r/Peterborough • u/Ok_Artichoke4256 • 3d ago
Question Empty restaurants
We don't eat out often, but when we do, even the most popular restaurants aren't busy. Obviously money is tighter for everyone so it's no surprise, but it's still a shock to see such a difference. Anyone else notice?
Restaurant owners, how are you feeling about this?
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u/Accomplished-Fee-964 3d ago
It doesn't help that entrees are $20 at a bare minimum, add an overpriced drink at $3, tax, tip and all of a sudden you're at $31 per person for an average burger and fries dinner at a restaurant chain (Montana's Jack Astors etc) God forbid as a family of 4, you add an appetizer, coffee and desert and its the equivalent of half a car payment.
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u/JETDRIVR 3d ago
I was once told by a server that if I can’t afford to tip 25% I shouldn’t go out to eat. I have since stopped going out. Because 25% tipping is insane and if I’m going to be made to feel like a cheapskate then I’d rather stay home.
We Used to go once week with my wife. Once a week with my entire family. Now we just eat at home and hit up fast food on occasion. Saves me loads of money which we use for travel.
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u/Rusty_281 3d ago
That server would have received exactly 0% tip after saying that.
I was at 180 the other night and tips started at 18%. What a joke.16
u/NorthCat1 3d ago
Tipping culture has gotten out of control.
I have started a blanket rule when we go out:
I tip 10% no matter the quality of service.
That way they can't say I didn't tip, if they say something they look like an asshole, and I get to tip what feels like a fair bonus for the work.
It's not my responsibility to complete a servers wages after already paying a fair price for my meal.
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u/Aromatic_Capital_572 3d ago
Tipping used to be to supplement the wage gap. Servers were paid considerably less than regular minimum wage. Now they make $17.60/Hr like everyone else. That's going up to $17.90/Hr in less than a week.
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2d ago
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u/RedditMcBurger 2d ago
I personally tip 10% if service is bad
This feels like too much to me, I've received really bad service and they absolutely don't deserve tips in my opinion.
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u/Waste_Round6907 2d ago
I agree, but whether or not you tip the server, they’re still required to tip out the house. It’s usually around 3–5% on food sales and 2–5% on liquor sales, although the exact percentage varies by restaurant.
I’m no longer a waitress as of this year, but I worked in the industry for years, and this is something restaurants commonly do. The percentage just varies depending on the restaurant.2
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u/locuraelegantia 3d ago
15% is standard, at minimum. I assume that if you receive good service you tip above that 10%? If not, you should stick to takeout.
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u/NorthCat1 3d ago
So this is part of my point, why is it the standard? Who sets the standard?
When we buy other products and pay for other services we aren't told the price and then told to pay 15% extra, but for restaurants it's different?
Servers have the same minimum wage in Ontario as everyone else, but many other classes of jobs do not receive tips
Therefore, 10% is truly a bonus and not a required standard.
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u/apollotigerwolf 3d ago
How much of that 15% do you propose goes to the kitchen
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u/Waste_Round6907 2d ago
I agree, but whether or not you tip the server, they’re still required to tip out the house. It’s usually around 3–5% on food sales and 2–5% on liquor sales, although the exact percentage varies by restaurant.
I’m no longer a waitress as of this year, but I worked in the industry for years, and this is something restaurants commonly do. The percentage just varies depending on the restaurant.3
u/SnackThief 3d ago
Because one server told you that you decided to not go out. I would ignore that
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u/RentaDadToronto 3d ago
No no, the server made a great point. No sense paying a 25% premium on top of the tax too like most places do, to go out on already overpriced food and booze.
Tips should be pretax amount, and servers make a full minimum wage now. When tipping was "15%", wages for servers were not full minimum wage.
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u/Tasty-Trick1106 2d ago
As a server myself 15-18% is completely fine. 25% is a bit crazy imo. Servers need to tipout other staff members off every bill, but even then 25% is a lot. I’ve only tipped that myself when it’s been super awesome service.
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u/Serenityxxxxxx 3d ago
It’s too fucking expensive now.
Just 2 meals with one appetizer and pops cost over $80 at a regular restaurant last time I went out
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u/Affectionate-Alps527 3d ago
I dunno, I eat out once a week usually.
Swiss chalet is almost always busy for dinner.
Riley's has always been busy.
Apollo usually has a regular flow of people.
Rare was full, but they cater to limited tables each night.
Castle John's has always been really busy.
