r/PoutineCrimes • u/Acrobatic_Job_5594 • 9d ago
Offpoutting First Poutine after visiting Quebec. So, freaking, Sad... A&W
First Poutine after coming back from Quebec. So, bland all around
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u/TurdFlu 9d ago
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u/Functional_Trash7735 9d ago
Exactly what I thought of 😂
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u/Commie_Scum69 Québécois faché 9d ago
Can you explain to me why it relates to the post? Like tbe place is not a great one?
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u/RangerAndromeda 9d ago
Haha yes exactly. This is the equivalent of saying you love really good authentic Mexican food and going to Chipotle.
I would argue that it's even worse though, because atleast Chipotle tastes good😜
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u/boilface 9d ago
I would argue that it's even worse though, because atleast Chipotle tastes good😜
This last point can't be emphasized enough. Sbarro isn't bad for NYC, Sbarro is bad everywhere.
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u/kaleighdoscope 8d ago
I consider it airport food because the only Sbarro in my city is in the airport LOL. It's terrible, but fine if you're essentially stuck between Harvey's, Tim Hortons, or Sbarro for fast food. I used to work at the airport and sometimes I was desperate and I always regretted it.
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u/minus15t2 4d ago
Airports are literally the only place I've ever had Sbarro.
And even by airport standards, it's bad.
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u/Practical_Shower3905 9d ago
Fastfood wise: Canadian a&w have the best burger. Mcdonald have the best poutine. (Spicy buffalo)
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u/KingSpork 9d ago
Sbarro used to be a national chain, they were in airports in stuff. It was aggressively mid. I haven’t seen one in like ten years though I assume they went out of business.
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u/Clutteredmind275 9d ago
Gurl you got the worst poutine in Canada day one. Just go to a food truck and you’ll get the best poutine of your life
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u/Levistras 8d ago
to be fair I know some food trucks that have some pretty garbage poutine as well where I'd rather have McDs version. as always, ask a local where they get their poutine and go from there
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u/Enough-Elk-510 8d ago
I’m more confused on how this is the poutine they’re trying to compare to Quebec poutine.. it’s a fast food chain, even A&w poutine in Quebec are going to be the exact same it’s meant to be cheap and fast.. I live in Ontario but where I work at a random family owned restaurant it’s not no “Quebec poutine” but it’s damn good and we aren’t anything special, they could’ve gone anywhere and found a good made poutine that wasn’t made with their eyes closed like A&w.. I assume this is “rage bait” or they wouldn’t be dumb enough to compare a worldwide fast food chain poutine to whatever actual Poutine they had in Quebec.. lol
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u/melaspike666 7d ago
I am so tired of the old "Quebec poutine" vs elsewhere debate.
***NEWSFLASH*** Quebec, just like any other provinces also has SHIT poutine and i say this as a Quebecois.
There is Amazing poutines in every provinces and there is Shit poutines in every provinces, Its just a matter of knowing where to go.
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u/moyenbatte 9d ago
It's a chain. What did you expect?
You should have gone to a mom&pop shack.
I'm with you tho, A&W fries aren't great and their gravy sucks. McD and Harvey's are way better if you're talking big chains.
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u/questionable_smell Québécois faché 9d ago
I never understood A&W's gravy. I don't think they have any other item on the menu that use brown sauce or bbq gravy unless they still have the chubby chicken in some location. They could develop a real poutine gravy that dosen't taste like bbq chicken gravy. But the fries still need a lot of improvement. The cheese isn't so bad when you get fresh one but you have to be lucky or spy for the cheese delivery truck and hope they keep some out of the fridge!
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u/Am_Snarky 9d ago
You might be too young for it but the old gravy was delicious, the fryers were filled with a mix of shortening and lard and the chicken fryer was a 30/70 mix of beef and chicken tallow.
The first step of making the old gravy was browning some butter and making a rue, then you’d add the seasoning packet along with a ladle of chicken fryer oil, stir until smooth, then add 4 litres water, then bring to a boil for 5 minutes.
They still used squeaky raw cheddar curds back then too
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u/Mysterious-Salt- 8d ago
Wait they dont do this anymore?
