Okay, to write about A&W and Earnest Ice Cream in the same post probably doesn't happen too often. A&W, after all is a big corporate chain of fast food restaurants. Earnest Ice Cream, on the other hand is basically producing ice cream more like an artisan would. They make it in (delicious small batches) and sell locally. They only have two stores, and growth is not their primary concern.
That said, I was shocked to find that they have a few things in common. Let's start with the easy one of the two, Earnest.
Earnest is seriously some of the best ice cream I have ever had. I am not one to spend five dollars on an ice cream cone easily, but this is worth it. The range of flavours is incredible, and the quality of the ingredients is obvious with each lick. The thing I rave about the most when I talk about Earnest, however, is their goal of being zero-waste. The ice cream either comes in a cone or a real dish. With a real spoon. Even if you request a taste, you get it on real, metal spoon. Not one of those ridiculous bio-degradable plastic jokes that are just a bit better than plastic. Everything in the store is compostable; the garbage can has a sign over the mouth to stop you from throwing anything away because, if you got it in the store, you can compost it. Quality and conscience plus local ownership and ingredients...You can't go wrong. I love you, Earnest. You are my number one choice when I indulge myself with dessert (which is not too often).
Then there is A&W. I joked for a long time about going to A&W after seeing the commercials for Chubby Chicken. My joking was based primarily on the name - Chubby Chicken - as it conjures odd images for me. I don't often eat fast food, and when I do, it's not usually from a big chain. One day, however, circumstances aligned just right and A&W was the best option for us to get a quick meal.
They offer a decent veggie burger and really good fries. That's a prerequisite, but it gets better. [Before I go into detail, let me acknowledge that I know it's a big chain and chain eating is not something that should be a norm for anyone, but, hey, A&W deserves some big props here. These are just the props, not a blind spot.]
They have stopped using beef produced with hormones or steroids. Similarly, their chicken does the same AND skips antibiotics. Their tomatoes are grown in greenhouses because it's more environmentally efficient. Nice one, A&W.
When I ate in the restaurant, I was shocked to get my fries in a metal basket, my drink in a real mug (not a throwaway cup), and my veggie burger with a simple paper wrapper (no clamshell thingy). That doesn't even happen sometimes when you eat in a non-fast food restaurant.
Plus, A&W in Canada is actually CANADIAN OWNED. Yes, it's true. A&W in Canada is more Canadian than Tim Horton's, everyone. Plus, since they are sourcing so many of their ingredients in Canada, this is really your most Canadian choice.
So, A&W is not perfect, but if circumstance ever make it the best choice, I will very happily (no guilty conscience) eat at A&W. Good job, guys. You may not be Earnest, but you earned my respect.
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