The people of Quesnel lined up through the door and parking lot on the new Wendy’s opening day at lunchtime.
Owner Devinder Mavi and the building team experienced their share of “small headaches ” during the construction of the long-awaited branch of the burger empire. A slight delay halted the grand opening, but the team is happy the doors are finally open.
“It took a while, but the weather has been on our side in the last part, so we got things done,” says Mavi. “We were lucky; the city has been very helpful. People are excited, it’s great.”
The franchise store, located off Highway 97 behind Tim Horton’s, opened just before one p.m. on Thursday afternoon, at the start of the lunch rush.
Customers lined up through the front door as they waited to get their burgers and frosties. The drive-thru spilled out of both entrances of the restaurant’s small parking lot, requiring Mavi to stand outside to help direct the traffic flow.
Posts across multiple FaceBook groups have been counting down the restaurant’s opening day since before the New Year. More buzz came when the Project Manager posted photos of the interior being completed, and employees starting their training.
Mavi says the store is proudly Canadian owned and operated. He has brought workers from his other franchise in Hope to help the store hit the ground running.
“It’s all mixed. There is some trained ones [employees], and some new learners. But they’ll do okay. We’ll just see how it goes. We’re all just excited as well. It’s a great place, Quesnel. Everyone has been so opening and welcoming. So I thank everybody.”
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