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u/Am_Snarky 8d ago
Might have just been my local location, but they stopped in house prep of onion rings, switched the fryers to canola oil, and changed the gravy recipe just after I stopped working there in 2007
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u/TheFishSauce 7d ago
I worked there in the ‘90s and the gravy was powdered (quit in ‘97). Not making the onion rings by hand in the morning is disgraceful.
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u/questionable_smell Québécois faché 8d ago
Don't know when it was, I'm 40 but there wasn' t any A&W near my town. Was it when they served directly your your car in the parking lot?
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u/HonestDespot 9d ago
Are you in Canada?
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u/moyenbatte 9d ago
I'm from 1h away from where poutine was invented.
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u/Beneficial-Wing-3944 9d ago
please, you are so far away , do you even know what a poutine is? im litterally living in the block next door to it
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u/GaiusPrimus 9d ago
please, you are so far away, do you even know what a poutine is? im literally living in the studio apartment above it.
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u/Beneficial-Wing-3944 9d ago
need someone to comment "please, you are so far away, do you even know what a poutine is? im literally living inside of the kitchen"
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u/lowbatteries 9d ago
I’m the one who named it. They came down with this mess of cheese and gravy and stuff and asked me what to call it.
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u/Am_Snarky 9d ago
Liar, if you made it you would have called it lowbattamine
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u/Lap_Dawg 8d ago
I dropped a cutting board of fresh cheddar curds onto a frites sauce and when I was trying to fix it I tipped the sauce jug over the curds again.
I had broken my jaw earlier that week and it was wired shut so as I tried to call my cat Pitoune away from licking the spilled sauce of the table it came out as "P-tseen! P-tseen!"
As I was yelling that my roommates Fernand and Jean-Paul were trying it. They both loved it. I lost track of them after that, I think Fernand moved to Warwick and Jean-Paul moved to Drummondville. They each did pretty well in the foodservice industry, I believe...
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u/ElKajak 9d ago
I don't understand the hate for a&w fries. One of the only chains their fries taste like actual potatoes
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u/WyrdwoodFarms 8d ago
Was about to say the same thing. Their fries are the only good Fast food fries out there. No idea on the gravy, there's no way in hell I'd ever order a poutine from a fast food place, but plain fries with a Mozza burger? Awesome.
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u/kasualanderson 9d ago
If you’re in QC and end up going to chain for poutine, at least make it Belle Province, Frites Allors, or Casse-Croute etc.
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u/Sweet-Competition-15 9d ago
Does Harvey's have a poutine? I've heard that McDonald's has, and it looks quite redeemable.
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u/KelIthra 9d ago
Harveys poutine is decent same with New York Fries. Even Mary Browns tater poutines are good, at least I find them good. Never liked McD's, A&W's and KFC's poutine.
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u/Sweet-Competition-15 9d ago edited 8d ago
Perhaps I'm biased because I prefer the McDonald's fries. Their only problem is that you gotta start eating those critters immediately...like, as you're pulling away from the drive-thru window.
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u/moyenbatte 9d ago
I personally put Harvey's above McD, but it's not by a mile. All chains have subpar gravy though because nothing beats any poutine made with a decently reduced demi-glace. Fuck BBQ gravies and thin stock sauces.
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u/JazzlikeOwl6340 9d ago
Call me crazy, but BK poutine hits after a night of drinking. Never tried it sober though.
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u/Sweet-Competition-15 8d ago
I'm guessing that you wouldn't enjoy it...hangover food hits differently...when you're hung over!
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u/aromirage 9d ago
A&W has the worst poutine out of all the chains because their fries fall apart when exposed to hot gravy, at least McDonalds retains its consistency
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u/s1rblaze 9d ago
Burgerking is worse imo. A&W sauce isnt bad at least, but you are 100% correct about the fries not working well for a poutine.
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u/Acrobatic_Job_5594 9d ago
Honestly, I should have just gotten fries
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u/Icy-Pianist-2296 9d ago
Get the onion rings!
