45 Canadianisms From "Kim's Convenience" To Keep In Mind When Traveling To Canada

Read about Canadian foods, phrases, and places from Kim's Convenience.

CBC / Via Twitter: @KimsConvenience

From delightful Canadian phrases like "toonie"; to delicious foods like Montreal-style bagels, Nanaimo bars, and Timbits; to gorgeous places like the Rocky Mountains, Château Frontenac, and the setting for Anne of Green Gables (Prince Edward Island); here are all the Canadianisms in Kim's Convenience. Those traveling to Canada can eat poutine to their heart's content. Devoted Kimbits (Kim's Convenience fans) can also visit specific film locations.  

1. Kim's Convenience

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Kim's Convenience takes place in an actual Toronto store. The store owned by Yong and Kyung Chung was originally called Mimi Variety (with no apostrophe 's' in Mimi) and has been around for at least 30 years. In an art imitating life or life imitating art situation, the name was officially changed to Kim's Convenience after being featured in the show. According to the Toronto Star, which is also known as the Star, the name change was easy since the store wasn't specifically named after a real person whom the Chung owners knew.

In the last episode of the final season, Jung asks his family, "What is Kim's Convenience? Is it just a store made of bricks and mortar? Or some items sitting on a shelf collecting dust bought in bulk? Or is Kim's Convenience a rare feeling in these trying times? A warm greeting for friends and for strangers?" 

Although the show has ended, you can still visit the actual Kim's Convenience store. It's located at 252 Queen Street East, Toronto, ON M5A 1S3, Canada.

2. Handy Car Rental: Corus Quay and Sugar Beach

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The exterior of Handy Car Rental was shot at Corus Quay and Sugar Beach. Corus Quay is an eight-story building that houses radio stations and television operations as well as serving as the headquarters of Corus Entertainment. It was also designed to host large events and concerts at Sugar Beach.

Sugar Beach is a public place with a park and a beach that prohibits people from going into the water. In the summer, PortsToronto (formerly called Toronto Port Authority) hosts Sugar Beach's free movie experience, Sail-In Cinema™, which is "Toronto's largest outdoor theatre event." This unique event entails the first ever two-sided inflatable movie screen in Toronto's harbor, which allows for those at sea and those at the beach to simultaneously watch a flick.

3. Church in Kim's Convenience

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Ever since the first episode of the show debuted, it is clear that church plays a large role in the Kim's family life. Umma is especially involved in activities such as being the prayer leader of her worship group, baking for church lunches and church bazaars, and participating in other church functions like organizing a silent auction and donating items to other church members in need.

While church is certainly not specific to any particular country, those wishing to attend church in the Toronto area and/or wishing to visit Kim's Convenience film locations will find that the fictional Toronto Korean East-West Presbyterian Church in the show was filmed at two different churches. The Queen Street East Presbyterian Church located at 947 Queen St. East (at Carlaw), Toronto, ON, M4M 1J9 is the "oldest Presbyterian Church in Toronto." Queen Street East was founded in 1877 and initially called Leslieville Presbyterian Church. The official name change to Queen Street East Presbyterian Church occurred in 1895.

The other church film location was at the Toronto Vietnamese Victory Church located at 3194 Weston Rd., North York, ON M9M 2T6, Canada. According to Movie Maps, the Toronto Vietnamese Victory Church was featured in season 1 (episodes 8, 9, and 13) and season 2 (episode 7).

4. College versus University

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When Umma is at church, she is asked how her children are faring. She happily replies, "Oh, Janet just get very high mark in photography course. Top of class." Mrs. Park then immediately points out, "At college." Mrs. Lee asks Umma with some disapproval, "So, not university?"

In Canada, college offers hands-on or practical programs of study that are typically and more directly career-oriented compared to universities. While universities offer three-year professional and academic programs that lead to a bachelor's (undergraduate) degree and most also offer master's and/or doctoral (graduate) degrees, colleges offer certificate programs that take a year at most and/or diploma programs that take between two to three years to complete. Agriculture, apprenticeship training, accounting, nursing, and language courses are some examples of what a college offers.

5. OCAD University

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Umma answers Mrs. Lee's question up above by saying, "No, OCAD is university." Mrs. Park inquires, "Then why is it called Ontario College of Art and Design?" A church member remarks, "I've heard OCAD's amazing." Umma agrees, adding, "Yeah, very amazing. You get university degree but also very practical."

OCAD University or the Ontario College of Art and Design University, which Janet attends, is a public university in Toronto, Canada, and the country's oldest and largest academic institution to learn about design and art. OCAD, as it is informally called, was initially called the Ontario School of Art when it was founded in 1876 and later called the Ontario College of Art when it was incorporated in 1912. Due to the increased interest in and growth of the design programs, there was another name change in 1996 — Ontario College of Art and Design. OCAD received its university title in 2002. The official name change to OCAD University did not occur until 2010.

6. Daniels Spectrum

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Ms. Murry calls out, "Oh, Janet. I was just speaking to the Dean about your last assignment...and she agrees. We wanna show your photos at the school's Open House." Janet is flattered. "Wow. That's amazing." Ms. Murry adds, "You know, it's rare that a student's work really impresses me..." "Thank you," says Janet. "...And yours comes very close," finishes Ms. Murry. Janet then comes to a realization. "Wait. Isn't the Open House tomorrow?" Ms. Murry confesses, "Yes. I'll be honest. Somebody dropped out."

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Daniels Spectrum stands in for OCAD University (see #5) in Season 1, Episodes 2 (as detailed above) and 6. According to their website, it is a cultural and communal center that offers classes, programs, and events for youth and adults. It also showcases art exhibitions, serves as an event space, and provides shared work space for the Native Earth Performing Arts, Centre for Social Innovation, Regent Park School of Music, Regent Park Film Festival, Pathways to Education, Artscape, Centennial College Performing Arts Commons, Show Love Café, and ArtHeart Community Art Centre. Daniels Spectrum opened in the Regent Park neighborhood in 2012 and has the slogan "Rooted in Regent Park, Open to the World.” It is located at 585 Dundas St. E, Toronto, ON M5A 2B7, Canada.

