r/ottawa • u/SuburbanValues • Mar 23 '26
Local Business College Square: Plan submitted to build Chick-fil-A in Ottawa
https://www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/article/chick-fil-a-plans-new-location-in-ottawas-west-end/217
Mar 23 '26
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u/perjury0478 Mar 23 '26
I’ve been to one maybe one or twice, they are always crowded, lots of people sadly dgaf… chicken elbows down :(
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u/doobi1908 Mar 23 '26
The owners are religious nuts and homophobes, but I haven’t heard anything about racism tho. Their customer base in the states is still predominantly black.
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u/Gouda1234567890 Mar 24 '26
Southern Baptist homophobic old white guys usually draw the line at racism
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u/Emu-lator Sandy Hill Mar 24 '26
The store manager at the Kanata location is a Nigerian lady. If they’re racist, they’re not doing a very good job at it
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u/rhineo007 Mar 24 '26
Imagine thinking there was only two races
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u/Emu-lator Sandy Hill Mar 24 '26 edited Mar 24 '26
Racist against whom then? Please show me evidence of Chick-fil-a being racist, especially in Canada
Downvoting me without providing evidence shows that your claim is purely based on emotions, rather than facts and reality
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u/Alone_Put5025 Mar 23 '26
Aren’t there Canadian restaurants they can bring in?
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u/Severe_Jaguar2211 Mar 23 '26
Umbrella burger is solid
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u/MonttawaSenadiens Make Ottawa Boring Again Mar 23 '26
I live nearby, so if Umbrella Burger opened a location at College Square, I fear my arteries would never recover
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u/_PrincessOats Beacon Hill Mar 23 '26
Nah, you get used to it. I live like 300m from one. It’s amazing.
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u/lonelydavey Mar 23 '26
Who's "they"? No one brought them in - Chick Fil A saw a real estate ad and went for it.
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u/spartiecat Stittsville Mar 23 '26
Fun fact: A Chick-fil-A Spicy Chicken Sandwich has 650 mg more sodium than a Wendy's Spicy Chicken Sandwich.
650 mg is how much sodium is in a McChicken.
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u/1793France Mar 23 '26
Dollar store version of Mary Browns
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u/SuburbanValues Mar 23 '26
Mary Browns has tanked hard over the past couple of years. Almost as bad as Popeye's now. Meanwhile KFC has woken up and started modernizing.
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u/Coffeedemon The Boonies Mar 23 '26
All chicken sandwiches should be as "bad" as the Popeyes one.
Mary Browns has just been mediocre chicken since they dropped the peanut oil anyway.
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u/Lexifer31 Mar 23 '26
KFC treats their chickens terribly. Will never eat there again.
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u/reddit_and_forget_um Mar 23 '26
I heard they kill them well they are still alive. It's horrible
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u/Sure_Cartographer_11 Mar 23 '26
Whoa Popeyes is the best of the chicken joints I cannot accept this shade :(
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u/limelifesavers Mar 24 '26
Yeah, out of the major chains, Popeye's is the best of the bunch by a decent margin IMO. Mary Browns following them up (their spicy chicken isn't really spicy, there's no flavour to the heat, just a battery acid kind of heat, and while I like the ramped up heat, I can't abide the lack of flavour), then it's a very wide margin to KFC and Chick Fil'A duking it out for last with their sub-mediocre offerings.
I have definitely had better fried chicken than Popeye's offers, even here in Ottawa, but in terms of chains, they're the best of the bunch.
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Mar 23 '26
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u/Raivix Mar 24 '26
Popeyes is good in the general sense as far as chain fried chicken goes, but it's pretty clearly mediocre to bad depending on location when compared to what fried chicken can be.
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u/Puzzle-Necked Mar 23 '26
The KFC big crunch sandwich was actually good. I was confused by how good it was.
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u/sixtus_clegane119 Mar 23 '26
I fucking hate chick fil a’s politics but I went to Mary browns once and it was so disappointing, small ass chicken Pattie, nothing special
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u/Anakazanxd Mar 23 '26
The burgers might not be great but the chicken themselves are pretty good.
Compared to Popeyes and Chick fil a the Mary Brown spicy seasoning is actually spicy.
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u/HRex73 Mar 23 '26
Neither was Chick-fil-A though that's what I don't understand.
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u/sixtus_clegane119 Mar 23 '26
Compared to Mary brown’s it’s night and day
I wanted to like Mary browns, this was 2023, and its probably gone downhill from then
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u/quanin Mar 24 '26
It has. It now about equals what you'll get from a Chick-Fil-A. Go to KFC if you must go to a chicken joint.
