Discussions

Does anyone have an idea or know how many times arbys closed and reopened in Brandon?  
 
Unless my info is wrong about them opening and closing more than once?

Lived here for 20 years and I only recall them being here once on 18th.

Yeah I know they were in 1 spot the whole time. But did they not close and then reopen a few times?

Getty said "Yeah I know they were in 1 spot the whole time. But did they not close and then reopen a few times? "

Was one of our favorite spots. My husbands says they closed briefly once and reopened in the same spot but I honestly don't remember. They were in the Hakim Optical building beside Applebees.

not sure what caused them to closed down? They were in a prime location.... was management or customer service an issue?

Getty said "not sure what caused them to closed down? They were in a prime location.... was management or customer service an issue? "

We also wondered that, we really liked it but I will admit it was never busy or seemed like it was just trying to survive. The location was good but I just don't think many people enjoyed it as much as the rest of us. I remember they had some good deals could feed all 4 of us for like $20-25 maybe that is why we miss it LOL.

and I think they had coupons in the mail as well..

but as with any place: if it isn't run right or consistently good, people will go elsewhere. As Arby's is a lesser used franchise, things have to go really well for them to consider opening in other smaller markets.  
 
A long time ago, for example, you didn't see Burger King outside of several in Winnipeg and the one in Brandon. Now there's one in Portage and even one in The Pas!!  
 
Hopefully Arbys can try again in Brandon as I believe they have one in Moose Jaw and/or Swift Current. I'd have to check.

I agree you have to have a well run place for it survive and Arby's, although not bad, just wasn't run great. But I can say the same about Burger King. The Brandon one is terrible. Always feels dirty, I don't let my son anywhere near the play structure. And the are always out of stuff. I remember a couple times when they didn't have this or that and it is just not a good experience. Its time for a major reno of the current location.

I don't remember Arby's closing down while it was here, and it definitely was always in the building where Hakim Optical is now.  
 
I can't speak for the local Burger King, but I tried the Winnipeg one that was out west on Portage Ave., because they are a 24 hour restaurant. Twice they were closed for one reason or another, one time they only had fries and chicken sandwiches, and the time I did get food, the burger buns fell apart, as if they had been squished under something at one point.

I can see if Arbys was ran similar to BK... then every reason for it to shutdown. I do agree with other posts that it should be renovated and possible total demolishing it. Again, just feedback and in no way trashing them, and there are other food chains that fall into that category.  
 
But food quality and customer service go a long way. I am just curious because arbys does offer different type of fast food.

Are there even Arby's in Winnipeg anymore?  
 
(I just googled it. The only one left is in the food court in Kildonan Place. I know at one point there was at least 3 other locations in the city.)  
 
I worked at Arby's in Winnipeg many years ago (20? really? geez I'm getting old!) when they reimagined the franchise. It was an incredibly badly-run organization back then, and was a bad place to work. We had a corporate-run store.

Arby’s - I enjoyed Arby’s last time I was in Transcona in the summer. Ever since then I get a craving for it. I would enjoy it if it came back. I will echo others about Burger King. The restaurant needs a major face lift.

Abbysmum said "Are there even Arby's in Winnipeg anymore?     (I just googled it. The only one left is in the food court in Kildonan Place. I know at one point there was at least 3 other locations in the city.)     I worked at Arby's in Winnipeg many years ago (20? really? geez I'm getting old!) when they reimagined the franchise. It was an incredibly badly-run organization back then, and was a bad place to work. We had a corporate-run store. "

I once worked at Arby's and refused to ever eat there ever again after I left the place but their food is actually some of the better [i]fast food[/i] out there now days. I had their brisket sandwich back in 2014 when the Polo Park location was still open, it was nicely smoked, good value and very filling. I was sad to see the location closed when I went back to Polo about a year ago.  
 
The problem is a lot of people aren't generally craving a roast beef over a burger. Their menu should be more in-line with what the US menu is like - they should've kept the brisket, as well as bring the sliced steak sandwiches to Canada to give people a more premium meal at a reasonable price than your typical fast food joint.

CL said "    Abbysmum said "Are there even Arby's in Winnipeg anymore?     (I just googled it. The only one left is in the food court in Kildonan Place. I know at one point there was at least 3 other locations in the city.)     I worked at Arby's in Winnipeg many years ago (20? really? geez I'm getting old!) when they reimagined the franchise. It was an incredibly badly-run organization back then, and was a bad place to work. We had a corporate-run store. " I once worked at Arby's and refused to ever eat there ever again after I left the place but their food is actually some of the better [i]fast food[/i] out there now days. I had their brisket sandwich back in 2014 when the Polo Park location was still open, it was nicely smoked, good value and very filling. I was sad to see the location closed when I went back to Polo about a year ago.     The problem is a lot of people aren't generally craving a roast beef over a burger. Their menu should be more in-line with what the US menu is like - they should've kept the brisket, as well as bring the sliced steak sandwiches to Canada to give people a more premium meal at a reasonable price than your typical fast food joint. "

Actually I wish all fast food are like the Americans ones. Not fair they get different menu options at reasonable pricing, and we're stuck with mostly the same stuff.

