Ashton turns to smaller restaurants for Montreal expansion

Ashton is preparing for its next stage of growth with much more compact restaurants and a Montreal expansion strategy focused on street-front locations. The Quebec-based poutine chain, whose network includes franchises, sees potential for around twelve urban locations in the city. Two projects elsewhere in Quebec are also set to bring its new format to life: Saint-Georges in December 2026 and Chicoutimi in January 2027.

A smaller footprint of 2,000–2,500 square feet

In an interview published on 21 October 2026 by HRImag magazine, Simon Plante, Ashton’s Vice-President of Marketing and Development, describes a significant shift in the chain’s property strategy. Its larger, long-established restaurants occupy 7,000–8,000 square feet and seat around 140 customers. Upcoming projects will instead aim for 2,000–2,500 square feet, with around 60 seats.

The change therefore affects both floor space and dine-in capacity. Rather than simply replicating its existing large restaurants in new markets, the chain is prioritising a smaller format for its next phase of development.

The projects in Saint-Georges, in the Chaudière-Appalaches region, and Chicoutimi, in Saguenay, illustrate this approach. The first is due to welcome customers in December 2026; the second is scheduled for January 2027. These dates are the next concrete milestones for tracking the rollout of the format.

In Montreal, moving from shopping centres to street-front sites

Ashton initially entered the Greater Montreal area through shopping centres. The chain opened a counter at Premium Outlets in Mirabel, followed by a second at Complexe Desjardins in the Ville-Marie borough. A third location is due to follow at Carrefour Laval.

These three locations represent an initial phase distinct from the planned urban expansion. For its next steps, Ashton is considering street-front premises, notably on Sainte-Catherine Street and in neighbourhoods such as Plateau-Mont-Royal. The potential identified is for around twelve restaurants across the city centre and other parts of Montreal.

That figure represents development potential, not twelve announced openings. The distinction matters to the franchise community: an area considered attractive by a chain is not the same as a confirmed site or a franchise opportunity already on offer.

Ashton already operates an urban restaurant in Old Quebec, on a busy pedestrian street. This is the model the chain wants to replicate in Montreal. Its ambitions for the city therefore draw on a type of location already established within its network.

Drive-through service is another priority

Urban locations are not the only avenue being pursued. At a later stage, Ashton also wants to target sites with drive-through service. According to Simon Plante, restaurants offering this service generate the highest turnover within the chain.

This assessment explains the company’s interest in the format, but it is not a sales forecast for future restaurants. The announced development strategy therefore brings together several types of outlet: shopping-centre counters, street-front restaurants and, eventually, drive-through locations.

Securing the necessary permits for drive-through sites is one factor to watch. When following Ashton’s strategy, it will be important to distinguish property ambitions from projects that have actually received approval and opened.

Milestones for prospective franchisees to watch

Ashton already has numerous franchised locations across Quebec. This makes the evolution of its format relevant to entrepreneurs following the restaurant sector within Canada’s franchise community. It does not, however, mean that every future restaurant can automatically be described as a franchise.

The next steps are clear: the planned openings in Saint-Georges and Chicoutimi, the arrival at Carrefour Laval, and then the opening of a first street-front location in Montreal. Each will offer a way to track a different part of the announced development strategy.

Key takeaway: before assessing an Ashton project, check the proposed operating model, premises format and approval status. Montreal’s potential points to a direction of travel; only confirmed projects provide a basis for evaluating a specific opportunity.