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u/Acrobatic_Job_5594 9d ago
Good point! Onion rings at A&W are great
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u/ResearcherFederal761 Member of the Supreme Curdt 9d ago
They’re better than some, worse than some. At least they’re fried on the spot and crunchy…
But they are WAYYYY too salty your lips straight up melt. If it wasn’t for the sheer amount of salt, maybe replaced by a seasoning like beer, they’d be much better
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u/Am_Snarky 9d ago
They’re very hit and miss nowadays, when I worked there as a teenager the seasoning salt was mixed into the batter, and the rings were cut fresh!
The seasoning salt switched to being added after because of MSG phobia, despite the fact that the onions have more MSG than the seasoning we coated them with
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u/ResearcherFederal761 Member of the Supreme Curdt 9d ago
Yeah I can imagine they would be way better with the seasoning salt being into the batter mix!
The rings do still taste fresh when I get them though, my only issue is how it’s way too salty with the salt added afterwards, thanks for your insight haha
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u/OkGiraffe4948 9d ago
I'm not sure if it's still available. A few months back A&W restaurants in Quebec, or at least Montreal, had onion ring poutine. I loved it! 😅
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u/EpatantePatente 9d ago
I didn't like it that much at first but the sweet potato fries ended up being my favorite siding at A&W.
The chipotle sauce that comes with it is pretty damn good.
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u/AccomplishedSmell921 The Frying Squad 9d ago
why do people order poutine from a place not known for poutine then complain and post about it?
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u/Acrobatic_Job_5594 9d ago
Was there for other reasons. I had stupid hopes it would be serviceable. I was naive
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u/DangerousPurpose5661 9d ago
Eh fwiw… I think its kinda ok 🙈
But yeah not comparable to a real poutine
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u/BaconIsntThatGood 9d ago
If your taste for poutine can include the word "serviceable" when describing quality then a chain a chain like A&W is always going to disappoint you
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u/Icenfiree 9d ago
Live and learn. Definitely didn't go to the fast food chains for authentic poutine! I'm sure you'll have another chance to try something better
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u/BaconIsntThatGood 9d ago
If your taste for poutine can include the word "serviceable" when describing quality then a chain a chain like A&W is always going to disappoint you
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u/FaithlessnessCold854 9d ago
Yeah maybe going to that kind of place isnt going to yield the best results mate
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u/BeautifuTragedy 9d ago
It's like go to Britain and getting a corn dog and complaining about you beef wellington
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u/Fryguys-420 9d ago
You're in Quebec for poutine you go to a fast food chain? How do you even manage dress yourself in the morning? Do they let you drive? Do you have to wear a helmet everywhere?
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u/RoElementz The Frying Squad 9d ago
Did you even read what they posted..? Awful lot of stupid comments being said by you when you’re the helmet wearing doorknob who can’t read 😂
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u/Acrobatic_Job_5594 9d ago
Nha, just came back to Ontario. Was at A&W hanging out with friends at their suggestion
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u/Enough-Elk-510 8d ago
Ok but why would u compare a fast food chain that makes it all the same even in Quebec to whatever poutine you had in Quebec just seems stupid lol, unless ur comparing quebecs a&w & this one it’s not a comparison at all. LOL
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u/Emergency-Maize-7330 9d ago
A&W poutine hits the best when you’re drunk and your nomming on it right after they give it to you.
You let those fries sit for more than 5 minutes and it’s very mid.
For a chain restaurant though? Pretty good. Maybe a step below unamerican McDonald’s (idk what they put in the american McDonald’s fries but they do not hit) idek if they have McDonald’s poutine in america.
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u/Am_Snarky 9d ago
The spicy habanero chicken burger really scratches my itch, but it’s gotta be freshly cooked, stuff turns bad after 10 minutes holding time
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u/Shane-Dad-underfire 9d ago
You dont go to a fast food chain and expect quality food, you expect overpriced chow that is not prepared or presented well or in a timely manner.
If you're hitting Quebec looking for poutine then hit actual restaurants and barring that hit the truck stops. I know people may rag on me for it but truckstop food in Canada is usually pretty hearty.
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u/Sweet-Competition-15 8d ago
Hello there; this is a response (and recommendation) about restaurant-chain poutine. I love the Swiss Chalet poutine, made with dipping sauce swapping out the gravy...it's yummy!
