12 Popular Canadian Fast Food Chains We Wish Were Everywhere

The world would be a little better if everyone's favorite food chains were international. Many restaurants around the world are coveted by their own countries, but limited to one place. This can make diners in other parts of the world feel a little left out. Such is the case with Canadian fast food restaurants that don't have an American presence. Canada is home to a range of fast food restaurants — including those serving vegan dishes, barbecue, and pizza — that would surely be loved around the world, if only they would expand.

In this story, we'll be discussing some of these popular Canadian chains. You can only experience a majority of these chains while visiting Canada — a few have a handful of locations outside of the country, but not many. Expanding these fast food chains would allow food lovers to access dishes such as poutine, Canadian pizza and sandwiches, and European treats such as mince pies and pastries. With delicious fast food like this, it shouldn't take much convincing to share Canada's favorite companies with the rest of the world.

Harvey's is where Canadians go when they need a fast food burger fix. This burger chain prides itself on being proudly Canadian for more than 65 years, a testament to its one of a kind menu. The Canada-only chain has locations in Alberta, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Quebec, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, and Ontario. But those outside of those areas are missing out, as Harvey's promotions such as the $3 burger and Frings (a mix of fries and onion rings) make Harvey's as affordable as it is delicious.

The chain's menu offers 10 different stand-alone burgers, along with a "Garnish Counter." Here, diners can build the ultimate burger, the burger they've been dreaming of, one burger to rule them all, and so on. With unique toppings such as cucumber, and 11 different sauces to choose from, the options are limitless. The classic Harv sauce is always a winner, but the addition of onion rings, cheese, and bacon put a Harvey's burger over the top. The chain even offers hot peppers and ghost pepper sauce for those who appreciate a little spice in their life — or at least on top of their burgers. 

When it comes down to it, Harvey's believes in the power of the people building their own burgers, and it has since 1959. A global expansion would bring the art of custom burgers to other countries.

Mary Brown's Chicken has taken over every Canadian province, but it has yet to show up internationally. This is to the disappointment of many non-Canadians, as this fried chicken chain is often compared with KFC — and when it's compared, it comes out on top every time, according to fans. 

One Reddit review describing Mary Brown's chicken showed this, saying: "The coating is crunchier and tastier (though it's not as salty if that's your thing). They give you hot sauce which is excellent on their chicken. The chicken pieces are bigger and the breast pieces aren't dried out the way KFC sometimes gets. The taters are far superior to KFC's fries." With reviews like this, it's easy to see why Mary Brown's is so beloved — especially when you can pair a bucket of its chicken with a side of flaky biscuits and a strawberry cream cheese pie. This chain has the potential to become everyone's favorite fast food, if it would only expand.

But what's perhaps most alluring about Mary Brown's Chicken is its secret menu. Whereas most secret menus are created by fans, Mary Brown's is somewhat official, and is available through its app. The menu offers delightful variations on its beloved chicken, like the Hell's Kitchen collection, which features extra spicy menu options. Another fan favorite is the Hot & Honey Sandwich. On TikTok, one user said of the dish: "My mouth is on fire. My tastebuds are going crazy ... I would give it a solid 9.6." This fried chicken sandwich would pair perfectly with the chain's Ghost Pepper Popins Poutine (another secret menu item). Here, the combination of hot fries, spicy sauce, and melted cheese curds will have everyone wondering if Canada really does have one of the best fast food chains in the world. Spoiler alert: It does. Move aside KFC, fried chicken has a new sheriff in town and her name is Mary Brown.

The word "beavertails" sound wholly unappetizing, and it would be, if it meant eating parts of Canada's national animal. However, in terms of pastry, a beavertail is a fried dough made of whole wheat flour that's topped with any concoction a pastry chef can get their hands on. Sounds delicious? Well, luckily Canada has a fast food chain based around this pastry. If it expanded, BeaverTails would have the world in a culinary chokehold.

BeaverTails has 11 pastries on its menu, including flavors that are outlandish and decadent. Whereas this treat comes with powdered sugar anywhere else, some of the chain's beavertails are topped with entire desserts. Choose from the Mehple (topped with maple syrup) or the Avalanche (topped with cheesecake spread and caramel sauce). You can also settle for the lighter Beaver Bites. These heavenly dough bites are topped with the same confections as full-sized beavertails, and are best eaten with a fork. Their miniature form also makes them easy to share or take on the go. 

