What I Thought of It

A&W, Chinook Centre
6455 MacLeod Trail SW
Calgary AB
Phone: 403 640 4127

While shopping at the Chinook Centre Mall in Calgary, we were overcome by hunger and we made a beeline for the A&W in the food court.

A&W is one of the first food places in the food court. At 5:30 pm on a Thursday it was not busy. We asked for two Mama burgers, one with fries and Coke, and one with onion rings and the famous A&W Root Beer.

Our food was ready in a pinch, and we settled into a nice table next to the escalator, with a great view of people going up and down.

The Mama burgers were good, as per usual at A&W Restaurants. The fries were also good and crispy. Unfortunately, the root beer was warm. Even A&W root beer tastes awful when not properly chilled.

On first sight the onion rings looked pale, and on first bite they looked even paler and tasted uncooked. I took them back. The server insisted that white onions are supposed to look pale, but eventually he offered me a new bag of onion rings. This new batch of onion rings - supposedly cooked for the same length of time - was brown and crispy, as they should have been.

Last thoughts: Food-court food is never my favorite. Even the fast-food chains seem to slack off at food courts. I give a thumbs-down to this A&W. They replaced my onion rings, but not without an argument and making me feel like I was wrong to complain.

Food +++
Service ++
Ambiance ++++

A&W #1323
422 McKnight Blvd NE
Calgary AB  T2K 6A6
Phone: 403 271 6552

On a recent Saturday, I decided to drop into A&W for a dinner break between running errands. It was 7:30 pm, and the only other customers were seated at two tables.

It was some time before the server noticed me - he was busy cleaning the floors. He washed his hands, then proceeded to take my order with the best efficiency I’ve observed at an A&W Restaurant.

This A&W is right between Deerfoot Trail and Centre Street, basically on the corner of Edmonton Trail. It was clean and pleasant, and I spotted some newspapers for customers to read.

My Mama Burger, fries, and root beer were ready in a pinch. The fries were hot and still glistening with oil. I don’t see that often at A&W, which means that these were fresh off the fryer.

The burger was also hot and fresh. It seemed to have more onions than usual, but the taste was right.

Last thoughts: This A&W is not very busy, which is nice if you’re looking for a place to wind down. It’s easy to reach from the main traffic routes, and the staff are well trained. This A&W will stay on the list of the locations I like.

Food ++++
Service ++++
Ambiance ++++
Washrooms +++

A&W #1388
2608 39 Ave NE
Calgary AB  T1Y 7J9
Phone: 403 291 0210

Next to Barlow Trail, just south of McKnight Boulevard, you’ll find this A&W Express. I wonder how an A&W Express is different from a “normal” A&W?

This A&W has a nice layout with enough seating and probably a bit more privacy than most other fast-food restaurants. The decor, as with any A&W, has lots of orange, which really cheers you up.

The lady who served me was very friendly and helpful. My Teen Burgers were ready in no time.

I have no complaints about the taste, but the patty was not hot enough. It was just warm-ish, such that the cheese on top did not even melt.

Last thoughts: This A&W Express has a great location with lots of parking, and it’s just minutes away from the Calgary International Airport. Too bad I was turned off by the lukewarm beef patty. Next time I wouldn’t avoid this place, but I would consider other food outlets first.

Food ++
Service +++++
Ambiance ++++
Washrooms +++

A&W, High River
1103 G 18 St SE
High River AB  T1V 2A9
Phone: 403 652 7233

When you access High River from Highway 2, you can’t miss the A&W across the street from McDonald’s.

At lunch time this place is kind of packed, but not in a bad way. You still get served pretty quickly, and you’ll have no problem finding a seat to enjoy your meal at this A&W Restaurant.

Ordering went smoothly, and my order was in my hands in no time. The girl who served me was very friendly and helpful, as the workers should be in any service business.

The ambiance is typical A&W, with lots of orange and pictures from the good old days.

The food was standard - good and consistent, as it is in most A&W Restaurants.