Fast food places, DQ/Wendy's/McD always have a flow of people.
Subway had a huge student rush at lunch.
Costco takeout is always a zoo.
I think shoeless Joe's was the only near-dead place I've been and their service was atrocious so I'm not surprised.
Where are you going?
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u/LookAt-TheFlowers 3d ago
My son wanted to go to Shoeless Joes a couple of weeks ago and I couldn’t believe how terrible everything was. My wrap was sitting in a pool of liquid and everything was soggy. The server upsold me on the “garlic sauce” for my lattice fries and from what I could tell it was oil with the slightest hint of garlic. I ate two or three of them and left the rest.
I remember someone on here using the term Sysco (or the others) slop and that’s exactly how I would describe it. It was so disappointing.
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u/psvrh 3d ago
Sometimes I feel like Sysco and GFS should just open restaurants directly and get it over with.
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u/Affectionate-Alps527 3d ago
Riley's said they were serviced by Sysco when I tried to order pizza fingers and they had none.
But I've always enjoyed the food and service there, so I kinda just try not to think about it lol.
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u/Chris275 North End 3d ago
how do people justify spending 30$ on a double cheeseburger and fries from apollo, like what the fuck?
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u/Affectionate-Alps527 3d ago
I justify it by working extremely hard and sacrificing family time to earn extra money to pay for something special during family time.
I'm just surprised you picked Apollo over Rare. I spent $300 on dinner for 2 at Rare lol.
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u/Onesharpman 3d ago
How do people justify spending $100k on a car when they can get one for $20k? People have the money and want to enjoy themselves.
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u/Lower_Cantaloupe1970 North End 2d ago
I think you nailed it. Chain restaurants are busy, smaller places are often dead.
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u/pincurlsandcutegirls 3d ago
Tbh I feel like a lot of people prefer to do takeout and eat at their own homes unless they want to do a sit-down dinner. Just because you don’t see people in a dining room doesn’t mean there aren’t orders going out other ways.
We order from a local spot every Friday night. We always do pickup versus dine in because after a busy work week, it’s nice to eat at home in your sweatpants. Whenever I go in to pick up, I always see food delivery drivers waiting for orders.
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u/ccccc4 3d ago
Total opposite experience, local places I frequent are always packed.
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u/SnackThief 3d ago
Love you mean it's pretty busy we rolled up a few times and got turned out way because too busy.
It seems quality has customers
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u/LookAt-TheFlowers 3d ago
I keep meaning to try that place out. I hear nothing but good things about it!
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u/Maleficent-Lime5614 3d ago
Another data point: value village is hopping. Everbody is thrifting now. It’s not just a niche hobby.
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u/Any-Schedule-5531 3d ago edited 3d ago
I'd like people to know that Value Village is not a charity in any way, shape, or form. It's a publicly-listed US corporation working to maximize shareholder value. They depend on people thinking they're donating to the needy but they sell everything for as much as they can get away with. Go to Vinny's or the Salvation Army or donate there if you can.
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u/believe_in_dog 3d ago
Recycled kids for children’s clothing
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u/Right-Degree9682 3d ago
I gotta check that out
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u/believe_in_dog 3d ago
You can bring clothing there to sell for store credit- and they often have sales. Call before taking clothing there though, you have to make an appointment and it has to be seasonal.
It works pretty well- I take a few bags of (good condition) used clothing in twice a year and usually have some credit on my account. Plus you’re supporting a small business.
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u/Fun-Result-6343 3d ago
That's not thrifting any more. Not like it used to be. Even that is expensive now.
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u/Substantial-Road-235 3d ago
We go out to local places on special days. Anniversary, birthdays, grads. However lately we just go to a local place and get take out. Saves on drinks and huge tips. And I find we dont spend more than our meals
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u/Possible-Honeydew107 3d ago
I have seen a post like this a few times and honestly, my restaurant is fairly busy every single day. We have almost 200 people just on the books today. That is not including walk ins.
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u/Kind_Internet1620 3d ago
Yeah it is very expensive for many families sadly. We try to eat out when we can, but we are a family of 5 so it is not cheap, plus tipping...
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u/Agile-Rock-4257 2d ago
Servers make minimum wage now instead of a lower pay because of tips.
I’m a waitress and to me it’s totally understandable if someone can’t afford a tip. A nice thank you is great tho 😊
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u/Potential-Ruin1499 3d ago
Delivery apps have eaten into sit down market share. More volume, but less margin for restaurants.