This chain is found throughout Canada, but there is also one American shop in located in Utah (that's worth traveling for). Much of the world is missing out on the sugar coma that is a beavertail.

The chain Swiss Chalet has been roasting chickens over fire since 1954. The original location, in Toronto, started with a traditional Swiss design. This emphasized the brand's Swiss-roasted chicken, a type of rotisserie in which birds are roasted on a spit, over an open flame. Nowadays, the menu also includes seafood, pierogis, spring rolls, soup, salad, and poutine.

Today, the chain has grown so large that it even offers frozen food options which are sold in Canadian supermarkets. This line includes breaded chicken tenders, chicken nuggets, pot pies, barbecue ribs, sauces, and marinades.

This Canada-only fast food chain would bring a world of flavor to any country, mostly thanks to its Swiss Chalet sauce. This sweet, savory, and slightly spicy brown sauce is used for dipping, or as a poutine topping (in place of gravy). Chalet Sauce is so well loved that the brand frequently makes jokes on its Facebook page about drinking it. The closest fast food restaurant to Swiss Chalet in the U.S. is Boston Market, and even that doesn't hold a candle — or in this case, an open flame — to Canada's favorite rotisserie chicken.

What began as a food truck in 1928 slowly became one of British Columbia's most recognized restaurants. Today, White Spot is a full-service, family-style restaurant. It also offers a takeout counter and drive-thru.

The menu starts with breakfast. Here, there's "Nat's Favorites," a menu section dedicated to the founder's favorites. It includes dishes like eggs, waffles, wraps, and more. Those visiting for lunch or dinner can choose to dine inside, or slide over to the drive-thru when choosing from burgers, sandwiches, or salads, as well as hearty pasta and meat dishes. 

It's rare for a chain to offer as many meals as this one, so expansion would bring variety and options to other countries. For those who find themselves in British Columbia, White Spot is a must — a burger and a shake is the way to go.

For a retro take on the classic burger, milkshake, and fries, Triple O's has risen to the challenge. This chain is fast-service offshoot of the sit-down restaurant chain White Spot. 

Triple-O's opened its doors for the first time in 1997. Since then, the chain has been established in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario. It has a handful of locations outside of the country, with a few in Hong Kong. Unfortunately, anyone living outside of Canada or China is sorely missing out on a great burger franchise. The chain sells delicious smashed burgers topped with cheddar, smoked bacon, and the chain's famous Triple O's sauce, making them nothing short of addicting.

Triple O's prides itself on using local, fresh Canadian beef. This gives it the edge over many other chains, since it uses local ingredients. Its menu offers seafood and plant-based options as well, making it as progressive as it is delicious. It even offers lettuce-wrapped burgers, so it's suitable to even more dietary needs. If that wasn't enough to make a foodie's mouth water, Triple O's milkshakes are hand-scooped and made with Canadian ice cream. If it expanded, the rest of the world could get to experience the offerings of this beloved fast-food diner chain.

There's no shortage of sandwich restaurants in North America, or even around the world. In the U.S. alone, Quiznos, Jersey Mike's, and Subway have fan bases that stand by the chains for their beloved sandwiches. However, all of these chains would need to step aside if Mr. Sub ever entered the chat.

Mr. Sub has locations throughout Canada, with a menu that is quite similar to Subway's. This menu is broken down into categories like protein-packed subs, classic sandwiches, and specialty wraps or salads. The difference between Mr. Sub and Subway, according to several Reddit users, is the bread. Mr. Sub's carbs are said to be much fresher. On Reddit, one fan wrote: "Their sandwiches taste like something you make a home when you have the ingredients ... Subway's bread tastes processed." This high praise that is not without company. Now, if only the chain could expand to other countries.

One dish that other countries don't have the pleasure of indulging in often is poutine. But in Canada, there is no shortage of the stuff, in part thanks to Smoke's Poutinerie. Canada's largest poutine chain is only established in Ontario, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, but even that's enough to have fans reeling over its cheese curds and fries. The franchise is also known for its sense of humor, claiming its imaginary owner, "Smoke," is a gastronomical genius who lives in a cabin in the North Quebec woods. 