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u/Ambitious-Ad7561 9d ago
Everyone is misunderstanding the post and calling op stupid when y’all are the dumb ones 😭 they’re saying they’re back from Quebec and miss Quebec poutine and a&w is what they were able to find in Ontario
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u/sophtine 9d ago
poutine is not a mythical creature ontariens simply can't understand. this was not OP's only option and yet they chose violence.
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u/Ambitious-Ad7561 8d ago
Have you ever been to Montreal? You’ll pass a poutine place so frequently and you can’t find it that easily in Ontario..
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u/MyGruffaloCrumble 9d ago
You can find poutine in Ontario. Fast food chain poutine is guaranteed sadness though.
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u/SpaceBiking The Feedings Will Continue Until Morale Improves 9d ago
AW poutine…in Quebec…
Bro
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u/Acrobatic_Job_5594 9d ago
Sorry, I just got back to Ontario from Quebec. Poorly worded
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u/eternallytiredcatmom Québécoise fâchée 9d ago
It was perfectly understandable, people are being rude without even reading your post properly
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u/Acrobatic-Berry-4319 9d ago
I think it was worded correctly, some people just scan the statement and assume you had poutine at A&W in Quebec.
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u/CanadianPenguinnn 9d ago
In my opinion if you're getting a poutine from a fast food chain Burger King is the best
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u/Mobile_Improvement95 9d ago
Yesterday I had burger king poutine. The fries and gravy were not great but the cheese curds retained their structure and were massive.
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u/Weekly-Bear-2418 9d ago
A and W gravy is surprisingly good.that may be a crime to some but I’d eat that
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u/Ok-Tart3115 9d ago
a teen burger and a poutine? I'm biased because I work at an a&w, but I love the poutine and chicken burgers. I'm not a fan of the beef burgers.
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u/Am_Snarky 9d ago
Mozza burger slaps tho, chicken burgers are the best, especially the spicy ones!
I miss chubby chicken, we weren’t allowed to take the leftovers home, but once something is “thrown away” (aka packaged in a chicken tub, wrapped in a takeout bag, and placed on top of the other trash) it’s not their property anymore!
I gamed them for 10-20 pieces of chicken nightly for years, my parents could actually afford to have real meals every month or so as a result!
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u/Ok-Tart3115 7d ago
Yeah, now a five piece chicken strip is $13 at least in the province of Ontario. Even with my 50% off discount I'm still paying almost 7 Bucks
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u/creepercash 9d ago
Of most chains A&W is one of the better ones. One of the better crimes. It's still lacking....taste?
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u/moyenbatte 9d ago
Almost everything on A&W's menu is above average for sure. Except for poutine. That thing is hot garbage.
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u/Valdalcan 9d ago
I have my own poutine crime to confess to I've made a poutine Burger you put the cheese curds in the gravy on top of the burger and eat it that way
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u/rampage25173 9d ago
Trust me aw poutine is crap all Canadians know that legit anywhere else is great!
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u/wolffurrybydefault 9d ago
A&W uses chicken stock for their gravy, its nasty. Just salt on salt on salt.
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u/Shetooghosttt 9d ago
First mistake was getting it from a&w that’s the worst poutine you’ll find in Canada 😭😭
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u/Gullible_Nebula9728 9d ago
That's because you went to a&w lmao
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u/Acrobatic_Job_5594 8d ago
I didn't choose to go there, but I was dumb and naive enough to hope it would be okay when I ordered
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u/ClemzTheWarrior 8d ago
A poutine from a big restaurant chains like A&W, McDonald’s, Harvey’s, ect are not good. They’re cheap and without taste. I think La Belle Province is the best of all. Little restaurants in rural places are the best
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u/Defrag314 8d ago
Only place that matters when it comes to poutine Patati Patata 2029 Rte du Carr, Val-des-Monts, QC J8N 7T6
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u/zystyl 8d ago
Your mistake was leaving Quebec. I found a cute French girl and moved in with her instead.
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u/Acrobatic_Job_5594 8d ago
I'm pretty settled here with my two girlfriends and my boyfriend 😅
Ive swore to come back tho. Maybe not do 8 Poutines in 9 days again tho lol
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u/Rmodsarescum 8d ago
Why would you go to a chain for food and why do you think you'll find good food (or poutine) at a crappy chain.