7. Sorry

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Jung applies to be assistant manager at Handy Car Rental (see #2), but Umma wants him to apply himself in life elsewhere. Umma visits Shannon, who thinks she's "come to plead Jung's case." Umma corrects this misunderstanding with a smile, telling Shannon, "No, no. I hope you don't give to him promotion." The Canadian pronunciation of sorry as "saw-ree" is first heard in the show when Shannon, clearly taken aback, says, "Sorry. You don't want him to get the promotion?" Umma responds, "No. This is car rental." Shannon asks, "What do you mean?" Umma answers, "This is good job for some people. Maybe even very good job for some people." Shannon says, "I've worked here for five years." Umma emphasizes, "Yeah, for some people." 

Not every Canadian pronounces sorry as "saw-ree," which is also demonstrated in the show. Kimchee occasionally alternates between saying sorry with a Canadian and an "American" pronunciation while Jung and Janet say sorry with an "American" pronunciation.

8. Ali Baba's

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While discussing his interview for assistant manager at Handy Car Rental with Kimchee, Jung says, "You know what we should do? We should tear this town a new one. You with me?" As Jung lists the various places he and Kimchee should go, with Kimchee in full agreement saying, "Yeah, there's my boy back," Jung finishes his list with "shawarma at Ali Baba's." Their excitement about the night's adventures comes to a screeching halt when Kimchee notes, "Though I'm a little light on cash right now."

Although there are different Ali Baba restaurants in various countries, the Ali Baba's Jung probably refers to is Ali Baba's Middle Eastern Cuisine that was founded in 1991 at 2202 Dundas Street West in Toronto. Known simply as Ali Baba's, it has grown to 20 locations and considers itself a "'Middle Eastern Canadian' restaurant." Appetizers include, but are not limited to, falafel balls, samosas, lentil rice, stuffed grape leaves, and hummus. Beef shawarma, chicken shawarma, and fish wraps are some of the wraps offered by the restaurant. According to Ali Baba's website, "Shawarma is a Levantine Arab meat preparation, where lamb, chicken, turkey, beef, veal, or mixed meats are placed on a spit." The meat is specifically placed on a rotating spit and then slowly roasted for several hours before being carved.

9. Pop

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Although the term "pop" isn't exclusively Canadian, it is commonly used throughout Canada (with some exceptions). The first time pop is mentioned in the show is after Appa sees Gerald's beautiful photo of Umma. Appa then commands Gerald, "I commission you, take a picture of me. Like Renaissance time. I pay to you one pop, every day for rest of life." Gerald replies, "I actually don't even like pop." Ever the businessman, Appa asks, "But do you like free pop?" Gerald answers, "It tastes identical."

Some Canadian brands of pop are Canada Dry, Clearly Canadian, The PoP Shoppe, and Big 8. Although Crush is a California company, it only sells pinkish red cream soda in Canada (except for Quebec, where Crush sells clear cream soda).

10. Ketchup Chips

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In Season 1, Gerald negotiates his commission with Appa, asking if he could have a free bag of chips instead of pop. Appa immediately retorts, "Small bag only. Ketchup chips not include." 

Later on in Season 4 of the show, Gerald says goodbye to Appa, Umma, and Janet before leaving for South Korea. Shortly after Gerald leaves the store, Janet chases him down and hands him ketchup chips, saying, "Here. You won't be able to get them in Korea. Have a safe trip." She gives him a hug, accidentally crushing the bag of ketchup chips in between them. Gerald quickly acts to smooth over Janet's faux pas, saying, "They're better crushed."           

Doritos (limited edition), Old Dutch, President's Choice, Hardbite, and Lay's ketchup chips are examples of the many kinds of ketchup chips you can try.

11. Toronto Raptors

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Kim's Convenience first mentions the professional basketball team the Toronto Raptors when Shannon calls Jung into her office. She asks him, "Do you remember last month, I told you about corporate's new sales quotas? She then pretends that the quota numbers "are not good" and pushes a piece of paper toward Jung while saying, "This is from Head Office. Alarmed, Jung asks, "Am I being fired?" Shannon realizes her joke backfired and tries to explain it. When Jung is still confused, Shannon further clarifies, "When I said before the numbers aren't good, they're not. They're great! We were the number-one branch in our district. What, what!" Shannon has Jung open up the folded paper, which to his delight is "a pair of Raptors tickets." Shannon states they're sent "from Head Office as a thank you."

CBC / Via Screenshot

A miscommunication ensues when Jung thinks both Raptors tickets are his and he invites Kimchee to the game. Kimchee excitedly tells Jung, "Dude, we're gonna be sitting so close, we're gonna get sprayed by DeRozan's brow sweat." When Shannon overhears, she asks Jung, "I'm guessing you told Kimchee about the game?" Kimchee enthusiastically yells, "Court side!" Jung responds, "Thanks again. I mean, floor seats, this close to Kyle Lowry." Shannon says, "Forget Lowry. I hope we sit that close to Drake." Confusion sets in when Jung realized that one ticket was for him and the other was for Shannon.

The Toronto Raptors, also known as the Raptors, is a professional basketball team in Toronto, Canada. The Raptors was established in 1995 and competes in the National Basketball Association (NBA). DeRozan refers to DeMar DeRozan who played for the Raptors from 2009 until 2018. DeRozan participated in the All-NBA Team two times and the NBA All-Star four times. He won gold at the 2014 World Cup and currently plays for the San Antonio Spurs. Kyle Lowry was an All-NBA Third Team member and named an NBA All-Star six times. Both DeRozan and Lowry won gold at the 2016 Summer Olympics. (Drake whom Shannon refers to is a Grammy Award–winning Canadian rapper.)

12. Poutine

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Shortly after Jung and Grace discover that their mothers ambushed them at a restaurant, they leave. When Jung suggests they eat jajangmyeon for dinner, Grace answers with something else in mind. "No. I want the greasiest cheeseburger we can find, and this much poutine." Grace opens her arms wide. Jung is amazed. "Wow, you really do want to make me throw up." Grace smiles and remarks, "That's just for me. Get your own."

