Donair Grand Opening

On Tuesday August 2 2011 Shannon Donair on 57th Avenue in Cloverdale, almost on the corner of 176th Street had a grand opening, so this is sort of a semi review. More about the grand opening than the food.

We received a flyer in the mailbox that they were serving free donairs between noon and 2pm. I walked down with my dog about quarter to 1 thinking I could tie her leash to the nearby signpost while I went in. I was also hoping that I'd beat the rush for free donairs. No luck. There was a good line up of people. I couldn't see how many were inside the restaurant but there were about 20 outside the restaurant, including a couple with a dog on leash. There's always a possiblity of trouble with dogs on leashes so I decided to continue home with the dog and come back on my motorbike. I was back around 1:25pm and parked on 176th Street. I saw the couple with the dog walking down the street with their donairs so that tells me at least a half hour wait. The line up was to the doorway of the tattoo shop next door, so about 12 people on the sidewalk and however many inside I couldn't tell.

I got in the line even though I wasn't planning to eat a donair. My husband was at work and he's a hard worker so I was getting one for him. He eats meat and I don't so it would be a nice change for him because we don't cook meat in the house. The donair choices were beef or chicken and I believe falafel (vegetarian, chick pea).

I'd been in line for close to 10 minutes and barely moved when a man came out of the restaurant. He announced that the free donairs would be ending and they would be half price till the end of the day and the cut off for the free donairs would be the man in the blue t-shirt, a couple of people behind me, who was the last person standing in the line.

Fair enough. They have to cut off the free donairs at some point. Good decision and very nice of him to come outside and make the call. Great customer service.

Line is still moving slowly. I'm wondering why they didn't make a bunch of donairs ahead of time expecting a crowd for a free donair or have more people to help out on opening day. I finally get inside the door and its a few minutes before 2pm and about 10 people inside the restaurant ahead of me in the line up. The woman behind the counter announces that all donairs will now be half price, the free donairs are over. About 4 people ahead in the line get disgusted and leave. The man who had come outside is about halfway back in the restaurant putting ingredients together. One woman in the line ahead of me tells the female behind the counter that the man had said the free donairs were until the man in the blue shirt. The man (proprietor I assume) rushes back to the counter and quickly tells the woman that's correct. The cut off for free donairs is the man in the blue t-shirt and they continue on. It appears the two of them are serving the donairs, though occasionally one of them has to stop and do some other food preparation. I'm not sure what their relationship is. Perhaps husband and wife? There was an older couple working in the back of the restaurant cooking food. Assuming they may have been one of their parents?

Anyway part of the reason the line up is moving slowly is that in addition to getting a free donair people are buying more donairs or pop. Great for business. They're making sales. That's what grand openings are all about. When I am third in line the woman behind the counter complains to the man working beside her that it is now quarter after and the free donairs are over. He tells her not to worry about it. I checked my watch. Five after. Maybe her watch is running fast? The two customers in front of me both want to buy extra donairs. I'm hoping like crazy the man will be the one serving me and sure enough he is. Whew! There are still 2 behind me plus the blue t-shirt man. After him are a few other customers who have been made aware they'll be buying half price donairs.

My husband ate the beef donair. Now we have to take in account this is opening day. Things are crazy with lots of people showing up for a free donair. Its possible the restaurant scaled the product back a bit. We plan to return so we can get a fair assessment. My husband said the beef was grisly and there wasn't a lot of beef in the donair. Again, this could very likely account for planning on free donairs and using smaller portions and a lower quality cut.

Shannon Donair is a small restaurant, mostly take out, with a counter and some stools. It is bright and clean inside and they've done a good job. We're looking forward to trying it again on a less hectic day.

Their hours are closed on Sundays and open 10am till 9pm the rest of the week. I don't know. They might have to adjust those hours once they get a better feel for the customer base. 11am till 7 or 8pm might be sufficient for Cloverdale.

Good luck with your new restaurant!

Free Donairs in Cloverdale Tuesday August 2 2011

Had a flyer in my mailbox today from Shannon Donair who are having their grand opening on August 2 2011.

