Canada’s longest-running restaurant chain turns 90 years old this week.
White Spot, which has a branch in Courtenay, will celebrate its 90th birthday on June 16.
To mark the milestone, the restaurant will offer a retro menu for a limited time, including chicken in the straw — a crispy quarter chicken served on a “nest” of Kennebec fries.
White Spot patrons on June 16 also have the chance to receive one of 50,000 commemorative coins with a profile of restaurant founder Nat Bailey on one side and a stylized chicken on the other.
“It’s an exciting time to be a part of White Spot in a great industry, with such fond memories of the history and tradition of our brand over these 90 years,” said president Warren Erhart.
There are currently 65 full-service White Spot restaurants across Canada.
The Courtenay branch opened in March 1995. Erhart said the restaurant is on track to serve its five millionth customer before Christmas.
Canadian restaurateur Nat Bailey founded White Spot in 1928 and ran the chain for 40 years, until it was acquired by General Foods. That company ran the chain from 1968 until 1983, when Shato Holdings purchased it. Shato Holdings has run it since then.
The Courtenay branch is located in the Glacier View Plaza on Cliffe Avenue.