the US a few years ago because of this practice.

 

You can't make a living from one Subway franchise, MacDonald's you can.

[Matt R.]

What’s the startup cost difference? Maybe better to have three subways instead of one McDonald’s, $80k isn’t bad if you don’t need to work much.

[Victoria Watcher]

The Subway startup franchise fee is only $15,000.

But you pay about 12% of gross sales for fee and marketing support.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 19 August 2023 - 02:08 AM.

[UDeMan]

Not sure this should be posted here, but thought it was interesting

 

https://www.theglobe...-how-to-direct/

 

Acclaimed filmmaker Atom Egoyan is gearing up for the Toronto International Film Festival, where the Egyptian-born and B.C.-raised director’s 18th movie, Seven Veils, will premiere at the Four Seasons. Long before such swanky events, however, The Sweet Hereafter director’s summers included waiting tables at a tourist-filled Greek restaurant in Victoria.

I’d been working since I was 15, doing laundry and as a busboy at the Empress Hotel, where I knew this waiter named Paul. I was in my early 20s when Paul left to start a restaurant, which would become a very popular Greek spot called Periklis. He took me with him and promoted me to waiter.

Periklis was a big destination for tourists, who’d come in groups of 40 or 50 expecting a show. For some reason it had belly dancers, though belly dancing is obviously not Greek. Victoria at the time was full of these kinds of tourist traps. Even the Empress Hotel had this now jaw-dropping bar called the Bengal Lounge, where the waiters wore colonial garb. This was the late seventies and would never, ever happen now.

[Nparker]

...Even the Empress Hotel had this now jaw-dropping bar called the Bengal Lounge, where the waiters wore colonial garb. This was the late seventies and would never, ever happen now.

I don't ever remember the staff at the Bengal Lounge wearing "colonial garb" - whatever that means. They dressed as you would expect any wait staff at a higher-end hotel lounge to dress. Remind me to never watch another Atom Egoyan film - not that I likely ever would anyway. He's always been terribly pretentious.

[Victoria Watcher]

The Bengal staff were the last of the super professionals. I don’t recall what they wore, but they were pros.

[aastra]

I'm trying to wrap my head around the absurdity of a British colonial hotel named "The Empress" having a lounge themed to British colonial India. I mean, what kind of twisted mind could even come up with something like that? What next? High tea with ladyfingers and watercress sandwiches?

 

 

Daily Colonist
June 28, 1969

It was a fun party at the Empress to mark the opening of new Bengal room, just as manager Louis Finnemore had promised.

The party was in the ballroom as the newly decorated Bengal room (formerly the Coronet) is open for business. They may have changed the name but not the game.

Anyone who arrived early enough received a toy tiger -- (I) felt flattered when Louis Finnemore took his own off to pin on my shoulder.

Several of the guests were in their Indian saris lending quite a colorful touch and adding to the Bengal decor theme. But the most realistic touch was undoubtedly the real, live lion cub at the far end of the room. He or she was caged and I swear he was dancing to the music when I saw him.

The huge buffet set up In the centre of the room was laden with delicious party food, including huge mounds of large shrimp set on platters which held chunks of Alaska King crab. Bowls of that lovely creamy pink sauce and the hot red one that are truly "Empress" were there for the dunking. There were also platters of nice, meaty spareribs -- first time I have seen that particular fingerfood at the Empress.

I met Albert van Citters, the new food and beverage manager at the hotel. A new manager always brings a few innovations with him.

There are four new drinks to be served in the Bengal room -- the Bengal Tiger, the Cobra, Bombay Stinger, and Tropical Itch. Don't know which I had, think it waa the Tiger one -- really good.

Where do you go that you don't see Gerry Gosley? He was there all dressed up. He handed me his card -- Colonel Forestque-Farquharson, S.M., I.L.E., and that explained the get-up. Of course, the card contained the information that the Smile Show is on at the Langham Court Theatre until Aug. 23.

I went to the party with David and Diane Angus, and among the many people that we exchanged pleasantries and such with were John and Paddy DiCastri, the Stan Mooneys, John and Doreen Wallace, Davinda Bains, Doug and Jean Hunter, Jack McPherson, Dorothy Wismer and Lily Wilson.

Also noticed the John Wades, the Robin Dunsmuirs, John Boyle, and oh many others.

[aastra]

I wouldn't consider myself to be an enthusiast re: themed restaurants that feature dancers, but I feel like I've seen Greek-style belly dancing in a few different places other than Victoria.

 

edit: I assume the dance I'm referring to is "Tsifteteli".

 

 

from GreekReporter.com

Tsifteteli is the Greek belly dance. Tsifteteli follows a rhythm  common all over the middle east. The name tsifteteli is turkish and comes from chifteteli, which originally meant "two strings".

A typical tsifteteli is not performed by a single belly dancer in a Rhine-stone costume, but by a massive number of dancers populating the dance floor, just like in a disco!

Tsifteteli is danced by men and women alike, in solo, couples and group formations...

Tsifteteli was mainly brought to Greece by the Greeks from Asia Minor, who had to leave their hometowns because of a population exchange between Greece and Turkey.

Edited by aastra, 25 August 2023 - 07:23 PM.

[UDeMan]

I went to Periklis many times, it was on lower Yates street. The food was good and there was a belly dancer, Asmira I think.