White Spot, Canada's longest-running restaurant chain, celebrates 85 years of legendary taste and family tradition

Classic menu items back by popular demand for anniversary milestone

VANCOUVER, June 10, 2013 /CNW/ - On June 16, Canada's longest-running restaurant chain celebrates 85 years of legendary taste, family tradition, local sourcing and community involvement! White Spot serves more than 12 million guests each year, buys more local products than any other full service restaurant chain in B.C., and has the highest average employee tenure of any Canadian restaurant chain. Over the past year, 87 per cent of British Columbians who dined out visited White Spot.

In recognition of the milestone, classic menu items are being brought back by popular demand. From the iconic Chicken Pick'ns that helped launch White Spot from its first location on Granville Street in Vancouver, to the decadent Nat Bailey 'Adult' Shake with Bailey's and Amaretto, the limited time 85^th Anniversary menu has something for everyone.

"For many British Columbians, White Spot is a home away from home," says Warren Erhart, president of White Spot. "As the overwhelming number of guest stories attest, I'm proud to say we've become part of the fabric of the province. Great value and uncompromising taste in a family-friendly setting; that's the way Nat Bailey wanted it to be."

Harkening back to the days when Nat started White Spot in 1928, the 85^th Anniversary menu features classics like the hearty Meatloaf Dinner, original BBQ Chicken Sandwich and Triple Triple three-patty burger. Finish your meal off with Bumbleberry Pie topped with local vanilla bean ice cream, served in a personal-sized crust.

The commemorative menu, which is available from June 10 - July 14, brings White Spot history to life with heart-warming stories - like the tale of a happily-married couple who got engaged over a chocolate milkshake. Nearly one thousand touching White Spot stories have been sent in from guests around the province.

"White Spot has always been a place where memories are made," adds Erhart. "The response from guests who feel a personal connection to our restaurants shows just how many lives White Spot has touched. From budding romances to family reunions, it seems nearly everyone has a White Spot story."

Nat Bailey's 'Nat facts'

• White Spot founder Nat Bailey opened Canada's first drive-in at Granville & 67^th in 1928.
• Nat began his food career serving refreshments at baseball games. Nat Bailey Stadium in Vancouver is named in his honour.
• Nat transformed his 1918 Model T Ford into a traveling lunch counter, and served hungry sightseers at Vancouver's Lookout Point. Hot dogs were a dime and ice cream was a nickel.
• Nat was so committed to having the cleanest spot in town that he named his restaurant 'White Spot' - where 'White' represented spotlessly clean.
• Nat pioneered the 'car hop' - waiters who would 'hop' to it and deliver food to guests relaxing in their vehicles.
• With longevity comes history. Nat's first signature dish - the BBQ Chicken Sandwich - came about in 1928 partly due to a shortage of beef following the war.
• According to legend, Nat's secret Triple 'O' sauce came from shorthand used by carhops filling out order slips. Guests could choose from several toppings. An X meant hold, an O meant extra, and Triple 'O' meant plenty of everything!

Home of the Pirate Pak and signature Triple 'O' sauce, White Spot sources nearly 5 million pounds of potatoes, 675,000 pounds of tomatoes and 73,000 pounds of blueberries from B.C. producers every year. White Spot is the only casual dining chain in the province that offers a 100 per cent B.C. VQA wine selection, and was one of the first restaurants in Western Canada to have Heart & Stroke Foundation-approved menu items.

Net proceeds from the 85^th Anniversary menu, which are available for $2 as a keepsake, support Zajac Ranch for Children. View the complete limited time offer menu at: https://www.whitespot.ca/menu/promo/85th-anniversary

About White Spot
Headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, White Spot is a B.C. legend. Founded in 1928, when Nat Bailey launched Canada's first drive-in restaurant at Granville and 67th, the 85-year-young chain now sees more than 17 million guests annually at 127 White Spot and Triple O's locations throughout B.C., Alberta and Asia. Bailey's original vision was to build a restaurant that served the highest quality, unique tasting food and White Spot remains committed to continuing this tradition in each and every meal. White Spot Limited is proud to be recognized as one of Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies for the past three consecutive years.

Image with caption: "White Spot founder Nat Bailey circa 1960s (CNW Group/White Spot)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20130610_C6442_PHOTO_EN_27759.jpg

SOURCE: White Spot

Jeremy Twigg
FleishmanHillard
[email protected]
604-688-2505
604-306-4036