Last thoughts: The A&W in High River is actually pretty good. You walk in for fast food and walk out having had a great meal. I wouldn’t hesitate to stop by again the next time I visit High River.

Food ++++
Service ++++
Ambiance ++++
Washrooms +++

A&W, 32nd Street NE
3210 32 St NE
Calgary AB  T1Y 6J7
Phone: 403 735 4977

Another day on the road, another lunch out. This time I made a stop at the A&W on 32nd Street in northeast Calgary. It is close to the shops, just before you hit 36th Avenue, and it’s easy to find if you keep an eye out for it.

Like in most of their restaurants, the decor at this A&W makes you feel like you’ve come home. The entire A&W chain achieves this homey-cozy ambiance better than any fast-food business I know.

Strangely, people were not flocking to this A&W for lunch on this Tuesday, because I was the only customer, but it meant that I was served pronto.

Today, I went for the Chubby Chicken Burger combo. The food came fast, and my root beer came in a real glass mug.

The fries were fresh and crispy, just the way I like them. The burger came with lots and lots of fresh lettuce, though I’m not crazy about eating leaves. The chicken was nicely cooked and still juicy but not greasy.

Last thoughts: A&W on 32nd Street NE succeeded in making me and my stomach happy. I wonder why it’s not busier, but that won’t stop me from going back. The food and service were both top-notch.

Food ++++
Service ++++
Ambiance ++++
Washrooms +++

A&W, Northland Village
5111 Northland Drive NW
Calgary AB  T2L 2J8
Phone: 403 286 9205

Hungry, but not hungry enough to settle for the overpriced food court in Northland Village Mall, I decided to visit the A&W just outside the Mall (close to Future Shop).

This A&W restaurant looked very cozy, maybe because it’s the smallest A&W I’ve ever seen. There had to be no more than 8 tables in the tiny dining area.

This time I went for a Papa Burger meal. Unfortunately, this A&W did not serve my root beer in a nice glass mug, so another paper cup ended up in the garbage.

I didn’t have to wait long for my food, perhaps because business was slow just then, but it picked up nicely while I was enjoying my burger.

Food-wise, the Northland A&W did a good job. The Papa Burger tasted good, with two nice meat patties on a fresh bun, dressed with ketchup and mustard. Some folks might be disappointed by the lack of greens on the Papa Burger. Okay, I normally do without the greens, but my burger had only two rings of onion and two small slices of pickle.

And in my opinion, A&W root beer is the best.

Last thoughts: This A&W is situated great for shoppers after a visit to the mall, and that’s probably why I would go back. The staff was friendly and efficient, and the food was tasty.

Food ++++
Service ++++
Ambiance ++++
Washrooms ++

A&W, Brooks
616 2nd Street W
Brooks AB  T1R 0M9
Phone: 403 362 7272

Take-out from A&W in Brooks was what we settled on for dinner. Our hotel was just around the corner, and A&W was close enough that our food would hopefully stay nice and hot.

This A&W was kind of dead at dinner time. Apart from some people enjoying coffee, there was nobody. A shame, because the dining area looked very inviting. The space was filled with cozy booths and tables, and it was probably one of the biggest A&Ws we’ve seen.

Using coupons, we ordered two Teen Burgers and two fries. We didn’t get asked if we were staying or going, and the counter boy assumed we were eating in. When we said we weren’t, the two counter staff (boys who looked about 15 years old) became flustered and at a loss for what to do. Eventually our order did end up in a paper bag to go.

Our short drive back to the hotel took only a couple of minutes, but we found that the Teen Burgers were already cold while the fries were still hot. It seems they weren’t heated enough or were left lying too long. It’s hard to say anything good about the food then, because cold burgers don’t taste like much.

Last thoughts: Re-visiting the A&W in Brooks is not at the top of my list after this experience of cold food.

Food +
Service ++
Ambiance ++++

A&W, Country Hills
#100 - 500 Country Hills Blvd NE (see map)
Calgary AB  T3K 5H2
Phone: 403 226 6993

A&W is of course famous in Canada for its burger family. Sometimes, when you want to go someplace other than McDonald’s and Burger King, a place where the burgers are like family sounds really nice, doesn’t it?