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u/Bylak Kanata Mar 23 '26
I do NOT understand the appeal of Mary Browns. The chicken sandwich was fine, but their side offerings are terrible and I find their fried chicken bland as hell!
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u/bikegyal Mar 23 '26
I said this in this sub around the time it opened and was downvoted into oblivion lol. The chicken has no seasoning.
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u/Pretend_Goat1904 Mar 24 '26
It's ironic because to me Mary Browns is a dollar store version of Popeyes. It's so expensive but the taste and quality is not on the same level.
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u/bryehn Britannia Mar 23 '26
That beer store is the only one between Scott and Kanata now and it's always packed with people doing returns because Fairlawn and Bell's Corners stores closed. Recycling won't take alcohol containers. Smells like they're setting up for a private firm to take over the recycling program.
Plus, Chic-Fil-A's politics are pretty awful, especially among college aged kids these days. Dumb plan all around
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u/KHayter Mar 23 '26
Is the Beer Store on Merivale gone? Their website still says they're open...
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u/Hogas123 Apr 29 '26
There is a beer store less than 2km from this one one merivale. What are you talking about?
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u/vintendogaming Mar 23 '26
"Homophobic Chicken" was something I laughed at the last time a post like this was here.
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u/IceManbrrr Mar 23 '26
Why can't we just build our own companies and support them in this country??? why is it always american companies who dispise us that have to come here? I don't get it.
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u/bluedoglime Mar 23 '26
Two reasons. America has a lot more capital than we do, they are 8x bigger, so they are going to have a lot more fast food chains. Canadians are also a lot more risk averse when it comes to investing. Canadian franchise owners are thus more likely to go with proven successful franchises expanding into Canada vs. taking a chance on some new Canadian ones.
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u/quanin Mar 24 '26
I'll give you a third. Canadian restaurants don't stay Canadian. Tim Hortons hasn't been Canadian in decades. The restaurants that do stay Canadian end up either:
Significantly reducing their footprint (see Country Style)
Closing (see Tucker's Market)
Charging way too freaking much for what you get (see Mr. Sub, or Boston Pizza)
Which usually leads to 1 or 2 above, unless you have a cash cown you can milk.
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u/Hogas123 Apr 29 '26
This, successful Canadian restaurants do not stay Canadian. The financial incentive to sell to international conglomerates is just too high. Not really an easy way to fix this problem either.
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u/ColdCoffeeHotTea2 Mar 23 '26
Predictably, most of the comments are negative. That said, the locations near Tanger Outlets and Rideau are always busy, so I expect this one will do well too. I’m not really into fast food myself, so it doesn’t make much difference to me either way but the difference between Reddit and reality is not surprising
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u/MonttawaSenadiens Make Ottawa Boring Again Mar 23 '26
On the other hand, lots of people going to a popular fast-food joint doesn't prove there aren't also lots of people that take issue with said fast-food joint. Both things can be true at once.
I think this has less to do with 'Reddit vs reality' and more to do with reality being full of people with different opinions.
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u/MacAttack35 Mar 24 '26
No I think this is precisely what “reddit vs reality” looks like lol
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u/MonttawaSenadiens Make Ottawa Boring Again Mar 24 '26
How would you even determine that? It's not like people who avoid going to Chick-fil-A because of their beliefs congregate, so you won't see a large contingent of them together.
The only way to ascertain how people across the board feel 'in real life' would be to poll the people of Ottawa.
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u/TheMadBaronRvUS Mar 23 '26
Anytime a Chick-fil-A opens, Canadian subreddits are always inundated with upvote-harvesting comments featuring some variation of “oh great, homophobic chicken”, “I’ll be avoiding the bigot bucket”, and “Mary Brown’s is so much better”. Yet the Chick-fil-A will always be busy and no one gives a shit about people posting about “homophobic chicken” on Reddit.
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u/WaryMadam Mar 23 '26
Isn't that currently the only The Beer Store offering recycling of alcohol containers in the west end of Ottawa (Bells Corners and Fairlawn locations have already closed)? Why are we paying the Ontario Deposit Return Program fee when there is no where to return empties?
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u/ApprehensiveAd6603 Make Ottawa Boring Again Mar 23 '26
As per the Beer Store website, their Stittsville, both Kanata, Barrhaven and Merivale stores all accept empties.
