VANCOUVER — This month, White Spot – Canada’s longest-running restaurant chain – is celebrating 95 years and has weathered a depression, recessions, global events and a pandemic. Restaurateur Nat Bailey opened the first location of White Spot on June 16, 1928.
To celebrate, a special limited time only anniversary menu will be offered from June 5 to 16, spotlighting BBQ Chicken. Beef was in short supply when Bailey opened the first drive-in, so White Spot earned its first loyal fans by serving barbequed chicken. The anniversary menu also includes Crispy Fried Chicken, Half-Rack Ribs & Crispy Chicken, BBQ Chicken Sandwich, Crispy Fried Dills, BC Chicken Burger with secret Triple “O” sauce and a Birthday Cake Shake, while kids’ Pirate Paks will offer a Birthday Cake Shake or Birthday Cake Sundae option.
Most recently, White Spot has been recognized among B.C.’s top 10 most loved brands by BC Business Magazine and received the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade’s Rix Award for Engaged Corporate Citizenship.
“We’re so proud of what we’ve built here,” says Warren Erhart, president & CEO, White Spot Restaurants, who retires this summer after 33 years of dedicated leadership. “We’ve been operating for almost a century, and over that time the values on which Nat Bailey founded White Spot have only grown stronger. Nat would be proud if he could see us today.”
“From the moment White Spot first became involved with our foundation, their support has been unwavering,” says Mel Zajac, Chairman of the Zajac Ranch for Children. “They understood our dream of creating a camp for children who otherwise would never have the opportunity to go, and they helped make it happen. We’re happy to celebrate this milestone with White Spot.”
“We have such a strong foundation on which to continue building a bright future,” says incoming White Spot president, Trent Carroll. “This is an exciting time for the White Spot brand, so it’s wonderful to look back and celebrate where we came from. Our business has seen substantial growth, particularly driven by the Triple O’s brand expanding into locations beyond British Columbia, including Alberta, Ontario, and even internationally into markets like Hong Kong. It’s remarkable to think it all started back in 1928 with that first drive-in.”
