News

    - Harvey's proclaims Hamburger Day in Ontario on Sunday, May 27th and
    celebrates being selected best tasting burger(*) by giving away free
    Original Hamburgers -

    TORONTO, May 23 /CNW/ - When it comes to Canadian stereotypes, it seems
even hamburgers aren't exempt - our conservative, loyal, and even predictable
natures extend to our hamburger preferences too! In a recent Harvey's survey,
conducted by Ipsos Reid, 61 per cent of Canadians said they order the exact
same toppings every single time they eat a hamburger. Yet while our orders may
be predictable, we still want choice when it comes to customization.
    "Canadians want options so they can decide what toppings they want, and
at Harvey's we've always offered hamburgers with 'your name on it,'" says Rick
McNabb, President, Harvey's. "To celebrate the fact that we cater to all
Canadians' preferences, we're proclaiming Sunday, May 27 Hamburger Day. We're
inviting all Ontarians to come celebrate with us and taste for themselves why
the Harvey's hamburger was named best tasting(*)!"
    Harvey's has been making custom-made hamburgers for Canadians since 1959,
and is Canada's only home-grown hamburger chain. Giving the customer exactly
what they want has always been at the forefront of the chain's mandate - from
garnishing the hamburgers in front of each guest with a wide array of
toppings, to being the first quick serve restaurant chain to offer custom
combos with a choice of sides and drinks.
    To celebrate every individual taste, Harvey's is inviting all Ontarians
to come out and enjoy a free Original Hamburger just the way they like it on
Sunday, May 27 between 10:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. So how do we like our
hamburgers? Let us count the ways!

    Do you want fries with that? Of course you do!

    The stereotypical "burger and fries" combination certainly rings true for
conventional Canadians! Sixty-six per cent of us make this conservative choice
when we place our orders - and then we share it predictably too, with
94 per cent of us letting others grab a few fries rather than a bite of our
hamburgers.
    Almost half of us also enjoyed a hamburger in the last week
(48 per cent), and most of us did so with our families. In fact, 63 per cent
of Canadians say family comes first when it comes to hamburger companions,
compared with 24 per cent who prefer a bite with friends and only 13 per cent
who eat alone. And what are our top three hamburger toppings in order of
preference? Why, cheese, onions and ketchup, of course!

    The gender debate

    Who says guys aren't spontaneous? The survey found that 64 per cent of
women order the same toppings every time, compared to 58 per cent of men. On
the flip side, however, women like to savour things a little more than men -
the majority of women said they take 10 minutes to eat a hamburger
(46 per cent) vs. the 55 per cent of men who wolf one down in five minutes.

    Burger personalities from coast to coast

    Across the country, Canadians have very particular habits when it comes
to their hamburgers. Not surprisingly, there are some distinct differences
that play on our regional habits:

    Atlantic Canadians - talk fast and eat fast!
    Atlantic Canadians were the most likely to say they eat their hamburgers
in one minute or less! (10 per cent).

    Ontarians - convenience (and pickles!) reign supreme
    Ontarians are the most likely Canadians to have consumed a hamburger in
the last week - 53 per cent said they did so! Ontarians are also the highest
percentage of people to select pickles as their number one topping
(seven per cent).

    Prairie residents - true beef connoisseurs!
    Prairie residents are the most likely to eat naked hamburgers
(11 per cent) - no toppings! Prairie men in particular are also the most
likely to eat their hamburgers this way (six per cent).

    B.C. residents - a laid back lifestyle
    B.C. residents take it slow! They're the most likely to take 10 minutes
or more to eat a hamburger (46 per cent). They're also the most likely to eat
a hamburger with a knife and fork (five per cent), and are most apt to change
their hamburger order on each visit (58 per cent ) - talk about
thrill-seekers!

    Quebecois - No surprise! Quebecers love their frites!
    Quebec residents are the most likely to order a side of fries with their
hamburger (79 per cent).

    Hooray for Hamburger Day!

    Harvey's creates great tasting hamburgers topped with quality garnishes,
giving Canadians the freedom of choice! To celebrate being selected best
tasting burger(*), Harvey's has proclaimed Sunday, May 27 Hamburger Day so
Ontarians can enjoy their favourite burger combination on the house.
    One free Harvey's Original Hamburger will be given away to each person
who visits any location in Ontario between 10:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. on
Hamburger Day. Come out and enjoy a burger with your name on it, on Harvey's!

    About Harvey's

    Harvey's has 286 restaurants nationwide serving up more than 35 million
grilled burgers a year with $220 million in sales. Harvey's is a division of
Cara Operations Limited, Canada's leading integrated restaurant company. Cara
is a privately owned company. Visit www.harveys.ca for more information.

    Ipsos Survey - Canadian Burger Eating Habits

    The survey was conducted by Ipsos-Reid on behalf of Harvey's from
April 13th to April 17th, 2007.
    For this research, a representative sample of 1,000 Canadians was
interviewed through an online survey using the Ipsos Reid Canadian Online
Omnibus. Results are considered accurate to within +/- 3.1%, 19 times out of
20 of what they would have been had the entire adult Canadian population been
polled. The margin of error is larger within regions and for other
sub-groupings of the survey population. These data were weighted to ensure the
sample's regional and age/sex composition reflects that of the actual Canadian
population according to the 2001 Census data. Please contact Rhys Gibb,
Associate Vice President, Ipsos Reid for tabular results at 603-893-1633 or
rhys.gibb@ipsos-reid.com.(*) In a study conducted by TNS Canadian Facts in January 2007 among 334
    Ontario residents 18 years of age or older, Harvey's was identified by
    more respondents than any other brand when asked to name Canada's best
    tasting burger.

     Harvey's background information and photos available upon request.