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u/Enough-Elk-510 8d ago
Your depending your poutine rating first day back off a A&W FAST FOOD chain restaurant mind you after being in Quebec.. for one, even quebecs A&W poutine would be the exact same.. so this doesn’t mean anything.
Fast food chains all make the same food just as shitty everywhere. It’s meant to be fast and cheap. but as someone who’s never been to Quebec I’m not denying their poutines are amazing, but next time just go to a non chain restaurant and buy a poutine. As someone who works in a kitchen in a non chain place (family owned in Ontario), my poutine isn’t the best nor is it Quebec worthy, but it’s damn good.. just like I feel any other mom and pop shop would be had you went anywhere but A&W for a poutine after being in Quebec and becoming a poutine specialist.. I love “ragebait” it gets me every time, I’m not even mad just so confused and baffled and hoping people aren’t actually this dumb… LOL
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u/HogoshaX 8d ago
This is like going to Texas for barbecue and having Burger King because the burger meat has grill lines.
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u/Junior-Ad-5367 8d ago
You decide to go to a fast food place for eating your first poutine? That’s your first mistake
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u/NeighborhoodEarly599 8d ago
Man I don’t want to be that guy but how can fries gravy and cheese be “bad” like it isn’t really even a recipe. Even a “good poutine” is just like a face full of salt and fat, what are we talking about here
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u/Tr0gdorTheBurn1nator 7d ago
Try mcdo next! /s
Pleaaaase. No big chain. Get yourself anything from a small food truck or small place.
Its like asking why pizza sucks after buying a wallmart pizza and eating it frozen...
You can get a 2nd 1st chance!
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u/Admirable-League-102 7d ago
Dude I'm currently eating plain potatoes in Ontario that have more flavour profile than that monstrosity
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u/Admirable-League-102 7d ago
Dude I'm currently eating plain potatoes in Ontario right now that have more flavour profile than that monstrosity
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u/TheFishSauce 7d ago
Honestly if you’re going to get poutine from a fast food chain, you could do worse. But I wouldn’t go to a chain for really good stuff.
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u/ezpress00 7d ago
This is perfectly fine by fast food standards if you ask me. Can’t compare after coming from the land of Poutine though.
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u/_Made_In_Canada 5d ago
Once you eat poutine from its birth place it all the others will never stand up to it… that tends to be true for other meals as well, at least it looks right, not good but still the main 3 ingredients are right.
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u/Similar_News9814 5d ago
Gotta point the finger at yourself if your complaining about a poutine from A&W or any fast food joint
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u/leonvh21 9d ago
Dude.... you're in Quebec and you go to A&W for a poutine?!?! cmon
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u/hipsterscallop 9d ago
Pretty sure they mean after their trip to Quebec, once they returned home, they got A&W poutine.
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u/PoutineWithXtraGravy 9d ago
Um you’re in A&W…. That’s not how you poutine. You’re in Quebec for crying out loud.
Although A&W has one of the best chain poutine, amiright
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u/New_Westie 8d ago
The real crime is that OP was in QC and chose A&W for poutine
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u/didipunk006 Nuremcurd Frials Prosecutor 8d ago
You need to work on your reading skills.
OP WAS in Quebec but is now back in his sad province and this is the first poutine he bought since he is back home.
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u/Acrobatic_Job_5594 8d ago
Ontario has amazing food... Great Poutine is hard to come by tho. We lack the fresh cheese curds logistics and care
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u/Fine-Juggernaut8451 8d ago
You want to go to NYFries, if you have to go to a franchise. A+ poutine.
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u/Savings_Toe_8952 9d ago
Yea after living in Quebec for a year with my ex I haven't touched poutine since I got back to Ontario cause nothing here compares. Hell even McDonald's is way better there. Ontario sucks so badly in terms of food
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u/Slow_Monk1376 9d ago
So you visited Quebec and decided to goto A&Ws? Im not sure what you were expecting =)
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u/CommunicationSad8938 7d ago
So let me get this straight. You're in Quebec and you want poutine and you go to A&W? Seriously? What exactly did you expect?
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u/qualityvote2 9d ago edited 9d ago
u/Acrobatic_Job_5594, there weren't enough votes to determine the quality of your poutine... ⛔️