The first Pickle Barrel opened in 1971 as an 85-seat restaurant located on Leslie Street in Toronto.[1] Over the subsequent decades, the restaurant expanded to become a chain with locations across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).[1]
On October 16, 2017, The Pickle Barrel was acquired by Cara Operations Limited (renamed Recipe Unlimited in 2018), a subsidiary of the holding company Fairfax Financial.[2][3] The restaurant opened a location in Waterloo, Ontario in 2019, their first outside of the GTA.[4]
Operations
While Pickle Barrel originally operated as a Jewish deli with deli sandwiches as a signature item, its menu has since expanded to include over 300 items,[1] including a menu of health-conscious items selected by nutritionist Rose Reisman.[1]blogTO noted that the restaurant is "known for its lengthy menu and kitschy decor",[5] including colorful leather booths and blown glass hanging lights.[1]
In 2017, The Pickle Barrel reportedly generated CAD$50 million annually from restaurant sales and catering, and had to date catered over 1.2 million events.[3]
In 2020, its Downtown Toronto location in The Atrium on Bay closed after four decades due to the COVID-19 pandemic, fewer people coming downtown as a result, and the lack of a patio for outdoor dining.[6] In September 2022, the Pickle Barrel at Sherway Gardens in Etobicoke closed permanently.[7] In February 2024, the chain's original location on Leslie closed after more than 50 years.[8]
References
^ abcde"The Pickle Barrel". Streets of Toronto. Post City Magazines. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
