Dunn's facts for kids
Dunn's on Rue Jean-Talon, Montreal
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| Restaurant franchise | |
| Industry | Food service |
| Founded | 1927 on Avenue Papineau near Avenue du Mont-Royal |
| Founder | Myer Dunn |
| Headquarters | 1249, rue Metcalfe Montreal, Quebec H3B 2V5 |
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Number of locations
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6 (2019) |
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Area served
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Quebec, Ontario |
| Products | Food and drink (Montreal-style smoked meat, pastrami and cheesecake) |
Dunn's Famous Deli and Steakhouse is a well-known chain of restaurants. It serves delicious Montreal-style smoked meat, pastrami, and cheesecake. Myer Dunn started the first restaurant in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Today, you can find Dunn's locations in Montreal and one in Ottawa.
Contents
The Story of Dunn's
Early Beginnings
Myer Dunn came to Canada in 1911. He opened his very first restaurant in 1927. This first spot was on Avenue Papineau near Avenue du Mont-Royal. In 1948, he opened a new restaurant. This one was the first to be called "Dunn's Famous Delicatessen." It was located at the corner of Avenue du Parc and Avenue du Mont-Royal.
The Famous Downtown Spot
In 1955, Myer Dunn opened his most important restaurant. This main location was at 892 Saint Catherine Street West. People knew it for its windows. They were filled with tall stacks of jars holding hot banana peppers. This deli was open 24 hours a day. That was quite unusual for a restaurant in downtown Montreal back then.
Starting in the 1970s, Dunn's Famous began to focus more on Montreal-style smoked meat. Over time, they stopped promoting Pastrami as much. The famous Saint Catherine Street deli closed its doors in 1998.
A New Location
Dunn's grandson re-opened the restaurant in 2000. It moved to a bigger space nearby on Metcalfe Street. Some loyal customers missed the old place. They liked the feeling of history there, even if it was often crowded. Other old delis like Schwartz's and Main Deli decided not to move or open new branches. They worried it would change their special image.
Dunn's Franchises
Myer Dunn's daughter, Ina Devine, helped Dunn's grow. She started opening franchised restaurants outside Quebec. A franchise is like a branch of a business that someone else owns and runs. There were several locations in Ontario and one in British Columbia. However, as of today, none of these locations are still open. The smoked meat for these places was shipped frozen from Montreal. It was then warmed up before being served to customers.
Currently, Elliot Kligman runs five Dunn's franchises in Quebec. He also sells Dunn's brand products in stores.
Language and Law in Quebec
The Language Debate
In 1977, a new law called the Charter of the French Language (Bill 101) became active in Quebec. This law aimed to make French the main language. The Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) is the office that makes sure this law is followed. They checked stores like Dunn's. They looked at imported foods that did not have French labels.
Dunn's also had a problem with its sign. The OQLF did not like the English word "Smoked Meat" on the sign. Dunn's and other delis fought against a rule. This rule wanted them to change "Smoked Meat" to "Boeuf Mariné" (which means "marinated beef" in French). They argued that changing the name would confuse their customers. They won their appeal in 1987. Because of Myer Dunn's efforts, "Smoked meat" became a word that could be used in both English and French in Quebec.
See also
- List of Jewish delis
- List of Canadian restaurant chains
