Quick Facts
- A Canadian-owned company, A&W Food Services of Canada Inc. opened its first restaurant
in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1956.
- The initials “A&W” stand for A&W's founders: Allen and Wright
- At December 31, 2023, there were A&W restaurants in operation in Canada, of which
1,044 are owned and operated by franchisees and 10 are owned and operated by A&W Food
Services. System Sales(1) for all A&W restaurants in Canada in 2023 were $1.8
Billion. A&W Food Services and its franchisees employ approximately 20,000 people on a
full or part time basis.
- A&W serves more than 197 million customers annually.
- A&W Root Beer is Canada's #1 root beer.
- A&W is recognized as a Platinum member in Canada's Best Managed Companies program.
- In 2013, A&W launched new beef which is raised without the use of hormones or steroids.
- In October 2014, A&W began using chicken raised without the use of antibiotics and fed a
grain-based, vegetarian diet without animal by-products.
- In January 2015, organic and Fair Trade coffee was introduced.
- In February 2016, A&W introduced pork raised without the use of antibiotics.
- In 2017, A&W introduced in its restaurants A&W Root Beer made from natural cane sugar
and all-natural flavours.
- In 2018, A&W began serving in its restaurants the Beyond Meat† Burger made using 100%
plant-based protein.
- Also in 2018, A&W began using real cheese on all burgers and breakfast sandwiches.
- In 2019, A&W began serving the Beyond Meat† sausage as an option in its
breakfast offerings.
- In 2020, A&W launched its new coffee blend and switched to all grass-fed and
grass-finished beef.
- In 2021 A&W expanded its beverage offerings with the phased rollout of the A&W Brew Bar™. The A&W Brew Bar offers a variety of frozen beverages as well as hot and cold espresso-based beverages which is now available in over 620 restaurants nationwide. The roll out of the A&W Brew Bar will continue in 2024.
™ trademark of the Partnership, used under license.