Let us deliver your three news of the day on the world of catering in Quebec. Today, details on the arrival of the microbrewery À L’Abordage in Bromont, on the sale of Topla! and on tips which are still the talk of the town.

Let’s start with the microbrewery À L’Abordage, established in Sutton for nine years, which will open a new branch in the heart of Bromont next spring, combining local beer and pub-style cuisine. The owners, Dominique Miville-Deschênes, Cédrik Dion Poitras and Denis Miville-Deschênes, believe that Bromont is the ideal location for this expansion because of its community similar to that of Sutton, focused on sports and outdoor activities.

The new establishment, located in a complex on Chemin de Gaspé, represents an investment of approximately $500,000 and should open at the end of April. The menu will be pub style, including homemade dishes such as fish and chips and duck poutine, with also vegetarian and healthy options.

The entrepreneurs plan to create a friendly environment with a wooden deck and community gatherings. Despite the expansion, the team will remain present in Sutton, and current beer production should be sufficient to supply the two branches, with a concentration of can sales in the Eastern Townships.

Let's continue with the sale by the F. Dufresne Group of the Topla! restaurant chain, created in 2014 in Quebec, with eight branches, to two entrepreneurs, Benoit Thibeault and Élyse Leclerc, as well as to the main shareholders of Pizza Salvatoré.

The new owners have just taken over the chain, with the transaction amount in the seven figures. Although Groupe F. Dufresne was not looking to sell Topla!, the opportunity presented itself and was accepted due to the growth potential.

The new shareholders, familiar with the Abbatiello of Pizza Salvatoré, plan to triple the Topla network! in three years and breathe new life into the chain specializing in pasta. The transaction marks a revival in the restaurant industry in Quebec, following the sale of the Ashton chain in 2022 and the acquisition of two Harvey's franchises by the third generation of the Martin family, owner of the St-Hubert rotisseries.

Let's finish with this survey from the firm Hardbacon on tipping habits in Canada. This reveals that 65% of Canadians leave a tip solely because of the option offered by the payment terminal. Some Canadians tip at establishments without table service when paying by card, as opposed to cash, and 62% of respondents tipped more than expected due to the choices presented by the payment terminal.

The main irritants are the application of the tip percentage to the total after taxes and the options starting at more than 15%. Despite inflation, the average tip at table service restaurants is 15%, while it is 10% for hair and barbershops as well as for delivery people linked to food delivery apps.

Although 99% of Canadians tip servers, 25% of Uber app users do not tip their driver. Young adults aged 18 to 27 are the most generous, ahead of baby boomers. The tip percentages left by Quebecers are similar to those in other provinces.

The survey was conducted online among 513 Canadians aged 18 and over.