By Katie Belflower

In this edition of Concept Watch, RestoBiz and Technomic highlight three standout restaurant concepts in Canadian foodservice. This month, the focus is on Columbus Café & Co., Wayback Burgers, and Café Depot, spotlighting how these restaurants are broadening the horizons of Canadian foodservice.

Columbus Café & Co.

Elixir Drink

Image Source: Columbus Café & Co website

Instagram: 68,300 followers | Facebook: 24,000 likes

Locations: 17 (Ontario and Quebec)

Concept characteristics:

• Quick-service chain of coffee shops serving coffee beverages, baked goods, and light fare
• Originally opening in Paris in 1994, the coffee concept came to Canada in 2020 and is committed to sourcing sustainable products and using French coffee
• Values gourmet recipes, an authentic experience full of simple moments and a personal human experience during each interaction
• Franchising is available

Menu snapshot:

• Muffins include the house recipe Classic Chocolate Chip Muffin, utilizing dough made with free-range hen eggs and no palm oil
• The Heart Muffins, which melt on the inside, include the Chocolate Hazelnut
• Cakes include Banana Bread, a moist and melt-in-your-mouth banana and nut cake, and Lemon-Poppy Cake
• Menued beverages include traditional coffee drinks, such as filter coffee, mochas, cappuccinos, espressos, and macchiatos
• Noncoffee drinks include a chai latte with cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, ginger and black pepper, and the Viennese Chocolate with milk, chocolate, and whipped cream
• The Elixir Drink has a lemon base, with added lemons and oranges, strawberry flavouring, and mint leaves

Wayback Burgers

The Cheeeesy Burger

Image Source: Wayback Burgers website

Instagram: 42,000 followers | Facebook: 169,000 likes

Locations: 24 (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Ontario, Quebec and Saskatchewan)

Concept characteristics:

• Fast-casual chain offering retro décor, fresh, hand-made burgers, and hand-dipped milkshakes
• Aims to unite customers through a mutual respect for and love of comfort food
• Strives to serve food that customers already know in a new way
• Franchising is available

Menu snapshot:

• The Classic Burger has two beef patties, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, mustard, and ketchup
• The Double Bacon Burger features two beef patties, four slices of bacon, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, mustard, and ketchup
• The Cheeeesy Burger has four slices of melted American cheese and two beef patties sandwiched between an inverted, grilled and buttered bun
• Sides include housemade chips, poutine, mac and cheese bites, O-Fries (an onion ring and fry combination), potato tots, bacon cheese fries, and chili cheese fries

Cafe Dépot

Lemonade and Iced Tea

Image Source: Cafe Depot Instagram

Instagram: 2,615 followers | Facebook: 5,600 likes

Locations: 50 (Quebec)

Concept characteristics:

• Quick-service concept offering a variety of high-end coffees, pastries, and sandwiches in a boutique setting
• Opened in 1944 after two Italian brothers decided to bring the cafe culture to the Quebec market
• Provides an atmosphere “where people can experience a love for great coffee, cozy surroundings and a leisurely approach to sipping and savouring”
• Franchising is available

Menu snapshot:

• Items available for in-store purchase include traditional coffee beverages, such as espresso shots, lattes, cappuccinos, mochas and Americanos, each with various syrup options and available hot or iced
• Seasonal drinks include the Dulce de Leche Appassionato, which has espresso and creamy dulce de leche
• The Watermelon Limonata Fresca combines watermelon flavours and lemonade
• The Vege Misto Sandwich is a blend of feta cheese, tomato, pesto, and fresh spinach
• The Asian Bowl fuses quinoa with spicy Cajun, as well as a medley of carrots, red cabbage, cranberries, and spinach, all topped with crunchy fried onions

Concept Watch is based on restaurant and menu trends noted by Technomic Inc.

Katie Belflower is Associate Editor for Technomic, a Chicago-based foodservice research and consulting firm. Technomic provides clients with the facts, insights and consulting support they need to enhance their business strategies, decisions and results. The company’s services include publications and digital products as well as proprietary studies and ongoing research on all aspects of the food industry, including menu trends.

Title photo courtesy of Columbus Café & Co.’s Facebook page.