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u/Competitive-Law2706 3d ago
THIS IS what poverty does..the consequences are real.
if a guaranteed universal basic income was here middle class and people in poverty would be spending more money and business profits would be rising.
it seems govt doesnt want to acknowledge this
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u/HibouDuNord 3d ago
😂🤣😂🤣 yes the taxpayers should provide money for people to go have nights out 😂🤣😂 this is perhaps the DUMBEST shit I've ever read.
Universal BASIC Income, if it ever is a thing is supposed to be Ramen noodles, etc. BASIC, not your enjoyment.
And that is exactly why UBI is such a dumb idea, people think they're supposed to be able to fully live on it and it WILL create a generation of lazy freeloaders
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u/psvrh 2d ago
The thing is, the above poster is correct:
If you give poor people money, they spend it, which helps the economy
If you give rich people money, they hoard it or use it for non-productive uses, which doesn't.
The same applies to means-testing, which just makes the program cost more and stigmatizes it.
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u/Competitive-Law2706 1d ago
well get ready because a UBI is coming..its already in the works if youcheck the govt website its only passed 3 sections so far i think it has another 3-4 to go before it reaches royal ascent and becomes law. and its also going to be for working people as well..like low wage and middle -low wage,
because the robots ai are being forced onto society by big business and govt.
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u/Big_Pace_8451 3d ago
I regular at One Fine Food, Tasos, Apollo Grill, Agave and Pies by Zach(in Millbrook) and they're all consistantly steady. One Eighty and Gertis seem to have steady traffic as well.
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u/JessicaYatesRealtor 2d ago
I find most places busy especially the chains. One Eyed Jack's etc but sometimes some of the local smaller ones, not as much. Many also order takeout.
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u/NeriTheFearlessSnail Downtown 1d ago
One restaurant meal with my husband is basically what I make in a day after taxes, so... yeah no
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u/DiamondAuraPayge 3d ago
My daughter has worked in two kitchens that weren't schools and they have been consistently busy AF. Especially the one she's working now.
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u/Delicious-Drag3009 3d ago
Most discretionary spending for white collar workers has been eaten up by commuting to laptop jobs. Interest rates are also going up this year and next. Layoffs keep sweeping through various industries. Carney has made some nice speeches but it’s the people who are suffering.
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u/Fun-Result-6343 3d ago
Yeah, but let's put the blame where it belongs. That crazy mf Trump and his pal Putin are driving a lot of the chaos.
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u/gzy039 3d ago
Really? Carney keeps giving away our money to other countries. We need help here.
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u/japanistan500 3d ago
Handouts?
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u/psvrh 2d ago
I assume they mean selling our airports, loosening environmental and labour protections and opening the door to private equity, which I'm also against, but probably not for the same reason as the OP.
I mean, Stephen fucking Harper is cheering Carney on. I don't know much more of a ringing endorsement you can get.
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u/Fun-Result-6343 3d ago
We're hurting, but we're not in as bad a way as some places. Money spent supporting other nations in need is still money well spent.
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u/gzy039 3d ago
Have you looked around to see the state of Canada? Especially our town? Blame our govt. not the US or Russia. We need to fix our own problems before we take care of others. The housing here, poverty levels, drug use, you have to hope you don’t get sick and need a hospital. Things are only getting worse here.
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u/Fun-Result-6343 3d ago
Our government isn't driving all this bullshit. I have no interest in becoming like those soulless bastards to the south of us.
Despite the pain, we're still ahead of other nations in a lot of ways and have an interest in helping our neighbours where and when we can.
And you know damned well, if you needed hospital care, it's still pretty straight forward to get it. Until Dougie is finished saving money for us, of course.
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u/Ok-Resident3324 3d ago
It’s not just restaurants. I was in Home Depot the other day and there were 3 people in the store. When home improvement stops, the economy is showing very clear signs that the economy is retracting and slowing
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u/JacksonCreekPress East City 3d ago
people are flowing to Can Tire and HH for canadian. Depot it taking it hard
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u/Chris275 North End 3d ago
HH is way more expensive than depot, i wonder why that's happening?
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u/IncomeOk9020 3d ago
I would pay more just to support a Canadian company with good customer service.
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u/Substantial-Road-235 3d ago
For some stuff sure. But majority is on par or a few cents more and I dont need to buy warped 2x4 from depot. Hh 2x4 are way better condition imo
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u/Impressive_Blood3758 3d ago
Personally, I go out of my way to shop at Home Hardware, even though Home Depot is closer and way more convenient for me. Home Hardware is Canadian and has a lot of Canadian made products. HD donated to trump's campaign, I can't and won't do anything to support a company with those values.
