Swiss Chalet ~ Canada : Simcoe, Ontario

First visit: Jul 2008 (Simcoe, Ont)

Swiss Chalet operates 193 restaurants across the nation, with 158 in Ontario, down 6 and 4 respectively since the last check. Simcoe remains open.

The next day we crossed into Canada and chose a scenic drive along the coast not far from Lake Erie. Compared to the rather gritty western portion of New York, Ontario is considerably more bucolic. Just to mix it up a bit, I thought it would be a good idea to try one of Canada’s corporate chains, and so I’d selected Swiss Chalet as a good stop on the open road (Simcoe, Ontario for those keeping score). Now I’m sure for any Canadian reading this (as if), going to Swiss Chalet is about as exciting as going to Denny’s. But their website indicated rotisserie chicken and Mr. RJG saw an opportunity for a good meal without all the calories.

To be honest I was expecting a fast food place, but to my surprise it’s an actual sit down restaurant. Mrs. RJG likes that. I ordered the white chicken sandwich on a Kaiser role, and it comes with a Greek Salad (well, as an option for a small charge if I remember right). Mrs. RJG had something similar. And I think it came with a soup as well. Well… the salad was good anyway. As for the sandwich, I guess the appeal is in the dipping sauce. Unfortunately for us, we’re not into sweet sauces too much – and the honey cinnamon concoction wasn't to our liking – at all. Without the sauce, the sandwich is bone dry. Not the moist tender bits one would expect with the term “rotisserie”. Mrs. RJG seemed to enjoy the soup, but I was nonplussed. OK, it’s a boring chain, and I should not have expected anything more. But it sure was painful paying 30 some dollars (and at 1 to 1, that’s the US price!) for two ordinary chicken sandwiches and side salads. Oh well.

8/17/08 (new entry); 1/29/23 verified