More than 100 Yellowknifers came out the morning of May 3 to welcome KFC back to the city after a six-year absence.
At least a dozen hungry diners were lined up outside the new restaurant on Old Airport Road before the official 10:30 a.m. opening.
More than 25 vehicles were queued up in the drive thru lane, with the row of motorists eventually snaking back to Range Lake Road.
Connoisseurs of the 11 herbs and spices in the line up counted down from 10 in the final seconds before KFC opened for the first customers.
SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 fun being here,SA国际影视传媒� said Gail Cyr, as she tucked into her finger lickinSA国际影视传媒� good meal inside. SA国际影视传媒淲e brought our own chairs to sit outside. We came here around a quarter to 10 a.m. I came by at 6:30 a.m. just to see if anyone camped out and no one had. And I came at 8:30 a.m. too and no one was here.SA国际影视传媒�
Justina Beaverho met Cyr in the lineup before KFC opened.
She said it SA国际影视传媒渇eels rightSA国际影视传媒� that KFC has returned to Yellowknife.
SA国际影视传媒淚t was always nice with the old one, when we went there we would see friends and family. And ISA国际影视传媒檓 wearing my KFC colours!SA国际影视传媒�
Tina Tristan Madison said sheSA国际影视传媒檚 glad sheSA国际影视传媒檚 able to have KFC in Yellowknife after not eating the fried chicken in more than a year.
SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 happy. The last time I ate it was at High Level,SA国际影视传媒� she said.
While the mood at YellowknifeSA国际影视传媒檚 newest restaurant was celebratory in itself, the planned ribbon cutting ceremony was cancelled due to the closure of schools in the city.
Chief public health officer Dr. Kami Kandola ordered all schools to close in Yellowknife, Dettah and Ndilo on May 2 amid the COVID-19 outbreak at N.J. Macpherson school. The outbreak spread to include eight cases - mostly children - and an additional 12 probable cases, she said on May 3.
The cancellation was done out of respect for the safety of the community due to the rise in COVID-19 cases, said Erin Fenwick, spokesperson for KFC franchise owner Soul Foods Group.
Even without a grand ceremony, the first 30 minutes of business went by with a flurry of activity.
SA国际影视传媒淐ustomers are happy with the food. People eating inside are loving the food. I think the employees are excited too. We had well over 100 customers by 11 a.m,SA国际影视传媒� said Sumeet Arora, Soul Foods GroupSA国际影视传媒檚 director of operations.
Karen Martin, who was among the long line of drivers slowly inching along in the drive thru, smiled as she received her paper bag full of hot chicken at the pick-up window from attendant Kaya Goulet.
SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 at a loss for words. I havenSA国际影视传媒檛 had KFC in years,SA国际影视传媒� Martin said. SA国际影视传媒淚t feels very exciting to have KFC back. I know everybody misses it.SA国际影视传媒�
KFCSA国际影视传媒檚 grand opening is the culmination of three years of planning and construction, said Arora, who on May 2 oversaw the final preparations for the restaurantSA国际影视传媒檚 first day. An adjacent Starbucks cafe will open its doors on May 7.
Colonel SandersSA国际影视传媒� much-anticipated return to Yellowknife comes six years after the original KFC restaurant closed in 2015.
It previously operated in Yellowknife for 48 years.
