The history of Mandarin Restaurants in Ontario

If you grew up in Ontario, there's a slim chance you haven't been to Mandarin. It's the kind of restaurant that seems to appear at every milestone, whether it's birthdays, graduations, family reunions, or simply one of those nights where no one can agree on what to eat. 

No matter the time of day, the buffet is routinely stacked sky-high with Chinese-Canadian fare, from fried dumplings and sweet-and-sour pork to fried rice and pepper steak, as well as pizzas and golden fries (you know, for those kids who refuse to try anything else). The point is that there's always something for everyone, and perhaps that's why Mandarin's presence has only continued to grow since its founding in 1979. 

The chain was founded when James Chiu, his brother George, George's wife Diana, and James' business partner, K.C. Chang, all moved to Ontario after years of restaurant experience in Montreal and New York. 

Photo: Mandarin.

James had entered the restaurant industry while studying in Montreal, and eventually went on to open his first Chinese-Canadian spot, called Sweet and Sour. After selling it, James caught wind of a small restaurant in Brampton for sale called Mandarin (sound familiar?) and decided to take a chance. 

Together, the group purchased the restaurant, with George and K.C. running the kitchen, while Diana and James managed the front-of-house operations. 

Starting from the left: James Chiu, K.C. Chang, Diana Chiu, and George Chiu. Photo: Mandarin. 

Initially, the business operated as a small-scale à la carte restaurant offering both take-out and delivery; however, its popularity quickly skyrocketed. By 1986, the Brampton location expanded to 9,000 square feet and shifted to the buffet-style concept we all know and love today. 

The next few years saw rapid growth of the chain, including a new Mississauga location in 1988 — with several employees from the original Brampton location taking a partnership role at the restaurant — as well as multiple other locations across Ontario. 

Mandarin in the 1980s. Photo: Mandarin.

By the 1990s, it was safe to say that Mandarin had become a household name, and the chain continued to add new sections, promotions, and menu items to keep customers flowing in. 

Mandarin introduced its grill selection in 1993, where chefs would prepare a selection of seasoned meats and veggies right in front of you. Three years later, the chain would go on to host its very first Canada Day Celebration, offering free buffet meals to over 15,000 customers. The company continued this celebration over the next two decades, with over 130,000 customers having participated in the Canada Day promotion. 

Photo: Mandarin.

In 2002, Mandarin opened its massive 62,000-square-foot corporate headquarters in Brampton, which included a 20,000-square-foot flagship restaurant at 238 Biscayne Crescent, equipped with waterfalls, aquariums, and seating for up to 800 guests. The following year, Mandarin added a sushi bar to its already popular buffets. 

Photo: Mandarin.

Community involvement has also been a fundamental characteristic of the chain. In 2004, the company established the Mandarin Charitable Foundation (raising well over $4 million to date), and three years later, it committed a pledge of $1 million in support of the Schulich Heart Centre expansion at Sunnybrook Hospital, and became a major sponsor of the giant pandas at the Toronto Zoo. 

Photo: Mandarin. 

In 2013, the chain expanded its buffets even further by adding all-you-can-eat sashimi, cotton candy, and self-serve frozen yogurt. Today, Mandarin's restaurants average 150 feet of buffet tables lined with soups, salads, and classic Chinese-Canadian dishes like breaded shrimp, beef with broccoli, General Tao chicken, Shanghai noodles, dumplings, and a range of desserts, including chocolate cream pie, ice cream, and make-your-own waffles. 

The chain also celebrates its anniversaries in a big way — in 2019, for its 40th anniversary, Mandarin sent 40 winners on a trip through its year-long "Passport to China" contest. Previously, the company sent 35 winners to Japan for its 35th anniversary, 30 winners to Japan for its 30th anniversary, 25 winners to China for its 25th anniversary, and 20 winners to China for its 20th anniversary. 

Photo: Mandarin. 

Of course, the chain's growth didn't come without any challenges. In 2020, in response to the global pandemic, restaurants across the province shuttered their doors, and Mandarin's buffet-style process wasn't exactly welcomed amid efforts to maintain social distancing and increase sanitation. 

In an announcement posted on Mandarin's social media accounts, James Chiu announced that the company would be suspending its dine-in services at all of its 29 locations on March 16, 2020, while takeout and delivery options would still be available for customers.  

In July 2021, select locations began offering dine-in services again, including the chain's signature buffet, with strict capacity limits and frequently-disinfected utensils.

Against all odds, the chain managed to survive the pandemic unscathed and now operates over 30 locations across Ontario.

The average Mandarin restaurant size ranges from 12,000 to 15,000 square feet, and provides seating for 300 to 500 diners. Each location also employs approximately 100 people, meaning in total, the company employs well over 3,000 people in Ontario.