A&W

The waitress in the morning are fabulous. However, on an afternoon visit (Jan. ¹⁄₁₆) went to the A&W across from Polo Park and asked for an order of onion rings ($ 3.90) and told her I didn’t want the ones that were sitting there and that I wanted fresh (hot) rings. She told me she’d ask for fresh rings, took the ones that were sitting in the holding area and they put them in the fryer and «refryed» the rings. I told here that I saw them going into the fryer and she told me no they weren’t. My eyes don’t deceive me very often I know and saw what happened. Ironically this was one of the waitress that waits on me when I go there for breakfast! I wonder what else they do there? Don’t expect freshly prepared hot food here even if you ask for it. So much for all the great television advertising A&W.

Poor A&W — it isn’t what it used to be, although it’s trying. Back in the 60s (my childhood) B.M. (before McDonald’s), A&W was the number one Drive-​In in Canada. When the golden arches arrived in Canada in 1967 (in Mississaugua, and then the next year in Surrey, BC, where I lived), one would have thought A&W would have seen the writing on the wall and adapted to the coming idea of inside seating fast food, but they dithered… and lost… even though their product was miles better than Rotten Ronnie’s.
In the late 70s, the chain lost its way; they abandoned the Burger Family in favour of a giant bear and forgot their past and what made them what they were. Officially, most of the burgers had their names changed although the general public still referred to them by their old names and everyone still knew what was meant by someone ordering a Papa Burger instead of a Double Burger. This period of lost time continued up into the late ‘90s when they rediscovered their roots… kind of. They brought back the burger family, but the product was nothing like it used to be, and still isn’t anything like it used to be.
In most city locations, everything is cooked ahead and kept in warming trays. The burgers are so dried out that every one is now slathered with a coating of mayonnaise, presumably to help it slide down your throat. Eager to make everyone think they do things the way they used to, the chain now relies on bull in trying to convince us that they are. Their latest reason for using foil bags for their burgers is apparently because it helps keep the product warm and fresh, and they even proclaim this right on the packaging. Actually, the real reason is more mundane, and hints at exactly what is wrong with the product these days. Back in the days when the patties were freshly cooked, they were given a generous shake of Seasoned Salt. When assembled and placed in their foil bag for delivery out to the customer’s car, meat juices would still drip from the freshly cooked burger and the bag would collect them so they wouldn’t get on your clothes or your car upholstery. Those juices were a thing of beauty; they showed you how freshly cooked the product was, and they tasted of the seasoning on the patty.
Unfortunately, that happens no longer. In their desire to make fast food instant food, patties are cooked ahead of time and used up as demand dictates, and whereas only the Teen Burger was the only one with mayonnaise in the past, they all now have it. Gone too is the Seasoning Salt, and it is woefully missed, and also gone is those wonderful juices.
I worked for A&W back in the early 80s, in a small town location, where waiting a few minutes for a freshly-​cooked burger wasn’t a big deal to most people. I bet I could still cook A&W product in my sleep, if I had to. All of the basic condiments were put on the bottom bun of a pair that was freshly toasted. A butter spatula was used and the bun was wiped with a coating of ketchup, then mustard, then at least four pickles so that you got a taste of pickle in every bite. On top of this was put a good amount of diced onion. On top of this went the patties, with or without cheese as ordered, and then the top bun, which if it was a Teen Burger also had piled on it mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato slice and bacon (if it was a Teen Burger) or plain (if it was anything else). The product was superior and tasted fantastic.
Those days are long gone unfortunately, but they’re still better than McDonald’s. Unfortunately, there is not a lot of perfect consistency between one A&W and another. Rule of thumb: always ask for extra pickles and onions unless they’re using a slice of onion, and check to see if they’re freshly cooking if you’re at a city location.
Also, don’t assume that A&W is the same in the US as it is in Canada; if you do, you’ll be sadly disappointed.
BTW, this would have easily been a five-​star review if they freshly cooked and things were truly like they used to be instead of that idea being nothing more than company propaganda.