Smoke's Poutinerie serves up all things poutine, with a wide range of modern twists. The menu includes classic poutine, but also offers vegetable, beef, pork, or chicken-topped poutine. From Korean BBQ Beef to Buffalo Cauli-Ranch poutine, there's a perfect poutine for everyone. Understandably, not everyone appreciates semi-melted cheese curds covered in gravy on top of their fries, but an expansion would be worth the risk. If nothing else, it would be a valiant effort from Canada to show the world there's more to eating fries than just ketchup.

The Works is a full-service restaurant specific to Ontario. While it hasn't expanded yet, that's not to say the demand isn't there. This Canadian bistro gives a Northern twist to classic gastropub food, and people are here for it. Diners rave about its sauces and clever menu item names, which make dinner or lunch at this chain a true dining experience. One Tripadvisor reviewed said: "All of the burgers have quirky names and many have combinations that you would never expect to see on a burger. We challenged ourselves to get something we couldn't find anywhere else so I had one with maple bacon jam on it and my wife got one with peanut butter. Both were cooked to perfection and SO GOOD!"

Burgers with fun names such as Obi-Wan's Man Cave and Gettin' Piggy With It pair well with shakes like the Black Forest and the Birthday Sprinkle. The Works is known for its burgers, but the sandwiches, poutine, and starters are all great options for those seeking something different. This chain also offers beer and wine options, which are especially convenient for tourists given its many locations near Niagara Falls. In a world full of typical burger bistros, The Works has the potential to bring a Canadian flair, and unique options, to classic pub food.

Comfort food is universal. It's rare to find someone who would turn away a fried chicken wrap or a well-roasted set of chicken and ribs. Since this is exactly what St-Hubert offers, we know it would be popular if there were more locations. The world could use a little more rib burgers in their fast food chains, and that's where this expansion would see success. 

St-Hubert also offers wings, rotisserie options, fried and grilled chicken, as well as half and full rib racks. Some on Reddit say it is the ideal road trip comfort food, while others think it's equally as good as Swiss Chalet. For dessert, it offers St-Hubert's Maple Leaf Cookie cake. Since Canada is known for its maple syrup, there would be cause for celebration if this treat ever went international. The only locations for this chain are New Brunswick, Ontario, and Quebec, but an international expansion would certainly unite barbecue lovers over their shared love of the classics.

Odd Burger stands out in the world of fast food chains. In a world full of carnivores, this franchise sought to be vegetarian and vegan-friendly. The restaurant began as a grassroots organization in 2014 before opening as a restaurant in 2017. Now, there are locations in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, and Saskatchewan.

This chain offers a variety of plant-based options for those looking for food on the go. Five plant-based burgers and one plant-based pulled "pork" are its no-meat spins on classic fast food. Odd Burger's menu also includes chickUN sandwiches and tenders, which are made with seitan, a vegan-friendly wheat gluten option. The menu also offers shakes, salads, wraps, sides, and even gluten-free options. The addition of gyros and souvlaki gives this menu a Middle Eastern twist, something that stands apart from other fast food chains. The clever use of jackfruit as pork, paired with gluten-free bun options, also showcases how much care went into creating this plant-based menu. If the world could use more of anything, it's vegetarian-friendly fast food options like these.

Pizza Pizza has an interesting reputation among Canadians. In an odd twist of fate, it's become known not for its pizza, but for its dips. While pizza is what this fast food chain specializes in, the restaurant's dips are so coveted that people go there just to buy them. Pizza Pizza is located throughout all of Canada, including the Yukon.

The chain specializes in pizza and wings, XXL pizzas, Gourmet Thins, and Alternative Crusts. However, its self-proclaimed "famous" dips genuinely live up to the name. Around 13 dipping sauces, including Sriracha Creamy Garlic and Sweet Chili Thai Sauce, are available for pizza-crust-dippers. Some might argue that a Pizza Pizza expansion would be worth it for the dips alone, and at the end of the day, everyone knows pizza is just a vehicle for flavor. This expansion might not stack up to other fast food pizzas, but it would be worth its weight in the amount of dips it sold. Pizza crust and ranch might be a go-to, but Pizza Pizza could show the world that dipping sauces come in many more flavors.