Poutine originated in Quebec in the late 1950s. This quintessential Canadian food consists of French fries and cheese curds (preferably white) that warm when the hot gravy is poured over them. (While cheese curds are essential to this recipe, torn chunks of cheese will do in a pinch.) Twenty years ago, Martin Picard decided to create foie gras poutine, which started a posh poutine movement. This high-class influence popularized poutine, which is now prominent throughout all sorts of eateries in Canada.

13. Grange Park

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Grange Park is featured when Janet and Samira talk about Alex, the guy Janet is seeing at the time who is also Jung's friend. It has a fountain, sculpture, picnic tables, children's playground equipment, an area for dogs to freely roam around without a leash, and a carriage path. It is close to the Sharp Centre for Design, which is part of OCAD University (see #5), and the Art Gallery of Ontario, which owns Grange Park.

Grange Park was originally part of the grounds of the Grange manor house, which the Boulton family owners built in 1820. Ninety years later, Harriet Boulton donated her estate to the Art Gallery of Ontario, which was formerly called the Art Museum of Toronto. Although the Art Gallery of Ontario owns the Grange Park property, the City of Toronto tends to the upkeep of the public park grounds.

14. WayHome Music & Arts Festival

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When Janet asks Appa for money and he finds out the exact amount, he is surprised and says, "$200 for concert? Too much. Take $20 and buy album." Exasperated, Janet asks, "Why do I always have to beg you for money? I've earned it." 

Janet turns to Jung for help, who happens to be eating with his lunch buddy Shannon. When Shannon hears about Janet's predicament with money, she offers her a part-time position. Once she starts her new job, Janet learns she has to clear another hurdle by switching shifts so she can attend the concert. When Shannon asks, "Well, is it important?" Janet replies, "It's the WayHome Festival."

The WayHome Music & Arts Festival is held in Burl's Creek Event Grounds, Ontario, and not only involves numerous stages for entertainment, but also art exhibits, a farmers market, and food ranging from the local to the international scene. The three-day WayHome Music & Arts Festival was founded in 2015 and put on pause after its last festival in 2017.

15. Barrio Cervecería

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Barrio Cervecería is featured when Appa and Mr. Mehta are relaxing on the Mexican restaurant's patio. Appa contentedly states, "Ah, life is good, Mr. Mehta. When I first get here, I have nothing." Mr. Mehta says, "Same. But sometimes I long for the halcyon days of our youth." Appa remarks, "Ah, we not so old. We still look good." Mr. Mehta agrees. "Yes. You, uh, working out?" Appa gestures toward his stomach. "I've been working in." Mr. Mehta leans in and confides, "You know what would make you look even better..." Mr. Mehta then taps Appa's bald spot. 

Barrio Cervecería is located at 884 Queen Street East, Toronto, ON, M4M 1J3. It was established in 2016 and offers menu items like empanadas, elote, ceviche, enchiladas, tacos, and tortilla chips made in-house that can be served with nachos, guacamole, or pico de gallo. Some tacos on the menu start at $20 for three tacos.

16. Streetcars

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At the end of Season 1, Janet tries to broach the subject of her moving out of the Kim's residence and into an apartment by saying, "So, there's something we should probably talk..." Appa holds up a hand to stop her. "I know." Janet is surprised. "You know?" "Yeah," Appa affirms. Janet mentions, "I'll just be a streetcar ride away. I'll be here all the time." Appa agrees, "I know." Janet tries to cushion the blow of her absence once she moves out. "I'll still be working at the store. You'll barely know I'm gone." Appa sighs. "I will know."

In Season 2, Janet arrives at Kimchee and Jung's apartment after she and Kimchee ate dim sum. Kimchee tells her, "If you're here for your snacks, I already ate them all." Janet is surprised. "How? You were one streetcar ahead of me."

The Toronto streetcar system has routes that originated in the 19th century. Toronto granted a horse-pulled street railway transit franchise for 30 years in 1861. In 1892, the first electric streetcar ran sans horse. Electric streetcars entirely replaced horse-drawn ones two years later. The Toronto streetcar system is a light rail system consisting of 10 streetcar routes. The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) operates the streetcar system. With a ridership of 165 million in 2019, the Toronto streetcar system has the third busiest ridership in North America among all light rail systems.

17. Kensington Market

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Janet and Gerald's apartment is located in a charming Victorian house in Kensington Market, where The Pearl Harbor tattoo parlor, boutiques, and numerous other Victorian houses are featured in the show. The Pearl Harbor tattoo parlor, colloquially known as The Pearl and officially called the Pearl Harbor Gift Shop, is a real shop across from Janet and Gerald's fictional apartment and located at 24 Kensington Avenue, Toronto, ON, Canada.

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George Taylor Denison purchased the land Kensington Market resides on in 1815 after he served in the War of 1812. In the 1850s, Denison's land was further divided. Since 1987, the Kensington Market Winter Solstice Festival (formerly called the Kensington Market Festival of Lights) occurs in December during the Winter Solstice. Samba musicians, fire breathers, giant puppets, and stilt walkers participate in this festive carnival parade. This multicultural neighborhood also known as the Market was deemed a National Historic Site of Canada in 2006.

18. Alexandra Park

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Kimchee and Jung eat lunch together in Alexandra Park. Kimchee tells Jung, "See, a weekday picnic is possible. All it takes is a little Sunday night meal prep." Jung cracks an egg on the picnic table and watches in disappointment as raw egg drips from the shell. "Dude, I thought you boiled the eggs." Kimchee has an epiphany. "That's what the timer was for." Jung then sees a guy with Shannon's bike, which he and Kimchee believe was stolen from her. Additional glimpses of the park can be seen when Jung and Kimchee get up to confront him.

Alexandra Park is a neighborhood named after Queen Alexandra, who was the first royal person to visit Toronto. Although she was not a monarch at the time of her visit, she later became queen when she married King Edward VII. Alexandra Park is close to Kensington Market and where the Kensington Market Winter Solstice Festival ends (see #17). The neighborhood consists of public and private housing, a municipal park, and a skateboard park in the summertime, which becomes an outdoor skating rink during the winter.

