One of the most renowned restaurants in British Columbia since 1928, White Spot changes with the times while continuing a tradition of excellence

VANCOUVER – Gordie Howe loves the roast turkey dinner, Michael J. Fox favours the Triple O burger and Michael Bublй prefers the Spot Clam Chowder – when it comes to White Spot, everyone has a favourite dish. While preferences may vary, one thing remains constant – for 80 years White Spot has served delicious food to millions of guests. This year, the iconic B.C.-grown restaurant celebrates its 80th anniversary.

Founded by Nat Bailey in 1928, White Spot started as a small log cabin drive-in with a white spot painted on its roof, serving $0.10 hotdogs and ice cream to eager patrons at 67th Avenue and Granville Street in Vancouver. Eighty years later, White Spot has grown to become one of B.C.’s most popular restaurants with 63 locations throughout B.C. and Alberta and 50 Triple O’s – White Spot’s quick-service concept – in Western Canada and Asia.

“White Spot is a tried and true West Coast favourite and we are thrilled to reach this extraordinary milestone,” said Warren Erhart, President of White Spot. “Our ability to stay current and delight our customers for 80 years are feats that even the largest restaurant chains cannot lay claim to. As a leader and trendsetter in the industry, White Spot has continued to set itself apart from competitors by honouring Nat Bailey’s passion for providing fresh, great tasting food and delivering best-class service.”

With the opening of the first dining room in 1938, White Spot became famous for its tasty chicken and beef dinners, sandwiches and freshly-baked pies. The dining room became a hub of activity, with guests lining up for hours for the great food and service. Even celebrities of the time including Bing Crosby, Jack Benny, Mary Livingstone, Robert Goulet and Mel Torme flocked to White Spot when in town for one of Vancouver’s best meals.

Today, White Spot continues to innovate and develop fresh, new menu items including authentic pasta and rice dishes, AAA steaks and fresh seafood along with time-honoured favourites created by Bailey and his wife Eva, such as creamy clam chowder, juicy Triple O burgers, the White Spot Club sandwich and fish and chips.

The design and interior of White Spot has also kept up with the times. The original log building, which succumbed to a fire in 1986, has given way to a contemporary West Coast-inspired interior design featuring river rock fireplaces, water features and a mixture of glass and wood.

“It is a rarity for any brand to thrive for a generation, and an exceptional feat for it to prosper over 80 years. We are so proud to have been supported by our employees and the families living in our communities for the past eight decades,” said Erhart. “We know how important it is to give back to the communities and people that support us. From the White Spot Pipe Band to the Variety Children’s Charity to the Zajac Foundation, we are deeply entrenched in the regions in which we operate.”

In honour of the 80th anniversary, White Spot is hosting a celebrity golf tournament at the Beach Grove golf course in Tsawwassen, B.C. on Thursday, September 25. Participants include Gordie Howe and Pat Quinn. Net proceeds from the tournament will go towards the Zajac Foundation, which supports children, seniors and those with special needs through innovative community projects focused on developing life long skills and independence.

White Spot fun facts:

• Nat Bailey founded Canada’s first drive-in, coining the term ‘car hops’ because waiters delivering food to cars ’hopped to it’; he also invented the first car hop tray, using long cedar planks painted white
• Triple O’s sauce got its name from the carhops shorthand – order slips were printed with three X’s and three O’s to indicate whether guests wanted mayonnaise and relish. An X meant hold, an O meant extra and Triple-O meant plenty of everything
• Fish was not introduced at White Spot until World War II when food rations limited the consumption of meat on Tuesdays and Fridays
• In 1928, only two employees worked at the White Spot Barbecue – one as a cook, the other as a carhop serving hot dogs and sandwiches to drivers. Today, White Spot employs more than 4,000 people in locations across B.C. and Alberta.