Smoke’s Poutinerie’s Taking Poutine Across The Country This Summer
FREDERICTON—On day four of its 38 cities in 36 days tour, the Smoke’s Poutinerie “Rock N’ Roll Gravy Train” stopped in Fredericton to thank fans for supporting local and offer free poutine on the corner of York and King Street.
Smoke’s Poutinerie is hosting its Smoke’s Poutinerie World Famous Great Canadian Cross Country Plaid Gravy Train Fries Curd & Gravy Weird Wild and Wacky Poutine Eating Tour this summer as a way to thank fans and franchisees that have kept them going through the last two years of the pandemic.
Ryan Smolkin, the CEO, founder, and “chief entertainment officer” of the tour, said the coast-to-coast tour is taking the Smoke’s Poutinerie product people across the country.
“We’re still alive and kicking but we wouldn’t be if it wasn’t for the true fans that are out there,” said Smolkin.
The tour started on June 23 in St. John’s, then headed to Halifax, Moncton, PEI, and Fredericton as its last stop in Atlantic Canada. The decked-out, red plaid tour bus will continue making its way across Canada, hitting all major cities, including the capital city, Ottawa, on July 1.
The tour will wrap up the 38 cities in 36 days July 28 in Vancouver, British Columbia.
“We’re coming from global headquarters going coast-to-coast, but it’s really about the fans in each and every city were in and all my franchisees that have supported it.”
Poutine lovers all around Canada can keep an eye out for when the tour bus will be in their area. The events will feature poutine giveaways, seasoned cheese curd sampling and prizes.
The Fredericton Smoke’s Poutinerie location has been operating for nine years, said Smolkin. But just recently, the Moncton location opened during the pandemic about 10 months ago. Smolkin said both locations saw about 1,000 people during the events held from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Smoke’s Poutinerie poutine is all-Canadian. The cheese curds and gravy both coming from Quebec and potatoes from the East Coast.
The core crowd for the franchise is the late-night crowd. The midnight to 4:00 a.m. crowd, said Smolkin. Since the pandemic kept people from going out the last two years, the franchise turned into a noon to 8:00 p.m. poutine time, but now bars and restaurants are starting to fill up with people again.
“We’re revving it up. The grain train is getting ready to rock and roll.”
Jessica Saulnier is an intern with Huddle in Fredericton. Send her your feedback and story ideas: [email protected].