19. Pizza Pops

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Jung and Kimchee debate where to put the former Kim's Convenience freezer in their apartment. Jung reasons, "When I come in with groceries, I don't want to wander all over the place. I want to go dry zone, cold zone, fro-zone." Kimchee counters, "OK, check it out. I'm sitting here, watching the game and... Uh-oh, I want a pizza pop. Reach in, grab one, don't miss a thing." Jung retorts, "You're gonna eat it frozen?" Without missing a beat, Kimchee enthusiastically replies, "We're gonna need a microwave out here."

Pizza pops are like mini panzerotti or mini calzones filled with pizza ingredients. Commercially made pizza pops are pre-cooked and frozen when bought. They are usually warmed up in the microwave although an oven can also be used. Paul Faraci invented this uniquely Canadian snack in 1964 after he was influenced by a customer to try panzerotti (a savory pastry or turnover that is like a mini calzone; the singular form is panzerotto, and the plural form is panzerotti).

Faraci recalled that the panzerotto "was not a great item. The crust was very thick, and there was very little sauce, very little flavor." Inspired, Faraci experimented with the recipe for years before successfully selling them to stores. He joined forces with some business partners who eventually bought him out in 1980 and sold the company to the Pillsbury brand of General Mills.

Pillsbury's repertoire of Pizza Pops include Pizza Pops Hawaiian, Deluxe, Three Meat, Three Cheese, Pepperoni, Pepperoni and Bacon, and Bacon Mac and Cheese Special Edition, among other items (Poutine was offered in the past; see #12). According to General Mills, pizza pops is "Canada's number one selling pizza snack."

20. Toronto Blue Jays

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While going over donations for the church silent auction, Appa excitedly shows Umma a baseball bat and says, "Look. Signed by José Bautista." Umma informs him, "Yeah, Eddie Chan bring." Appa queries, "How Eddie Chan get?" Umma answers, "He go to lots of Blue Jays games." Appa discloses, "I go to Blue Jays game. Never even get a rain poncho. And Stroman bobblehead, forget about it."

The Toronto Blue Jays, which is also known as the Blue Jays and informally as the Jays, is a professional baseball team that competes as part of Major League Baseball (MLB). The Montreal Expos was the first MLB team located outside the United States with the Toronto Blue Jays being the second MLB team to do so. The Montreal Expos was rebranded as the Washington Nationals in 2004. Since the Nationals relocated to Washington, DC, in 2005, the Blue Jays is currently the only team located outside the United States.

José Antonio Bautista Santos, whom Appa calls José Bautista, is not to be confused with the pitcher José Joaquín Bautista Arias. Bautista Santos, who has the moniker "Joey Bats," is the two-time recipient of the Hank Aaron Awards, three-time recipient of the Silver Slugger Awards, five-time recipient of the American League (AL) Player of the Month Award, and four-time recipient of the AL Player of the Week. He was chosen to be an MLB All-Star six consecutive years in a row and hit more home runs than anyone else from 2010 to 2015.

When Appa talks about the "Stroman bobblehead," he is referring to Marcus Earl Stroman, who was a pitcher for the Blue Jays and became the current pitcher for the New York Mets in 2019. Stroman played college baseball for Duke University's Blue Devils and joined the Blue Jays in 2014. He was awarded the World Baseball Classic MVP and Rawlings Gold Glove Award in 2017.

21. Toonie

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When a customer leaves the Kim Convenience store, Janet calls out, "Wait, your toonie." The customer responds, "Oh, no, sorry, that's not mine. I don't carry cash, like, ever." Janet proceeds to use the toonie to buy a scratch lotto ticket and wins $500. Her elation is unfortunately short lived. When Appa finds out that Janet won, he explains, "East Hill Variety Store is shut down after owner keep winning. Big scandal. So they change rule. You work at the store, you can't win prize from store."

A toonie is the adorable colloquialism for Canada's most expensive coin. The $2 coin known as the toonie (which is also spelled twoonie or twonie) lasts for about 20 years. One side of the coin shows Queen Elizabeth II's portrait (which is typical of all the other Canadian coins), and the other side shows a polar bear. The toonie nickname came about because the Canadian $1 coin is known as the loonie. This coin has one side showing a loon, which is an aquatic bird that looks like a small goose or a large duck.

22. Hydro

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When Chelsea leaves the living room, Janet divulges to Gerald, "She can't keep staying here. She doesn't pay for rent. Water, heater, hydro..." Chelsea steps into the hallway to talk to Gerald and Janet. "If you could keep it down, that'd be great." Gerald whispers, "We'll just pretend like we didn't hear her." Chelsea asks for confirmation. "Guys, did you hear me?" Gerald immediately says, "Yes."

Hydro refers to electricity and does not include gas. When Janet talks about paying the hydro bill, she is referring to paying the electricity bill. In places like Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, Newfoundland, and Manitoba, the principal electricity generator and electricity distributor has the word hydro in it. For example, in Ontario, which is the province where Janet, Gerald, and Chelsea live, their primary electricity generator and electricity distributor is called Hydro One (it was previously called Ontario Hydro from 1974 to 1999). Not all Canadians refer to their electricity bill as a hydro bill and instead refer to it as their electric or power bill.

23. E-Transfer

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Janet discloses to Chelsea that her hanging out at the apartment as often as she does is "just not as economically feasible." Chelsea tells Janet she completely understands. After a few taps on her phone, Chelsea informs Janet, "There. Just sent you an e-Transfer for the expenses." Janet looks at her phone and sees the e-Transfer. "Wow." Chelsea adds, "Let me know if you need more." Janet replies, "You can use the whole couch if you want."

Interac e-Transfer, is a person-to-person (P2P) Canadian service that allows for a digital payment. The funds transfer banking service was previously called Interac Email Money Transfer or EMT. Interac e-Transfer is similar to Venmo, PayPal, and Zelle.

