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FRANCHISE RESALES

Buy a Smoke’s Poutinerie Franchise

Smoke’s Poutinerie is Canada’s original and largest poutinerie, a fast-casual franchise built around poutine — fries, cheese curds and gravy — served in more than 30 signature variations with customizable toppings. Founded in Toronto in 2008 and franchising soon after, it pairs its menu with an entertainment-driven identity of ’80s Canadiana, plaid and rock music aimed at young adults and the late-night crowd.

Restaurants are compact, typically 1,000 to 1,200 square feet, and generate revenue across in-store, delivery, catering and mobile food-truck formats. The company is headquartered in Ajax, Ontario, and runs a network of locations across Canada; an earlier expansion into the United States was wound down, leaving the current footprint Canadian. Founder Ryan Smolkin, long the brand’s public face as its self-styled Chief Entertainment Officer, died in 2023, after which Mark Cunningham was appointed President and COO.

Operated through its Smoke’s Brands franchising arm, the company positions itself as the concept that turned a regional comfort food into a repeatable, branded format. Its mix of craveable menu, disruptor-style marketing and recognizable identity gives it a distinct place in Canadian fast casual.

Latest Resales

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Why buy a Smoke’s Poutinerie Franchise?

Buying a Smoke’s Poutinerie franchise means stepping into the brand that effectively created Canada’s specialty-poutine category and built a recognizable identity around it. The concept carries strong name recognition with younger consumers, an award-winning operating system and a menu designed for craveability and repeat visits.

The format is flexible: a compact footprint keeps the build manageable, while multiple revenue streams — dine-in, delivery, catering and food-truck rights for existing operators — give owners several ways to drive sales. Late-night and event-led demand can extend trading well beyond a typical quick-service day, and franchisees plug into established systems, marketing support and a head-office team rather than building a poutine concept from scratch.

Smoke’s Poutinerie Franchise Costs & Information

  • Minimum Qualifications

    • Initial Franchise Fee

      $30,000

    • Initial Investment

      $350,000 - $450,000

  • Royalty

    • Royalty Fee

      6%

  • Training & Support

    • 2 weeks on the job training

    • 2 weeks classroom training

    • Ongoing support

    • Marketing support

Smoke’s Poutinerie – Additional  Information

  1. Training & Support

    Initial training runs one week at the company's Global Headquarters in Ajax, Ontario, covering inventory through recipes, then one week in an operational restaurant; the brand also runs a dedicated Training Centre and a training application for initial and ongoing learning. Day-to-day support comes from District Managers who coach owners across operations, a mentorship program pairing newer franchisees with experienced ones, and a Franchise Advisory Council that channels franchisee input to head office. Resale buyers should confirm with Smoke's what transfer training and Training Centre access are provided to incoming owners and their staff.

  2. Ideal Owner

    Smoke's looks less for restaurant pedigree than for hands-on, high-energy operators who connect with a young, late-night audience and embrace the brand's playful, entertainment-led culture. No prior food-service experience is required; the operating system and training provide the foundation. The model suits owner-operators ready to be on-site full-time, comfortable managing hourly staff, driving local marketing and delivering fast, consistent service through busy and late trading periods. Multi-unit growth is open to those who show the drive and capacity for it.

  3. Recognition & Awards

    Smoke's Poutinerie has earned wide recognition: the Pinnacle Award for Company of the Year (Foodservice & Hospitality Magazine), a Hospitality Award as one of Canada's fastest-growing companies, the CFA Franchisees' Choice Designation, Strategy Magazine's Brand of the Year and Fast Casual Magazine's Top Movers & Shakers listing. In 2024 it added a Canadian Franchise Association Milestone Award for 15 years of membership and a Lifetime Achievement Award honouring founder Ryan Smolkin; locations also regularly win local "Best Poutine" honours. Buyers should weigh brand recognition alongside the unit's own reviews and reputation.

  4. Industry / Market

    Smoke's operates in North America's fast-casual segment, where consumers continue to favour quick, customizable, experience-led dining over traditional fast food. In Canada, the brand's current market, poutine is a national comfort-food staple with year-round, all-ages appeal; its presence on menus at chains such as McDonald's, Wendy's and A&W reflects mainstream demand, while a specialty operator like Smoke's competes on variety, branding and late-night positioning. For resale buyers, local demand hinges on foot traffic, student and nightlife density and delivery reach within the specific territory.

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