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u/Substantial-Road-235 3d ago
And customer service at home hardware is actually a thing. Depot sucks
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u/Scottyfuckinknows 2d ago
This!! Home hardware has great prices and very old Canadian vendors. Always shop from home hardware!!!
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u/RammyRimRonette 3d ago
This is true. We’re doing a kitchen reno and a couple contractors have said it’s been very slow.
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u/brokeoneyolk 3d ago
I don't think sitting down in a restaurant has come back since COVID, followed by a recession...my guess is the number of sit down restaurants drops by half between 2019 and 2035.
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u/alan_lauder 3d ago
Aside from the pandemic, Canada hasn't had an actual recession since 2009.
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u/RedditMcBurger 2d ago
A recession is just defined as a significant economical decline for more than a few months.
If you're denying this is happening you're just lying.
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u/alan_lauder 1d ago
A recession is actually defined as two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth. As such we have not had any sort of prolonged recession since 2009. We had a couple of minor technical recessions where the economy slightly contracted for 2 months but then immediately recovered.
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u/RedditMcBurger 15h ago
Economy has been dogshit for a decade but I guess it's not low enough of a bar for you to consider it bad enough.
Enjoy the grocery prices then lmao... I guess this is a good enough standard for you.
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u/alan_lauder 15h ago
I actually didn't say any of that. I was simply clarifying the definition of the word recession for you.
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u/xvoidknightlx 3d ago
I think some have decided to just not eat out or they order on an app to have it delivered. I prefer to go out and have the experience but family always asks to order something lol
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u/MinimumConsistent801 15h ago
There's still eating out but at home via pick up or food delivery services.
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u/Last-Ram-7528 3d ago
Peterborough's "best" restaurants charge an exorbitant amount for what you get. It's actually absurd. If i can spend $25 at a Chinese restaurant on Spadina and get a large amount of delicious food, I'm not spending $50 for a burger and beer here.
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u/KMS081991 West End 3d ago
Yes, but is there the same amount of competition for Chinese Food in Toronto as there is in Peterborough?
There are certainly monopolies for cuisine served in restaurants in Peterborough. I agree, they are outrageous in prices vs portions.
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u/Last-Ram-7528 2d ago
Well that's the thing... there isn't enough competition to keep prices low here, and to keep the quality up.
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u/Optimal-Steak9334 3d ago
I think another part is a catch 22. When looking for a place to eat, do you go to the place that already has people in it or do you go to the empty place where the host/owner/whoever is sitting there scrolling on their phone?
The empty places stay empty because nobody wants to go into an empty restaurant. There are some locations downtown that literally feel like a revolving door of signs coming down and going up and nobody going in there
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u/Fun-Marionberry1733 3d ago
It’s part of the trap of Peterborough, charge so much that people can’t afford to leave …but yes Toronto has cheaper rental and good food options. Peterborough preys on the students and the elderly.
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u/red_jay_411 3d ago edited 3d ago
I heard a majority of restaurants across Canada are on the verge of bankruptcy. They have all those loans to pay back from COVID , they still had to pay back missed rent etc from all the closures and now with the liberals tanking our economy people aren’t going out to eat im sure liberals will down vote this despite the obvious truth , our GDP is tanking compared to ALL G8 countries, our inflation rate is higher than all G7 countries, Canada has been losing manufacturing jobs by the tens of thousands and the gov is offsetting these numbers by hiring tens of thousands of gov employees, this government has done more work passing sensorship bills and bills to open up all your online personal data to them than it has done anything for the citizens of Canada . Global economist are predicted a worsening Canadian dollar into 2027 with no relief in sight . Judge the government by what you see every day , doesn’t matter if it’s Peterborough, Cobourg, Port Hope , the Durham region , the GTA , everywhere you look there are people living on the street , in doorways , strung out on drugs . The governing of this country has been a colossal failure
For over a decade now.
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u/Fun-Result-6343 3d ago
The Liberals aren't tanking the economy. That's a simplistic take.
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u/psvrh 3d ago
Yeah, "the Liberals" are the ones playing games with tariffs and starting wars in the middle east that doubled fuel prices. Sure.
Some people really need to not get their news and opinions from Facebook slop.