24. The Globe and Mail

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Mr. Mehta accidentally books $50 VIP movie tickets for himself and Appa. Appa surmises, "Mmm. Maybe paparazzi take our picture." Mr. Mehta suggests, "Or we get invited to an after-party at a swanky hotel." "Meet a big-time producer and, ah, tell him our story," Appa says eagerly. Mr. Mehta narrates, "A couple of hard-scrabble newcomers. 'The Immigrants are killing it,' brags The Globe and Mail." 

The Globe and Mail is a highly regarded Canadian newspaper located in Toronto. George Brown established it in 1844 and originally called it The Globe. Since it does not publish a Sunday paper, it has the second-highest weekly circulation compared to the Toronto Star. During the weekdays and Saturdays, however, The Globe and Mail is the most widely read paper.

25. Nanaimo Bar

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Umma converses with Pastor Nina. "I can make Nanaimo bar again this year. That's no problem." Pastor Nina responds, "Oh, there goes my BMI. After last year, I think my collar went up a size." Umma observes, "Uh, yeah. I notice." Pastor Nina rejoins, "I was kidding." Umma counters, "Yeah. Me, too."

Later on Umma and Appa have an exchange. Umma is upset he didn't stick up for her and the church bake sale when Jimmy was being condescending. Umma asserts, "You're not getting Nanaimo bar either. Unless you bake yourself!" Appa agrees, "OK! Fine. I bake my own Naimo bar."

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When Appa comes downstairs to retrieve more baking ingredients, Umma comments, "I hear yelling upstair. And lots of crash and bang and crying." Appa answers, "Yeah. I bake Gordon Ramsay style. Lots of passion." Umma is undeterred. "Sound like Nanaimo bar giving you hard time." Appa explains, "No. Just, uh, make another batch. Improve recipe." 

The Nanaimo bar is a no-bake three-layer bar dessert that originated in Nanaimo, Canada. The bottom layer consists of coconut, nuts (e.g., almonds, pecans, or walnuts), and graham cracker (or wafer) crumbs. The middle layer consists of custard icing (which has traditionally involved Bird's Custard Powder) while the top layer consists of chocolate ganache. Variations to the popular Canadian confection could involve different types of chocolate for the top layer, and mocha, peanut butter, or coconut icing in the middle.

26. Oyster Gal and Buck-a-Shuck Restaurants

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Chelsea relays to Janet, "Gerald wants to know if you're doing anything Friday? There's an oyster place we want to check out." Janet returns, "Yeah, not really an oyster girl." Chelsea points out, "But they're a buck-a-shuck." Janet says, "Oh. Maybe then. I mean, I might just come for a drink and have, like, one or two." Chelsea retorts, "Sure. 'Cause they're so filling."

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Although a specific oyster place isn't mentioned in the show and Janet declares she isn't "really an oyster girl," there is an Oyster Gal in Toronto. It's located at 585 Dundas St E, Toronto, ON M5A 2B7. According to their Facebook page, Oyster Gal gifts oysters and caters for gatherings of all sizes. In the past, Oyster Gal participated in the Ontario Oyster Shucking Competition, which raised money for environmental defense.

Those craving buck-a-shuck oysters can check out Canteen, Jump, Biff's Bistro, Leña, and O&B Café Grill, Yonge & Front (also called O&B Yonge & Front). Please note that days and times vary for the buck-a-shuck deals.

27. Barbecue

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Kimchee informs Shannon, "Hey. I won a dozen donuts!" Shannon says, "Wow. Lucky." "And I'll gladly share them with you," offers Kimchee. Shannon replies, "Aw. I donut know what to say." Kimchee retorts, "Just don't say that again." He then encourages Shannon to grab the tab on the cup to determine whether she won anything. She grabs the tab and becomes ecstatic, jumping out of her seat and yelling, "Free barbecue!" When Terence asks, "What's going on?" Shannon happily answers while jumping up and down and pumping her fists, "I won a free barbecue, and Kimchee won a dozen donuts!"

Later on, when Kimchee reminds Shannon of his generosity when he offered to split his donut winnings with her,  Shannon tells Kimchee, "You can't split a barbecue."

This can be confusing to those from the US and some other countries. Depending on the country, there are at least two interpretations of what Shannon means when she says the word "barbecue." A barbecue in Canada refers to what's called a grill, barbecue grill, or outdoor grill in the US. A barbecue in the US usually entails cooking and/or eating food that has been barbecued outside or eating barbecued food in a restaurant. For those from other countries who are unfamiliar with barbecues, they typically involve lots of meat.

Using Shannon's words, "you can't split a barbecue," in Canada (you shouldn't and you wouldn't want to), but you can "split a barbecue" in the US by sharing the barbecued food with others.

28. Timbits

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When Janet sees Umma watching Beverly Chan making video announcements, she asks, "Isn't this kind of like when they replaced your bindae-tteok breakfast with Timbits?" Umma replies, "We not talking about breakfast, we're talking about church announcements." Janet agrees. "Right. You know what, though? I bet if Beverly Chan was a Timbit, she'd be the pink kind no one wants. All flash, no flavor." 

Timbits are mini donut holes offered in all sorts of flavors. For those who are unfamiliar with donut holes, they are sugary bite-sized fried balls of dough. Unlike traditional donuts, they do not have a hole in the center. Donut holes derive their name and smaller size due to historically being made from the leftover dough that was removed from the center of the typical, relatively larger-in-size donuts. Timbits can be bought at Tim Hortons (see #45). In the past, Tim Hortons offered Timbits Bouquets for Mother's Day weekend and Poutine Timbits, though without the cheese curds and gravy, which caused an uproar (see #12). 

29. Bay Card and Bay Points

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Shannon addresses her employees about a shorts situation at work, saying, "Corporate found out about our casual shorts and sent us uniforms." Kimchee, however, realizes that corporate knows nothing about the shorts and that Shannon bought them herself. "Nice one," he tells her. "I still got a few tricks in the tank," she discloses. Omar picks up a piece of paper and asks, "Why are these on your Bay card?" Since Shannon doesn't know what to say, Kimchee helps her recover. "For the Bay points, obviously!" Omar doesn't suspect anything. "Nice. Stickin' it to the man." Shannon is relieved and whispers to Kimchee, "Thank you."

