By Amy Bostock
TORONTO — Restaurants Canada marked 80 years of industry leadership with the return of the RC Show, held April 7 to 9 at Toronto’s Enercare Centre. This year’s show welcomed thousands of hospitality professionals, suppliers, and industry leaders from across the country to explore the future of foodservice, share solutions, and celebrate excellence in one of Canada’s most resilient sectors.
As the industry continues to recover and evolve in the face of economic pressure, labour challenges, and shifting consumer habits, RC Show 2025 positioned itself as a key resource and catalyst for innovation, growth, and transformation.
Canada’s Breakfast Boom
One of the most data-driven insights of the show came from Circana’s Vince Sgabellone, who detailed the explosive growth of Canada’s breakfast daypart. Accounting for 29 per cent of all foodservice traffic, breakfast is now the largest and fastest-growing segment.
“Out-of-home breakfast is still on the rise because it remains a relatively affordable treat,” Sgabellone noted. “It’s a habitual, routine-driven occasion — and that’s a powerful consumer behaviour to tap into.”
Operators are seeing success by re-imagining breakfast formats with portable wraps, global flavours, and value-forward beverages. Iced and specialty coffees continue to outperform, signalling that even traditional categories benefit from innovation.
Leadership through Transformation
In a keynote, Michèle Boudria, president and CEO of McDonald’s Canada, offered a transparent look into how one of Canada’s most recognized brands is navigating transformation, talent development, and market uncertainty — all while maintaining its position as a category leader.
Boudria, who began her career as a crew member, shared how her hands-on experience helped shape her approach to leadership. In 2017, she was tapped to lead a company-wide cultural transformation initiative — a task she embraced despite having “zero background in change management.”
“What I did have was deep knowledge of the system and the people,” said Boudria. “That’s what gave me the confidence to take it on — and what drives our leadership philosophy today.”
Her message to the RC Show audience was clear: people-first leadership is not just a value — it’s a business strategy. “If most of your time as a leader isn’t spent on talent, you should delegate more,” she advised.
McDonald’s Canada has embedded this strategy across its operations through structured talent-development programs, regular career conversations, and international career mobility. “I can name 50 Canadians working in the global McDonald’s business right now,” Boudria said. “They’ll bring those insights and experiences back to Canada — that’s how we grow as an organization.”
In a competitive labour market, McDonald’s continues to be one of the country’s largest employers of youth, with 100,000 employees nationwide — 65,000 of them under 25. “We take that responsibility seriously,” she said. “Our goal is to equip people with life skills — whether they stay for a year or a career.”
Boudria also detailed McDonald’s deep integration into Canadian agriculture and supply chains. More than 85 per cent of food and packaging is sourced in Canada, and the company uses 100-per-cent Canadian beef, chicken, dairy, and eggs.
This domestic commitment offers business stability and builds trust with Canadian consumers. “We’re rooted in Canadian communities — that gives us resilience in uncertain times,” she said.
Sustainability was also a core focus. The company has eliminated 700 tons of plastic annually and is a founding member of the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef. Globally, McDonald’s is targeting net-zero emissions by 2050.
But it’s not just about the environment. Through initiatives such as McHappy Day and Happy Meal donations, McDonald’s Canada has raised more than $100 million for Ronald McDonald House Charities. “We believe in being more than just a restaurant — we want to be a part of the social fabric of the communities we serve,” Boudria said.
The keynote also touched on how McDonald’s Canada balances agility and insight in its decision-making. Boudria cited recent bold moves — including a temporary re-branding to “McDavid’s” during NHL playoffs and the nationwide rollout of the Big Veggie sandwich — as examples of calculated risks driven by consumer data.
“These were risks,” she said. “But we have a phenomenal insights team and operators — 90 per cent of whom are local entrepreneurs — who are willing to experiment and evolve with us.”
Boudria closed her talk with a message that resonated with many in the room: “We are a people business. Always have been, always will be. And if we get the culture right, the performance will follow.”
Tech Takes the Lead
Digital transformation remained a hot topic, especially among multi-unit and franchise operators. Innovations in AI fraud prevention, cloud POS systems, and customer data analytics are enabling brands to streamline operations while elevating service.
“Every digital touchpoint is an opportunity,” said JP Martindale, Digital Marketing manager for Osmow’s. “If you’re not investing in mobile, loyalty, and delivery, you’re already behind.”
He also emphasized the need for seamless integrations. “Restaurant operators aren’t tech experts. The systems need to be intuitive and not create more complexity.”
Panellists agreed that advanced payment protocols are already making an impact, drastically reducing online fraud, adding while some restaurants had to shut off online orders during COVID, now, with the right security tools, digital is not just viable — it’s a game-changer.”
Showcasing Canada’s Top Talent
RC Show 2025’s live competitions brought a dynamic, high-energy element to the show floor, drawing crowds and shining a spotlight on Canada’s best and brightest food-and-beverage professionals. These competitions celebrated technical mastery, creativity, and innovation across multiple disciplines — from pastry to pizza, mixology to oyster shucking.
Here are the winners from each competition:
Bocuse d’Or National Finalist: Chef Keith Pears
Beyond the Rail Cocktail Competition:
- Jae Han
- Nick Benyamen
- Hannah Kivlin
Breakfast Sandwich Competition:
- Aleem Syed
- Prathamesh Patil
- Rishika Bhansali
Creative Pizza Competition:
- Kyle Mackay
- Anne Turic
- Jie Yan
Garland Canada Culinary Competition:
- Maya Petten
- Tia Huszczo
- Cleo Mariz Valerio
Runner-Up – Alijah Casellas
Fan Favourite – Kiran Ruhela
John Bil Oyster Shucking Competition:
- Eamon Clark
- Chris Manocchio
- Brooke Kotak
Cleanest Plate – Tristan McConnell
Latte Art Competition:
- Kevin Yip
- Wanying Wang
- Ehsen Khatib
World Pastry Cup National Finalists:
- Chef Christophe Sportellini
- Chef Nicolas Belorgey
Traditional Pizza Competition:
- Bart Nadherny
- Katelynn Dingwell
- Jordan Chin-Ting
Next year, the RC Show will take place at the International Centre from March 8 to 10, 2026.
