The Old-School Fast Food Chain That's Completely Different In Canada

Many Americans think of A&W as a faded roadside brand, but head north to Canada, and you'll notice a few differences, from the menu to a slightly different logo. You'll also likely see a lot more of them around, with 1050 locations, compared to under 500 in the United States (and bear in mind that Canada's population is just a fraction of the U.S.). It's a thriving chain there, and there's a simple reason why: Canada's A&W is completely separate.

The two started out together: A&W started in the United States, expanding into Canada in the 1950s, but the Canadian operation was ultimately sold off, taking its own direction in terms of branding and menu.

In Canada, you'll encounter a wider-ranging menu. Its selection of hamburgers leans classic but still features options like mozzarella in addition to cheddar cheese. Beyond beef burgers, Canada's menu gets broader, with three veggie burgers and a wide range of chicken sandwiches, including a Nashville hot chicken. You'll also find poutine on the menu, and a breakfast menu that has classics like bacon-egg sandwiches but also a Canadian breakfast platter. The chain plays up a "healthy" image by highlighting its hormone-free meat. The U.S. A&W plays things more old school, with down-the-line burger options like classic cheeseburgers (the bacon one is a highlight) or lettuce-pickle-tomato toppings with slight variations, plus hot dogs and only one chicken sandwich and no veggie burger.

Even when the chains are similar, there are differences: one of A&W's signature menu items is its root beer, and while both the Canadian and U.S. chains still lean into this, they follow a different recipe, with the Canadian version using cane sugar.

More generally, over time, the two businesses moved in opposite directions, with the U.S. one appearing to be in decline. It bounced around in terms of ownership, becoming part of Yum! Brands (which owns KFC and Taco Bell) before being sold off to a group of franchisees less than a decade later, with Yum!'s CEO making the ominous comment that A&W didn't "fit into [its] long–term growth strategy." It seems to be a fading chain, having dropped from 634 locations in 2017 to 460 in 2024, although it does still open limited numbers of new locations.

In contrast, Canadian A&W is largely seen as a successful chain. It's the second-largest burger chain in the entire country, is publicly traded, and plans to open dozens of new restaurants imminently. Canadian A&Ws have a modern ambiance compared to the more retro U.S. version: It is one of the oldest chains in the country, after all. The fact that A&W Canada was one of the first chains in the country to commit to serving the Beyond Meat burger could also be another indication of its aspirations to be seen as a contemporary fast-food chain, alongside its more diverse menu items like an açai shake, chai lattes, and piri-piri sandwiches.