The Bay card refers to Hudson's Bay Mastercard. Bay Points refers to credit card points. In 2020, Capital One terminated its partnerships with Costco and Hudson's Bay. In 2021, Hudson's Bay found a new partner in Neo Financial, which is a new financial service company in Calgary.

30. Canada's Wonderland

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While wearing the shorts Shannon bought her employees, Omar says, "Hey, boss, lovin' the shorts. I feel like I work at Canada's Wonderland." Stacie reports, "I worked at Wonderland. It didn't feel like this." Shannon says, "That's my job. Make employees comfortable in the workplace."

Canada's Wonderland opened its doors in 1981 and is the country's largest theme park. Canada's Wonderland (which was previously called Paramount Canada's Wonderland) is based in Ontario. It is tied with Cedar Point for having the second most roller coasters in the world at 17 roller coasters. (Six Flags Magic Mountain has the most roller coasters in the world at 19.) In addition to having roller coasters, Canada's Wonderland has a water park called Splash Works. Compared to all the other seasonal amusement parks in North America, Canada's Wonderland received the most visitors three years ago.

31. Garlic Festival

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Kimchee is on the phone communicating with a customer. "No problem, you can leave the car at our Stratford branch. Enjoy the theatre festival...or, uh, fare thee well. Oh, it's the Garlic Festival. OK, well, then, uh, fare thee breath well...or ill. Hello?" Kimchee discovers that the customer hung up the phone.

Garlic festivals don't only occur in Canada, but those looking for delicious food festivals will find numerous ones here. Although a specific garlic festival isn't mentioned, the Stratford Garlic Festival is probably where Kimchee's customer goes since Kimchee mentions Stratford. According to their website, "Stratford Stinks – but only once a year!" A 2018 review discussed the festival showcasing 26 varietals of garlic, which was present in sauces, burgers, ice cream, and tea. Entertainment, demos, and speakers were also present. 

Although the Stratford Garlic Festival is canceled this year, the Toronto Garlic Festival will tentatively take place this September (exact dates to be determined depending on the COVID-19 pandemic). The Toronto Garlic Festival involves food anointed, embellished, or smothered with Ontario garlic as well as live music, cooking demos, film screenings, art workshops, virtual reality farm tours, a Garlic Breath Contest, and a free Garlic Shot Station.

32. Vegetable Festival

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Omar overhears Kimchee unsuccessfully asking for the weekend off to attend the Garlic Festival (though Kimchee only uses that as an excuse since he actually wants to go to LA to visit Jung and watch the Clippers). Omar offers, "Hey, if it helps, I went to that Garlic Festival last year, and it's not that good." Stacie is incredulous. "What are you talking about? It's amazing." Omar agrees, but points out that Kimchee can't go. Stacie says, "My bad. You know, there's a Vegetable Festival next weekend. If you 'carrot' all, you can 'turnip' any time you like."

There isn't actually a Vegetable Festival per se, but there are different vegetarian festivals. The Veg Food Fest is "North America’s largest celebration of all things veg" according to their website. It features free cooking demos, live programming, and over 150 vendors. The Veg Food Fest started in 1984 and aids the Toronto Vegetarian Association. There is also Veggie Fest Hamilton, which started in 2013 (no relation to Alexander Hamilton). Those wanting to check out the Vegetarian Food Festival in Toronto that started 34 years ago will be delighted to hear it will take place this year from September 10–12.

33. Bennington Heights

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Appa tells Umma, "Tennis court in our neighborhood has no net, broken glass, two shopping cart, and raccoon nest under bench." Umma walks toward the tennis court. "So beautiful. I let you in from inside." She starts scaling the chain-link fence of the tennis court. "Yobo, we don't have to break in," Appa informs Umma. She climbs higher.  "Almost there!" Appa continues, "Is a public tennis court. For people who live around here." Umma reasons, "But we don't live around here." Appa says, "Nobody know that, huh?... Just have to act like... You remember to lock BMW?" Umma smiles. "No, because we bring Lamborghini."

Bennington Heights is one of Toronto's wealthiest and most exclusive neighborhoods. There are many two-story cottages and bungalows as well as English manor stone houses throughout the area of over 600 people. One of the neighborhood's natural boundaries is the bluffs of the Don River Valley ravine. Bennington Heights was where the acclaimed author Margaret Atwood lived as a child and where Atwood's 1988 novel Cat's Eye takes place. The Lake Iroquois inhabited the land Bennington Heights resides upon thousands of years ago. Bennington Heights obtained its name in 1950 when Bennington Heights School first opened its doors. The school is next to Bennington Park, which is where the two tennis courts of the Bennington Heights Tennis Club are based.   

34. Saskatoon

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Shannon is put in a bind after Omar tells his family that he and Shannon are dating even though they are not. When Omar and his family chat with her in her office, she feels trapped. As Kimchee walks by, Shannon calls out to him as if he were a lifeline. "Kimchee! This is Omar's family." "From Saskatoon," adds Omar. Kimchee says, "Yeah. Nice to meet you all."

Saskatoon is named after the native saskatoon berry in the area and is the largest city in the Saskatchewan province with a population size of approximately 337,000 people. Saskatoon was founded in 1882 and is informally called Bridge City and Paris of the Prairies. Saskatoon is home to the Wanuskewin Heritage Park, which is a First Nations nonprofit historical and cultural center. The word Wanuskewin means "being at peace with oneself." Wanuskewin Heritage Park is currently seeking a UNESCO World Heritage designation and is a National Historic Site of Canada because of its 6,000 years of First Nations archeaological resources and history.  