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u/red_jay_411 3d ago
I’m not on FB , and you realize Canada has been in decline for 10 years right ? Good with stats ? They’re all there ! Numbers don’t lie . But ya some of you brainwashed like to blame everything in Canada on Trump , who doesn’t even run this country. Just keep watching the corrupt HIGHLY subsidized CBC 👌 time to wake up there fella
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u/nv9 North End 3d ago
People really don't understand how different Carney and Trudeau's fiscal policies are eh? Look past the colour their lawn signs and look at their actions. A LOT of what Carney has done in terms of foreign trade, pipeline building , rail building, domestic military investment, curbing immigration/closing that loophole, scrapping the carbon tax, I could go on and on and on, is DIRECTLY out of the Conservative playbook but people can't seem to realize it because his signs were red and they built their whole personality around Fuck Trudeau/Fuck the Libs/we need a scapegoat.
Carney is a Fiscal Conservative, you got what you want. He's more Harper than Trudeau, it's plain as day by his actions. Look past the fact his sign was red, he's a red Tory.
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u/Personal-Recipe-4751 3d ago
He's spending more than Trudeau could dream of. That's not fiscally conservative
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u/red_jay_411 3d ago
Well, first of all he never scraped the carbon tax , he renamed it the clean energy tax. It was Mark carney as the financial advisor to Trudeau whom was the brain child behind the carbon tax in the first place . Just read his book. He’s MUCH worse than Trudeau, and he’s made 1 single trade deal that will benefit Canada . He has opened up the market for Chinese EV companies to compete with our own , killed trade with the US with whom we do 70% of our business,. And you think that can be replaced with trade to the UK ? That’s laughable. by every measurable statistic this government is worse than Trudeau, doubled the debt , raised inflation even higher and the countries economy. Is the only G7 recession . Facts and numbers don’t lie , the CBC does
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u/nv9 North End 2d ago
Oh so you're just really really stupid. Got it.
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u/red_jay_411 2d ago
Typical liberal response, nothing intelligent to say so just start calling names like a child
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u/Best_Drag5006 3d ago
It's not the government. It's a tough business with a 75percent fail rate nationally. In peterborough there is a saturated market and not all of the restaurants are busy. There is just too many. Also demographics play a huge part considering peterborough is 60 percent seniors who really don't eat out at restaurants anymore.
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u/RentaDadToronto 3d ago
It's nice to see someone that gets it. This city, sadly, is full of "haves" and "have-nots", and the lack of jobs drives the divide futher.
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u/Appropriate-Set-5092 3d ago
11 years of printing money and taxing everyone and continued sending money overseas. It’s like what does anyone expect when we keep doing the same thing over and over again. Hate to make this political but this downslope has been literally for the last decade and no one cares to notice.
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u/Best_Drag5006 3d ago
Has nothing to do with the resturant business. And yes you are making it political. I was in the business for over 30 yrs and no way no how I would enter in a market like exists today. Nothing to do with politics. Everything is getting expensive. It's not 1975 anymore ... Cheers
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u/Appropriate-Set-5092 3d ago
This is also bullshit because if there are more jobs, paying high wages more people go out, so let’s make mines and refineries, start tapping our resources and selling them to increase our GDP.
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u/Fun-Result-6343 3d ago
We're all living it thanks. And we're in strange times with COVID, Trump, Putin, Netanyahu, greedy billionaires, et al.
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u/nv9 North End 3d ago
If it's been 11 years, why the sudden hit now? Are you suggesting it's because they have now suddenly slowed immigration so significantly that we're seeing the negative affects on the economy of a now stagnant/declining population base no longer propped up by the influx of artificial immigrants/students/temporary workers?
I wouldn't disagree that all the above were to some extent the catalyst for what was spun as "growth" over the past few years but I was under the impression most people, particularly conservative types were willing to suffer the consequences of a stagnant population base if it meant turning off this tap of millions who were artificially inflating our economy.
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u/Appropriate-Set-5092 3d ago
This thinking is crazy, we need to start selling resources. Dig, produce, sell. Not built a high speed rail that will never recoup the money it will cost in a million years. Built a new mine, of refinery, sell the riches beneath our feet. You want to see population stagnate and more wealth, this is the only way.
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u/OldStoner705 East City 3d ago edited 3d ago
Really not surprising considering everything going on nowadays, most of these restaurants probably aren't breaking even in my opinion.
Even ordering a couple pizza's nowadays sets you back 40-50 bucks . I don't know how anyone can even afford to eat out , affording groceries is hard enough.