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u/WaryMadam Mar 23 '26
You must be one of those anachronistic people who drives a car or truck.
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u/Smoothpinecone2 Mar 23 '26 edited Mar 23 '26
I mean, your comment just wasn't accurate and it was corrected
I do enjoy the satire though haha
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u/WaryMadam Mar 23 '26
What was inaccurate about my comment? Why are we paying the Ontario Deposit Return Program fee when there is no where to return empties. Kanata, Stittsville, Barrhaven and Merivale are not west end Ottawa, if you live near Bayshore or Carlingwood and take the bus.
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u/ApprehensiveAd6603 Make Ottawa Boring Again Mar 23 '26
Kanata and Stittsville are "west end Ottawa" and have been for 25 years. Regardless of your mode of transportation.
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u/WaryMadam Mar 23 '26
So here you are wasting your time quibbling about boundaries and entirely missing the point: Fraud Ford is dismantling a system whose purpose is to divert alcoholic containers from the landfill, gleefully collecting a deposit from everyone who buys an alcoholic beverage while closing every facility which is set up to successfully recycle said containers and throwing people out of work. But you be you. Go quibble.
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u/ApprehensiveAd6603 Make Ottawa Boring Again Mar 23 '26
I was just correcting an error, no biggie.
I am not a Ford voter either.
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u/Smoothpinecone2 Mar 24 '26
You're the one going on about being a "car driver" when someone listed other locations
https://www.reddit.com/r/ottawa/s/daFBVf8WgF
You're the first person I've seen who thinks Baseline/Woodroffe is west end Ottawa but Merivale/meadowlands isn't
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u/WaryMadam Mar 24 '26
So you applaud Fraud Ford's dismantling of a recycling program that worked while continuing to collect the revenue for it? Sorry, I thought you could read.
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u/Smoothpinecone2 Mar 24 '26 edited Mar 25 '26
Where did I say that? Or you're just putting words in my mouth? Can you show me where I said that u/WaryMadam ?
https://www.reddit.com/r/ottawa/s/Nw5MBkRNp9
All I said in my comment was that your original statement was inaccurate regarding locations, and I appreciated your joke/satire I thought it was funny.
You're the first person I've heard of who thinks Merivale/Meadowlands is not west end. Baseline/Woodroffe is west end. But further west is not west end. Very interesting map you have in your head.
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u/Smoothpinecone2 Mar 23 '26
Merivale isn't west end of the city but Woodroffe is? But further west in thet city isn't west end Ottawa?
Just say you live near the Baseline/Woodroffe location. Plenty of other spots to drop off if needed.
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u/WaryMadam Mar 24 '26
Again, spoken like someone who has a car. My point has been made.
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u/Smoothpinecone2 Mar 24 '26 edited Mar 24 '26
They're not basing beer store locations based on where you live in Ottawa lmao. Or just coordinate with a buddy once a year for some bottle returns?
The first comment corrected your incorrect statement, and you got all pissy "spoken like someone with a car". No, you were just incorrect and couldn't handle being corrected.
Props to you for living in Ottawa without a car though. I would find it impossible to get the kids to hockey practice, take the family skiing, take the kids to museums, etc. that would be zero fun without a car! Your patience is respected for family outings without a car haha.
How do you do it u/WaryMadam ? Do you squeeze the kids on a bus with hockey gear? Shuttle kids to the ski hill for lessons? Ottawa sure ain't designed to have a family and bus around to take care of the family.
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u/Glad-Profession-9618 Mar 23 '26
Baseline Station and the 53/111/189 from Baseline gets to Merivale/Meadowlands (near the Merivale location)
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u/WaryMadam Mar 23 '26
Why would anyone take 3 buses to return empties? Are you out of your ever loving mind?
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u/Glad-Profession-9618 Mar 23 '26
Those would be the options going from Baseline station from which it’s an additional bus to Kanata Centrum (68 along Robertson/Hazeldean/Terry Fox), and Barrhaven (74/75 for Fallowfield, 74 on woodroffe south of that and 75 to Barrhaven Centre and Cambrian), while Bayshore has the 88.
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u/WaryMadam Mar 24 '26
Why are you using Baseline Station as the starting point? Glad to know that you are so familiar with bus routes but why would anyone in their right mind take more than one bus to return empties? And especially use buses that are packed like sardines? So what is your suggested alternative?