35. Anne of Green Gables

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When Nayoung enters the Kim's Convenience store in the fifth episode of Season 5, she says, "I just come from Anne of Green Gable and Château Frontenac" (see #36). Later on in the last episode of season five, a flyer of a young Shannon dressed up in a red wig with her hair parted into two braids is prominently shown in the work room. Underneath the photo are the following typed words: "Do your dishes or I'll wig out." When Shannon good-naturedly asks, "Which one of you troublemakers put this up?" Kimchee speaks up. "It was out of love. Jung showed it to me. I couldn't resist. What? It's cute." Shannon says she's proud of that outfit and that she won "Best Anne" in her class three years running. When Terence inquires, "Raggedy Anne?" Stacie clarifies, "Anne of Green Gables."

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The book Anne of Green Gables was written by Lucy Maud Montgomery and is a classic children's novel about a red-headed orphan named Anne Shirley. Anne of Green Gables takes place in Prince Edward Island, the place Nayoung just visited. This is the smallest province in Canada but home to the world's bluefin tuna capital. Prince Edward Island claims to have the world's best mussels and is responsible for 80% of all the mussels in the country (40 million pounds a year) according to their tourist website. Although the Charlottetown Conference occurred in 1864, the First Nations Mi'kmaq settlement was present thousands of years beforehand according to archaeological evidence. Outdoor activities are plentiful including hiking, fishing, and camping. With its red sand, red soil, and beloved red-headed Anne of Green Gables, Prince Edward Island is the place for stunning scenery and adoring Anne fans.

36. Château Frontenac

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The Fairmont Le Château Frontenac is a Châteauesque-styled luxury hotel located in Quebec. Bruce Price designed the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, which was among the first grand railway hotels when it opened in 1893. It is 262 feet high with 18 floors and 611 guest rooms and suites. The majority of the suites are named after political leaders such as the former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau and the current Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Other suites have been named after the former French President Charles de Gaulle, former US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

The hotel was previously and colloquially called Château Frontenac. Château Frontenac's grand main entryway consists of numerous porte-cochères, which lead visitors to the main lobby and center courtyard. Aside from the beautiful architecture, Château Frontenac provides picturesque views since it is near the Saint Lawrence River. When the tallest tower of Château Frontenac was built, it became the tallest building in all of Quebec City in 1924. Édifice Price gained this title when the building was completed in 1930. In 1981, Château Frontenac became a National Historic Site of Canada.

37. Rocky Mountains

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Right after mentioning her travel adventures (see #35 and #36), Nayoung declares, "Then going to Rocky Mountain, then back to Korea. Just me and my friend. Road trip!" The breathtaking Rocky Mountains consists of the largest mountain belt on the North American continent and covers 3,000 miles. The Rocky Mountains was created 55 million to 80 million years ago and is informally referred to as the Rockies. A large part of the Rockies is protected by forest lands and public parks and enjoyed by those who go walking, hiking, snowboarding, skiing, mountaineering, mountain biking, fishing, hunting, and camping.

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The Canadian Rockies consists of the British Columbia (BC) and Alberta Rocky Mountains. The tallest point in Alberta is Mount Columbia. The tallest point in the Canadian Rockies is Mount Robson, which is also the second tallest peak within BC. Mount Waddington, which was formerly called Mystery Mountain, belongs to the Coast Mountains (not the Rocky Mountains) and is the tallest peak in BC.

38. Montreal-Style Bagels

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Shannon tells Kimchee, "I'm looking at our numbers from this past month, and we are..." Kimchee sighs, "In trouble?" Shannon exclaims, "Killing it!" She also adds, "We're way up from last quarter." She wants to reward the team and Kimchee says, "OK! I'll get some donuts for tomorrow." Shannon responds, "Mm, I'm thinking bigger." Kimchee then offers, "Montreal-style bagels" as a next-level reward for the team. 

According to HuffPost, Poland introduced Montreal-style bagels to Montreal in the 1900s. Montreal-style bagels are hand-rolled and taste slightly sweet due to being boiled in honey water. They are crusty on the outside, chewy on the inside, and are usually sprinkled with poppy or sesame seeds. What also makes Montreal-style bagels different from other bagels is that they are baked in a wood-burning oven, which is a more laborious process since wood oven temperatures fluctuate frequently. Montrealers usually eat their Montreal-style bagels plain. In comparison to New York bagels, Montreal-style bagels are denser and smaller in size but have a larger bagel hole. In contrast, New York bagels are larger with a smaller bagel hole. 

Isadore Shlafman founded Fairmount Bagel in 1949, which is a family-run operation occurring even to this today. They state that their family founded Montreal's first bagel bakery in 1919 (which was named the Montreal Bagel Bakery). It is located at 74 Avenue Fairmount O, Montréal, QC H2T 2M2. Montreal-born astronaut Gregory Chamitoff even brought bagels from Fairmount Bagel along during his two-week flight in space. 

St-Viateur Bagel has been hand-rolling bagels for over 60 years and also claims to have founded Montreal's first bagel bakery. It is located at 263 St-Viateur O., Montréal, QC H2V 1Y1. The Canadian owner of New York's Mile End Deli in Brooklyn, Noah Bernamoff, started obtaining Montreal-style bagels from St-Viateur Bagel in 2010. Bernamoff also founded Black Seed Bagels with James Beard Award–winning executive chef and head baker Dianna Daoheung who creates bagels that are a mix between the New York and Montreal-style bagels.

39. Heart & Stroke Skip-a-thon

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A miscommunication occurs when Janet finds $210 in a white unmarked envelope in the store and a customer says she was looking for $260. Umma and Janet are suspicious and distrustful of this customer until Gerald finds the remaining $50. Janet realizes that the customer was honest about having lost the $260 but doesn't get a chance to tell Umma about this before Umma's next encounter with this customer. When the customer tells Umma, "My daughter raised that money for a Heart & Stroke Skip-a-thon." Umma returns, "Skip-a-thon. Huh. I never heard of."

Heart & Stroke, which prior to 2016 was called the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, is a Canadian nonprofit which is devoted to the education, advocacy, and funding of research involving strokes and heart diseases. It hosts different fundraising events such as the Heart & Stroke's Ride for Heart, which is a biking event, the Heart & Stroke Lottery, and Jump Rope for Heart. The last event mentioned entails elementary school children skipping and reached its 35th year in 2017.

