Edmonton’s affordability drawing in American fast food franchises
Posted January 28, 2025 5:57 pm.
Last Updated January 29, 2025 12:10 pm.
Some of America’s biggest quick-service restaurants expanded into Edmonton this past year.
In one parking lot in south Edmonton, one can find Krispy Kreme, Chipotle, and Firehouse Subs.
A recent report points to our city’s lower cost of living and growing population as drivers for the trend and that could continue in 2025.
“I’m happy I don’t need to drive two hours, three hours to go buy this stuff,” said one Edmontonian.
Another saying, “It’s nice to have a variety of things.”
The report from real estate group CRBE suggests Edmonton and its surrounding communities have what quick-service restaurant owners are looking for.
“I think it was a no-brainer,” said Cody Marshall, franchisee of Firehouse Subs.
Marshall says the little business hub wedged between Calgary Trail and Gateway Boulevard checked all the boxes the franchise was looking for in its newest location, visibility, accessibility, and within walking distance of high-density neighbourhoods.
He adds surrounding communities like St. Albert and Sherwood Park were also in consideration.
“We’ve got a lot of people in Alberta making lots of babies, some people coming in from other provinces coming here to work hard. I know those areas are hopefully, getting a Firehouse soon,” he explained.
The report from CBRE suggests other business owners see the appeal as well, even though construction costs have gone up, that doesn’t appear to sway interest.
CBRE’s retail expert for Edmonton says investors continue signing leases for new buildings before construction is complete because the opportunity is too good to pass on.
“There’s a lot of potential. There’s a lot of runway where you can really grow and succeed in our market,” said Matthew Hanson, a sales associate with CBRE.
Hanson says generally, customers in the Edmonton market have more disposable income compared to cities like Vancouver or Toronto, but still, consumers are looking for more budget-friendly or fast food options.
“I’m really proud our market’s become very attractive for these kinds of franchises. I think it’s helping our economy as well.”
