Chick-Fil-A coming to Alberta, competition for local businesses

Chick-Fil-A, a popular American fast-food chain will be coming to Alberta soon. It is all part as a massive expansion where 20 new restaurants will be opening in Canada. Trevor Lewington from Economic Development Lethbridge says it’s a sign of confidence in the local economy and some of the local restaurants may get some serious competition.  

“Anytime a new brand like a Chick-Fil-A comes to a country or to a region or to a city, it’s kind of exciting because it’s new and people are interested in that. It also forces existing people in the market to maybe get a bit more creative because there’s a new competitor. So that’s always good for consumers. I think it’s important to remember that many local franchises are in fact locally owned. Right? So even though it’s a national banner, like some of the big marque restaurants that we’re familiar with, they’re local business owners that employ local people and are spending locally in the economy. So franchises aren’t necessarily a dirty word, but it does mean that if you’re a local business and you’ve got another competitor, you’ve got to be a bit more creative and you’ve got to maybe think about how how you’re approaching your business or how you’re approaching your market,” said Trevor Lewington, CEO of Economic Development Lethbridge.

Referring to Target which had a short stint in Canada, Lewington says not all major franchises make it in the Canadian market.