40. Cold Press

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Janet spills her drink after almost walking into two people. When the woman offers to buy Janet another drink, the guy picks up the bottle and examines it, remarking, "You're not going to find this in the vending machines. It's Cold Press." Then he turns to Janet, joking, "You, uh, trying to impress, Cold Press?" Janet says, "Whatever, it's basically lemonade." The guy rejoins, "I've never seen black lemonade before," Janet states. "That's the activated charcoal. Helps cleanse your toxins."

Although cold press drinks aren’t specifically Canadian and there doesn't seem to be a Canadian company called Cold Press, there are various Canadian companies that sell cold press drinks. La Presserie is a cold press company that operates in Toronto. Dose Juice is a female owned and operated certified-organic company that offers cold press drinks and smoothie packs. It was established in Montreal in 2013 and just entered the Toronto scene this year. Buda was founded by a fifth-generation fruit farmer who ensures that purchasing supports local farmers and suppliers. According to Buda's website, they cold press "only produce that is non-GMO, grown without chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides."   

41. Regent Park Community Centre

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The Regent Park Community Centre where Kimchee and Jung's high school reunion takes place is located at 402 Shuter St, Toronto, Ontario, M5A 3H1. It offers a plethora of community programs and services and is designed to be intricately linked to the surrounding community (such as the Nelson Mandela Park Public School) and those who visit the building. The Regent Park Community Centre has a communal green roof for the purposes of urban agriculture.

42. Kitchener

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Ingrid compliments Kimchee at their high school reunion. "You look amazing!" "Yeah," Kimchee returns breathlessly. Ingrid remarks, "Can you believe it's been 10 years?" Kimchee agrees. "Right? So, what have you been up to?" Ingrid replies, "Not much. Lived in Kitchener for a while."

Kitchener is a city in Ontario, Canada. It used to be called Berlin up until 1916 and is approximately 62 miles west of Toronto. According to the 2016 Census, Kitchener has a population of over 233,220 people. The Rockway Gardens has numerous waterfalls, ponds, fountains, and rock grottoes. The oldest park in the city is Victoria Park, which opened in 1896. It was named after Queen Victoria prior to her diamond jubilee. There is a pavilion, numerous bridges, an artificially constructed lake, three islands, a boathouse, a statue of Queen Victoria, a clock tower, and Victoria Park Gallery and Archives.

There is a yearly festival in the park called Kultrún, which consists of food, music, art, and culture from around the globe. The Rainbow Reels Queer and Trans Film Festival and tri-Pride are based in the Kitchener-Waterloo area. The light rail, Grand River Transit, intercity transit and railways are among the many ways to navigate the city. The nearest airport to Kitchener is Region of Waterloo International Airport.

43. Henderson Brewing Company

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Jung brings pizza and beer to Kimchee's apartment for a "boys' night." Kimchee tells Jung that it's not only boys' night, but also "Babysit Gwen's niece night." Kimchee further explains that his girlfriend "Gwen's working late and her sister's out of town. I didn't want to cancel." Disgruntled, Jung sits down to watch the basketball game and opens a Henderson Brewing Company beer.

Henderson Brewing Company is a uniquely Canadian company that makes award-winning beer (and should not be confused with Henderson Brewing Company in Henderson, Kentucky, in the United States). At the 2019 Canada Brewing Awards, Henderson Brewing Company won double gold. When talking about a case of 24 beers, the Canadian phrase "two-four" is frequently used.

44. Wentworth

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An elderly customer asks Umma if Kim's Convenience carries "Wentworth's orange bicarbonated soda." 

Wentworth is a grocery store. There is a Wentworth Market located at 13415 Wentworth Ctr. Route 4 Wentworth, NS B0M1Z. There is also FreshCo Wentworth & Cedar located at 199 Wentworth St. W, Oshawa, ON L1J 6P4, Canada. It is unclear as to which Wentworth's the customer is referring to, but it is more likely the latter based on location since the show takes place in Toronto in the province of Ontario.

45. Tim Hortons

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Although not explicitly mentioned, the lettering and colors on the coffee cups that Kimchee brought for him and Shannon to drink are a nod to Tim Hortons. He ends up winning a dozen donuts, and Shannon ends up winning a barbecue (see #27). The "Grab the Tab" contest he and Shannon partake in refers to the Tim Hortons Roll Up the Rim to Win® annual contest. The contest celebrated its 35th year in 2020 with the name referring to rolling or lifting up the rim of the cup to determine whether any prizes have been won. The pandemic put the Roll Up the Rim to Win® contest on pause, but the prizes have been redistributed to the digital promotion and rebranded digital contest Roll Up to Win™. The digital Roll Up to Win™ contest began this year.

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Tim Hortons is directly referenced at the end of the final season. Appa says to Umma, "What you talking? We think name of store is going to be Kim's Variety." (Appa's frequently spoken question, "What you talking?" can be interpreted as a twist on the Canadian phrase "What you sayin’?" which is similar to asking, "What're you up to?") Umma replies, "No. Kim's Variety Store." (Appa and Umma's conversation is a nod to the real convenience store the show used before the name got changed. See #1). Appa says, "Anyway, so then, we gonna choose 7-12." Janet also chimes in at the same time to say, "7-12," further explaining, "Like 7-11, but 12." Appa agrees and then continues, "So then, we gonna go with — " but then Janet and Jung interrupt the oft-told story, saying in unison, "Kim Horton. Like Tim Horton, but with Kim."

Tim Horton was a Canadian hockey player and considered one of the 100 Greatest National Hockey League (NHL) Players of all time. In 1964, Horton founded Tim Hortons, a classic Canadian institution that serves coffee, donuts (like Timbits, see #28), and fast food. The restaurant chain is affectionately called "Tims" or "Timmies." The "double-double" is a popular choice and refers to a coffee with two creams and two sugars. A "triple-triple" is a coffee with three creams and three sugars. Another popular Tim Hortons menu item is a cold caffeinated drink called the Iced Capp®, with the original one created in 1999. Tim Hortons has over 4,800 restaurants in Canada and the rest of the globe (including the US).