Catering | Newcomers land at YUL

Say goodbye to Big Macs and fries. Here, pastries, sandwiches and coffee are in the spotlight and served quickly for customers in a hurry. The McCafé, a new concept developed by the famous fast-food chain, will make its debut in Quebec at Montréal-Trudeau airport, a brand that joins a dozen newcomers to YUL over the past two years.

The planned opening in July of the McCafé – the first to land in a Canadian airport – near the international departures entrance, comes at the right time since the need for breakfast offers is crying out, observed Guy Landry, director, development real estate and commercial, during a tour of the airport with The Press.

“We thought long and hard about the best way to do it. For travelers, the McCafé concept seems ideal to us,” adds Patrick Gerber, vice-president, restaurants and franchisees, McDonald’s for Eastern Canada.

Why not just open a traditional McDonald’s counter with chicken nuggets and Happy Meals on the menu?

Several terminals will be installed to facilitate order taking.

The only other McCafé restaurant in the country is located at Union Station in Toronto. The concept could therefore well appear in busy places where potential customers are in a hurry.

However, it is impossible to know how many McCafé the fast food giant intends to open in Quebec. “We will evaluate what happens,” says Mr. Gerber. We want to test the concept in different places. »

Renewed offer and entertainment

Separately, other retailers have also taken up residence at the airport after travelers have returned. “Someone who has not set foot here since January 2022 will notice a dozen new businesses,” says Guy Landry.

The Hatley clothing store, YUL Pizza, Livia and Carlos & Pepe’s are among the new “addresses” opened after the pandemic. “COVID has allowed us to take over spaces that were performing less well,” recognizes Mr. Landry. The famous L’Avenue des Canadiens restaurant in the domestic flight zone, which did not “live up to expectations”, is among the restaurants that have closed their operations. The airport will transform it into a lounge for common use.

We also gave a street truck air to a Subway. “In the international zone, we had to adjust. We lacked entry-level restaurants,” he says. Captives, many travelers have the impression that sustenance at the airport while waiting for their flight is extremely expensive. “A false perception”, assures Guy Landry, specifying all the same that 10% is added to the price normally displayed in a restaurant in the street, for example.

We assure that the operators do not take advantage of the opportunity to inflate the prices on the menu. “We monitor prices,” says Renée Lebel, Director, Customer Experience. We send mystery shoppers. Thus, each month, around sixty handpicked travelers are called upon to evaluate the restaurants incognito: prices, service, speed, menu…

If they no longer count their working hours, the airport restaurateurs recognize that at the moment, they are not in shortage… of customers. “Nearly 80% of the time, we are at full capacity”, assures the general manager of Archibald microbrasserie, Pier-Émile Jomphe, adding in the process that the YUL branch is undoubtedly the one that works the most among the other addresses. of the Quebec company.

In addition to sustenance, travelers with children – who fear the sometimes abnormally long waiting time before boarding the plane – will be able to count this summer on new games and entertainment stations recently fitted out. Attention passionate players, a flight is so quickly missed.