Grand Opening specials are free donair wraps from 12pm to 2pm. After 2pm the special is half price on all wraps and plates to closing.

They are located on 57th Avenue near the corner of 176th Street - Unit B, 17581-57th Avenue.

Shannon's Donairs Getting Closer to Opening for Business?

Tonight Shannon's Donairs has some noticeable changes from when I walked past this morning. The city of Surry's inspection and renovation tags are no longer in the window. The appliances have been pushed back from the centre of the room to their designated places. The cooler closest to the door has pop in it. There is a menu board posted on the wall. Prices seem to start at $5 and up depending on the type of donair.

Does this mean that Shannon's Donairs might actually be opening soon as the sign out front has proclaimed for many weeks?

When they open this will be the second donair restaurant in Cloverdale, not counting one of the pizza places that serves them.

On the other hand King Tut's Donairs opened in Cloverdale earlier in July. They have a sign with their hours posted. They have unusual hours. They open at 11:30am I think every day but close at 2:30pm several days a week and at 10:30pm the rest of the week. I'm not sure if this means the operators have other things to do after 2:30 on those days or if they've figured out business is slow on those afternoons/evenings and it makes more economical sense to close. The unfortunate thing is I've walked past some evenings when the sign says they shoould be open till 10:30pm and the restaurant is closed. Reminds me of their predecessors Rico Burrito and Clover Creek BBQ never being open. Again the reason could be as simple that business slowed down and their was no point staying open if there were no customers. 10:30 is kind of a late hour for Cloverdale eateries.

Donairs in Cloverdale Update

I walked past King Tut's Donairs today - 176th Street near 56A Ave - and there is a "grand opening" sign out front and a bunch of balloons on the sign.

I peeked inside the window and I could see staff members behind the kitchen area but no customers inside. It was early though, before noon. They have 3 different combos you can buy for donairs and pop, running about $8 to $11.

I walked past Shannon's Donairs on 57th Ave a couple of stores down from 176th Street and they still are promising to open soon. Perhaps they're having trouble with permits or inspections. Oddly enough all their fridges and appliances have been pulled away from the wall and are in the centre of the restaurant.

The Donairs are coming!

I don't know if everyone knows Cloverdale has a tattoo place at 17583 - 57th Avenue. Just around the corner from 176th Street and the former Surrey Leader building. The store actually moved one store down. We were walking the dogs one night and the owner was out on the sidewalk and we chatted with him a bit. Apparently his original location flooded and the next door store was empty and the same person owns all three stores so he suggested he move in next door which he did.

Over a year ago a saw a handprinted sign on the former tattoo shop saying a donair restaurant was opening soon. It was on the window for a month then removed. I guessed the potential donair proprietors had a change of heart. About a year later I saw some renovations going on inside the store and then nothing. Then about 3 or 4 months ago I saw more activity going on and then a custom made sign appeared outside saying Shannon Donair and a sign in the window promising it would open soon. You can see inside the store now and it looks like its set up with a kitchen, counter, soft drink fridge, etc. Doesn't look like there's been any change in the past month so I'm not sure how soon it is opening!

Today I walked the dogs down 176th Street and in the former site of Rico Burrito and then Clover Creek BBQ a new restaurant is opening. King Tut's Donairs! They have a custom made sign and a hand printed sign which spells donair incorrectly - doniar. There's a phone number on the sign and we'll all be relieved to know its a different number than the one shared by Rico Burrito and Clover Creek BBQ Pit so maybe this one actually has the chance to be open during the hours it states it will be open. King Tut also says its opening soon.

This took me by surprise. Cloverdale has gone all these years without a donair restaurant - excluding fair food when the rodeo is in town - and now there are two donair joints about to open. I'm a vegetarian and unfortunately both their signs claim they sell Mediterranean chicken, lamb, and beef so it does not appear I will be a patron unless I spot a vegetarian option.

How has our town managed for so long without a donair restaurant?

Good luck to both new establishements. I hope they are opening soon!