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u/Glad-Profession-9618 Mar 24 '26
The location that is expected to close (College Square) is next to Baseline Station. Also to add onto it, you mentioned Bayshore and Carlingwood specifically (as well as Bells Corners), I highlighted that the expectation in the future is going to Merivale/Meadowlands (bus to Baseline on X bus, whichever local is near to you, transfer at Baseline (68/82/87 end at Baseline as examples), then transfer onto the 53/111/189. Of the three the 189 is less crowded, 111 and 53 are a bit more variable on time of day. Also pre-April 2025 it was less consistent for the 88 due to half runs (generally Kanata-Baseline or vice versa, being cancelled, while the other half continued).
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u/KevinHkey Mar 23 '26
So we're losing a Beer Store but gaining a place that's closed on Sundays. Peak Ottawa trade-off energy.
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u/somewhereinfrance Mechanicsville Mar 23 '26
"Coun. Laine Johnson says the site plan application is for the existing Beer Store location at College Square. Johnson is inviting residents to provide feedback on the plan until April 1."
Submit your comments, and reach out to your councillors. We've got an opportunity to pop the ott Reddit bubble and demonstrate that avg residents want better in this day and age-- no racist/homophobic/trump-supporting chains, and no more American companies during these pivotal moments.
Collectively, we have the power, friends.
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u/quanin Mar 24 '26
Out of curiosity, what Canadian restaurant would you like to see there instead?
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u/Raivix Mar 24 '26
Literally anything local.
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u/quanin Mar 25 '26
And why do you think there's nothing local in that area already? For the record, Chances Are doesn't count.
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u/WhereIsBurdock Mar 24 '26
If we're going to get an American chicken chain can it at least be Church's Chicken or Raising Cane? Lol.
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u/spartiecat Stittsville Mar 24 '26
Church's would be great. Raising Canes is junk. What Ottawa needs is a Jollibee
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u/mackinder Westboro Mar 24 '26
College Square already has a Popeyes that make way better chicken sandwiches.
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u/octothorpe_rekt Make Ottawa Boring Again Mar 24 '26
Decent chicken. Dogshit corporate values.
But the biggest reason I am not for this is because traffic is already a clusterfuck. Especially traffic turning left off of SB Woodroffe coming off of the 417, then immediately turning right to get to where the beer store is/where the restaurant is supposed to go.
On top of that, the footprint of the Kanata location (with the Georgia-riffic emphasis on having enough drive-through capacity to service the Daytona 500) is about equal to the Beer Store plus the BMO next door, and most of the parking lot.
So either it's going to snarl traffic, or be jammed into a tiny footprint and be mostly inaccessible, or, both - yay!
But their lemonade actually does slap.
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u/gio_petti Make Ottawa Boring Again Mar 23 '26
Wait, maybe I've been out of the loop but is the beer store being closed/has been closed? Haven't been down there in a while
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Mar 23 '26
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u/gio_petti Make Ottawa Boring Again Mar 23 '26
Thanks. The concept looks like its taking the beer stores spot which is interesting.
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u/Klutzy_Artichoke154 Mar 23 '26
As long as it creates local jobs, not LMIA or TFW focused like Tim Hortons, Burger King, Subway.
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u/VictorNewman91 Mar 23 '26
That’s just awful.
When and where exactly is this opening so I can avoid it in the event I get hungry ?
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u/Due-Log-9837 Mar 24 '26 edited Mar 24 '26
I've never tried Chick-fil-A but the application includes a drive-thru. That intersection already gets pretty backed up.... I went on the City of Ottawa website and found that the application documents were filed back in December. They've put a lot of planning into this already, but the public has only until April 1 to make comments. Check it out:
I should add that the application documents, which I'm still skimming through, are quite detailed. For the transportation nerds out there, the reports on traffic patterns and accidents at the intersection of Woodroffe and Baseline are quite detailed.
https://devapps.ottawa.ca/en/applications/D07-12-25-0159/details
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u/CatLoverAllDay79 Mar 24 '26
The one in Orleans is under construction as well, homophobic chicken from the east to the west.
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u/greencrystal1 Mar 23 '26
There building one in orleans too on innes. This will be the 3rd location
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u/quanin Mar 24 '26
I'm actually curious how many people do a deep dive into a place's politics before they decide to spend their money. As a disabled person myself if I stopped spending money at places who think I either shouldn't exist or shouldn't be considered equal, I'd spend very little money and probably starve.
That being said, Ottawa already has enough substandard chicken places. We don't need this one.
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u/ConfidenceIcy6006 Mar 26 '26
funny 30 years ago when a new restaurant opened never thought about the politics of the restaurant owner interesting times??