Getty said "not sure what caused them to closed down? They were in a prime location.... was management or customer service an issue? "

I did not see a lot of foot traffic in that building while it was open I noticed. A place like that needs lots of customers just to pay the tax bill.  
 
That location is costly tax wise and its only one portion of the coin needed to make a payroll. Quality wise it did not seem bad to me.

CL said "    Abbysmum said "Are there even Arby's in Winnipeg anymore?     (I just googled it. The only one left is in the food court in Kildonan Place. I know at one point there was at least 3 other locations in the city.)     I worked at Arby's in Winnipeg many years ago (20? really? geez I'm getting old!) when they reimagined the franchise. It was an incredibly badly-run organization back then, and was a bad place to work. We had a corporate-run store. " I once worked at Arby's and refused to ever eat there ever again after I left the place but their food is actually some of the better [i]fast food[/i] out there now days. I had their brisket sandwich back in 2014 when the Polo Park location was still open, it was nicely smoked, good value and very filling. I was sad to see the location closed when I went back to Polo about a year ago.     The problem is a lot of people aren't generally craving a roast beef over a burger. Their menu should be more in-line with what the US menu is like - they should've kept the brisket, as well as bring the sliced steak sandwiches to Canada to give people a more premium meal at a reasonable price than your typical fast food joint. "

I worked at the Regent Ave stand-alone location, and they tried something like that. It had a different menu, you could get all kinds of different things there, it was modeled after the US stores.  
 
After a year or 18 months, they converted it back to a "regular" Arby's because people weren't buying it. The people who in fact came just wanted their regular roast beef sandwiches (or those gooey ones on the onion buns, whatever they were called).

From my understanding about the franchise itself. Is that the past owner may have been pressured into updates to their current location or even take on making more Arby's in the city.  
 
Both of which would cost quite a bit of money, as they require minimum 1.5 million net worth/liquid assets.  
 
I know if anyone at the moment would like to open up a Arby's in Brandon. You would need to develop minimum 3 restaurants and most likely restaurant need to be developed to the "newer" building. Also could be priced in USD.

What was originally in the building that the Wok Box is in now? I thought at one point many years ago that was an Arbys.

The_Young_Man said "What was originally in the building that the Wok Box is in now? I thought at one point many years ago that was an Arbys. "

Arby's was only at the Hakim Optical building. Where Wok Box is was Country Style Donuts way back in the '90s.

Tradespinner said "    The_Young_Man said "What was originally in the building that the Wok Box is in now? I thought at one point many years ago that was an Arbys. " Arby's was only at the Hakim Optical building. Where Wok Box is was Country Style Donuts way back in the '90s. "

It was also some sort of burger joint after that but I can't think of the name.

Ms.Daisy said "    Tradespinner said "    The_Young_Man said "What was originally in the building that the Wok Box is in now? I thought at one point many years ago that was an Arbys. " Arby's was only at the Hakim Optical building. Where Wok Box is was Country Style Donuts way back in the '90s. " It was also some sort of burger joint after that but I can't think of the name. "

It was a Junior's for a brief time after Country Style. I still remember the crappy single-coat rainbow paint job they did on the awning . . .

It was never busy in there. The food was as good as any other Arby's, but mushy roast beef squeezed out of a tube is not something that would keep me coming back. I liked their chicken bacon swiss sandwich, but it was a more conventional chicken burger. Their curly fries were awesome though.

KenJ said "It was never busy in there. The food was as good as any other Arby's, but mushy roast beef squeezed out of a tube is not something that would keep me coming back. I liked their chicken bacon swiss sandwich, but it was a more conventional chicken burger. Their curly fries were awesome though. "

Jamocha Shakes were very good too!  
 
Edited by Tradespinner, 2018-03-05 13:39:05

KenJ said "It was never busy in there. The food was as good as any other Arby's, but mushy roast beef squeezed out of a tube is not something that would keep me coming back. I liked their chicken bacon swiss sandwich, but it was a more conventional chicken burger. Their curly fries were awesome though. "

Best fast food chicken fingers I'd had in a long time, ever since the "big boys" went to formed chicken blobs.