It’s more than just bacon & eggs: It’s about opportunities for growth
Published January 20, 2023 at 3:50 pm
The future is looking bright for Pür & Simple, the popular Canadian breakfast and brunch franchise that managed to blossom into one of the country’s biggest restaurant brands within the last few years.
How did they manage to succeed and grow so quickly? Aside from their selection of delicious (and gorgeous) breakfast dishes, they’re also known for the opportunities for growth that they provide to their team members.
People like Mansoor and Meghan have experienced that growth firsthand.
Mansoor immigrated to Canada in 2018 and soon began managing Pür & Simple’s first Ontario location in Burlington. Meghan was hired as a line cook at that same location in 2019, and now assists Mansoor with managing the Burlington store and the Mississauga Heartland Town Centre store which opened a few years later.
Q: What’s your story at Pür & Simple?
Mansoor: I’ve always run my own businesses. I’m actually a new immigrant to Canada, I came in 2018. Before that I was living in Dubai, where we were running our own business and still are. I was living in Montreal, and across from me there was another restaurant – I really liked that restaurant, it was like a lunch café, and I spoke to the owner and tried to understand how I could get into this business, whether back home in Dubai or out here in Canada.
They had launched a new brand which was basically about a year old, and they were trying to grow across Canada. It was Pür & Simple, which is breakfast and lunch. The hours really suited me. I went to see their initial location in Laval, and the menu really appealed to me. Since then I’ve been speaking fluently with the franchisor, trying to get to a level where there is no other breakfast place in Canada that does what we do.
Meghan: I was hired as a line cook in January of 2019. I worked in the kitchen through various roles, I quickly progressed into a kitchen manager position. I hung out in that position for about a year, and then I transitioned into the front of house manager. That came with its share of challenges for sure – I had never been a front of house manager before, so there was a learning curve.
And then in 2021 we decided the Mississauga location was going tos open, and we made the arrangements for me to come over here and help train employees and manage the store as well.
Q: What makes Pür & Simple different?
Mansoor: We’ve reinvented the whole look of breakfast in Canada, we reinvented the menu. And I think that’s why the franchise over the last four years – even with two years during COVID – now has so many locations, and people are in line for even more locations.
Meghan: The people for sure are a lot different. The culture is connected, whether it’s the staff or the guests, making those small connections with people on a regular basis is why we do the job. Knowing the ins and outs of what’s going on with our staff, to making those little connections with our guests to have them come back, give them that great experience that makes them ‘return customers.’
Q: What was your “aha” moment(s) where you knew Pür & Simple would be a success?
Mansoor: When customers actually came up to us and say they had a great time, and they either compliment my servers, or they compliment the business, or the way the food comes out. It happens over and over again, and it’s very satisfactory. The gratification is incredible when a customer comes to us and says we did a good job.
Meghan: Being voted #1 breakfast in Burlington by our patrons was really a fabulous moment for us. There’s a certain sense of pride that I would say falls onto the staff and ourselves, and the hard work that we put in every day.
Q: You brought Pür & Simple to Ontario – how do you feel about that?
Mansoor: I’m proud of it, definitely. We have been ranked as the best breakfast in Burlington several times, we support a lot of kids’ soccer teams, and we go out and do other things to support the community as well. I’m very proud of our Burlington store, whenever I go there the feeling is incredible. The team works so well, and being the first location in Ontario is an achievement in itself.
Q: What was your experience climbing the ranks?
Meghan: My experience climbing the ranks was challenging. I’ve been in kitchens for 10 years, it’s relatively the same everywhere you go in some aspect, but moving to the front of house was a challenge for sure. I think finding effective ways to communicate with our guests was the biggest challenge for me. I had the basics down, I could talk to staff, but navigating challenging situations with our patrons was a task of its own. But overall I think I’m in a much better position than I was two years ago.
Mansoor was very supportive of me every step of the way. If I ever needed help he was there to support me with whatever it was I needed. The head office is always supportive as well. Occasionally they’ll just pop by the store to see how we’re doing, and they’re always there to lend a hand or give some advice if you need it.
With dedicated team members like Mansoor and Meghan, Pür & Simple plans to continue their success by opening many more new locations in 2023 across Canada, and even break into the U.S. market as well.
The brand is also constantly on the lookout for new franchise partners who are interested in joining a successful franchise and looking for new opportunities for growth.
Always Look at the Sunny Side! To keep up with this fast-growing franchise, visit pursimple.com and follow their LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram pages for the latest updates.
It’s more than just bacon & eggs:
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