Today my choice was not a Mama burger or Papa burger but a Mozza burger, which - you guessed it - comes with cheese.

This A&W was on Country Hills Boulevard NE in Calgary, close to some shopping and the movie theater. The location is easy to find, thanks to the huge A&W sign next to the road.

Like most A&Ws, this one had a nice orange feel, with old black-and-white photos on the walls and nice tables with metal edges and legs. It looked more like an old-fashioned diner than a generic fast food joint.

It was warm outside but almost chilly inside. They should consider toning down the AC or turning up the heating, because I almost changed my mind about sitting down to eat.

Ordering went fast, but the server was not very friendly or even interested in the whole process. My food came quickly and just the way I ordered it.

The food was good, although the fries were not fresh and barely warm. The burger and cheese were nicely presented and the combination was tasty.

Last thoughts: In general the food at A&W is not bad at all. The downside of going to A&W is that it is a bit more expensive, and I don’t really see a reason for that. This A&W in Country Hills could work on staff friendliness to make the customer’s experience nicer, but otherwise it gets no complaints from me.

Food +++
Service +++
Ambiance ++++
Temperature Control +
Washrooms ++++

Find A&W Country Hills on the map

A&W, Drumheller
650 South Railway Ave
Drumheller AB  T0J 0Y6
Phone: 403 823 8108

The A&W in Drumheller is an A&W Express. I’m not sure what that means, but it seems to be just a smaller A&W with a drive-thru.

Drumheller’s A&W is conveniently located on Railway Ave South, close to the intersection with Highway 9, and that means lots of customer traffic from tourists visiting Drumheller.

A&W did a nice job with this dinosaur-town location. The outside looks crisp and clean, with the usual A&W colors, and the inside looks great as well, with the fresh color scheme and the historic A&W pictures on the wall that you see in many of their locations. There isn’t too much room in the restaurant, but they still managed to fit in a good number of tables. The furniture was clean and fresh and made the place feel more like a sit-down restaurant than a fast-food joint.

On the other hand, service at this A&W was not too great. There were four people working in the kitchen/order area, which was really cramped, and this kept them on their toes. Ordering went quick but the wait for my food was long, plus I had to ask for ketchup for my fries because they hadn’t thought of it.

My Chubby Chicken burger was really nice: the outside nice and crispy and the inside cooked to perfection.

Last thoughts: A&W in Drumheller serves great food, but the service could use some improvement. I would think about going back the next time I’m in dinosaur town, because the food was super and the ambiance definitely made my meal more enjoyable.

Food +++++
Service ++
Ambiance ++++

A&W, Castleridge Plaza
200-5075 Falconridge Blvd NE (see map)
Calgary AB  T3J 3K9
Phone: 403 285 9070

Today lunch brought me to the A&W on the corner of McKnight Boulevard and Falconridge Boulevard NE. It was kind of difficult to get to - I needed to make turns around all kinds of corners to find it.

I visited this A&W at peak lunch time, but there were no more than four people in the restaurant. I wonder if this had something to do with the accessibility of the place.

Because it was not busy, my order was taken quickly and also filled not much later. What I like about A&W is the option to get your drink in a nice big A&W glass instead of a plain paper cup that will end up in a landfill. Today I noticed one downside: The glass is kept in the cold, then your cold drink is poured into it. In my case this caused ice to form on the top. It looked weird and made me wonder if something was floating in my drink.

My chicken sandwich was not tender like I’m used to. Several bites of the chicken felt hard, and that made for a disappointing meal.

Last thoughts: Would I go back to this A&W in NE Calgary? I guess I could. It would not be near the top of my list, but it was good enough to deserve another chance. The ambiance was not as warm as in some A&W Restaurants, but it still felt clean and fresh.

Food +++
Service +++
Ambiance ++++
Washrooms ++

Find A&W in Castleridge Plaza on the map