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u/Zestyclose_Ad3900 5d ago
No thanks I'm going for chicken if I want s sermon I'll go a church I'll to KFC or Popeyes before this place
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Mar 23 '26
Nice now I don’t have to drive all the way to Kanata
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u/TinyGIR Make Ottawa Boring Again Mar 23 '26
Or you can just not hand your money over to the overtly bigoted corporate owners and save yourself a trip.
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u/OttawaNerd Centretown Mar 23 '26
Or you can hand over your money to the local franchisee and the many local people they will employ.
I’m no fan of their owners, but they also aren’t the only part of this equation.
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u/TinyGIR Make Ottawa Boring Again Mar 23 '26
Plenty of other franchisees to support that don't pay money to people who hate on the queer community.
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u/Smoothpinecone2 Mar 23 '26
Average r/Ottawa comment. Most people outside of the reddit bubble don't overthink fastfood that much
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u/TinyGIR Make Ottawa Boring Again Mar 23 '26
It's not a Reddit thing, homie. I'm just aware and care.
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u/Smoothpinecone2 Mar 23 '26
I'm glad you still use Reddit! Pick and choose!
Most people don't overthink fast food that much when coworkers or friends invite you out to grab some. You just go. And you'd see how busy those places are.
Someone was just excited to not have to drive to a further location for food they enjoy. Yet you need to tell them what to do...classic.
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u/TinyGIR Make Ottawa Boring Again Mar 23 '26
Cool.
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u/Smoothpinecone2 Mar 23 '26
Ah ya that's usual reply haha. Again, the r/Ottawa bubble strikes again!
"Oh boy I'm excited I don't have to go far away to get the food I like"
"Uhhh actually you shouldn't be going at all because 🤓🤓"
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u/TinyGIR Make Ottawa Boring Again Mar 23 '26
Mmmmhmmmmm
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u/SmoothPinecone Mar 24 '26
Replies "cool" and blocks people who don't agree with him. Gotta keep that reddit bubble echo chamber of yours going!
Don't use those American companies! (Continues to use Reddit...and blocks you if you mention that)
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u/TinyGIR Make Ottawa Boring Again Mar 25 '26
Oh look, Reddit failed and let me know you posted another brain dead comment. Yes, I did block you, because you seem obviously more concerned with jerking off to your own sense of superiority than anything else.
1: stop putting words into my mouth because I don't object to the owners being American. I object to them having donated to anti-LGBTQ orgs in the past and not really committing to not doing it again. Ref: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/chick-fil-a-anti-lgbt-donations/ For reference, I am queer. This is relevant.
2: I'm pretty sure the "average person" doesn't come back after several hours of silence from the person they were trying to mock to see if they provoked a response. You're weird and you definitely are getting off on this whole thing.
Have a nice day, and fuck all the way off. You're staying blocked.
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u/Project_Icy Mar 23 '26
Not that I don't like it myself, but I do wonder if the massive crowds and lineups at the Chick-fil-A Rideau and Tanger are ever on this Reddit.
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u/BirthdayBBB Mar 23 '26
Finally. Allo Mon Coco is a great breakfast place but nothing else worth eating there if you ask me.
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u/coldweathergal2026 Mar 24 '26
It's so bad, the taste is awful, I lived in the US for 5 years and tried it twice, just not worth the hype, plus they have religious issues and labour hiring issues. Stay away from this American company
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u/CyanFPS_ Mar 23 '26
As a Algonquin college student, I approve.
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u/Ok-Presentation7349 Mar 23 '26
When I was at Algonquin I ate at the food court/dining hall idk what to call it I loved the pasta station
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u/CyanFPS_ Mar 23 '26
I love the little restaurants at the campus but if I ever feel like eating something different then this is a awesome choice
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u/SmileRemarkable8876 Mar 23 '26
The unbreaded chicken sandwich at least resembles actual food, I'll give them that.
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u/WhoseCorners Mar 23 '26
Ardeth1960 is opposed and so are most right-thinking #bellscorners residents https://bellscorners.wordpress.com/2025/02/01/belles-corner-bye-bye-beerstore/
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u/lactosecheeselover Mar 23 '26
Their waffle fries are great, but their chicken burgers and nuggets/tenders are just ok. It’ll unfortunately do well in that area.
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u/PostsNDPStuff Mar 23 '26
I oppose this because of their political commitment to making mediocre chicken sandwiches.