Which Experience-Based Retailers Are Capturing Today’s Shoppers

With shoppers continuing to prioritize experience even in the face of macroeconomic uncertainty, dining, entertainment, and fitness & wellness services have encompassed the largest share of new store announcements − more than half of Canada’s Q1 announcements and more than 40 percent of U.S. announcements in the past year.

Dining remains the main driver of retail expansion, with quick-service, fast casual, and coffee shops and bakeries monopolizing announcements. Beyond experiential, other active categories include discount grocers, mass merchandisers, and cosmetics.

Toronto and Montréal continue to contribute the most to retailer expansion within major Canadian markets, followed closely by Calgary. Dining has contributed to Calgary’s emergence as a strong national retail node after the pandemic, with an increased depth of both national and international chains.
 

Ballroom Bowl’s new location at Yonge & Dundas in Downtown Toronto

Although restaurants started 2025 on strong footing, U.S. markets are projected to grow faster. Restaurant sales in the U.S. are estimated to grow an average of around 8 percent this year, and in Canada an average of 3 percent.

In Canada, the metro areas of Toronto, Montréal, Calgary, and Vancouver have attracted most dining concepts. This is in sync with projections that much of restaurant spending growth will come from major cities in the most populous provinces.

Good Earth Coffeehouse, Hello Nori, and WingsUp! are among the concepts that announced more locations in Q1. Other active Canadian operators include Happy Belly Food Group and Redberry Restaurants.

In the U.S., McDonald’s, Chipotle, and coffee chain Dutch Bros are among the most active. Also, Raising Cane’s, Dave’s Hot Chicken, and Wingstop lead the growing demand for chicken concepts.
 

Bready Bakery Café opens a 3,000-square-foot location at the base of Exchange Tower in Toronto’s Financial District

By far, dining and apparel & accessories lead in new Canadian mall store announcements, with QSRs increasingly establishing a presence in shopping centres. Other active categories include Asian beauty, consumer electronics, and home furnishings. Finally, there’s growing demand for athleisure apparel, wellness services, and lifestyle products.

Canadian mall landlords continue to invest in large flagship stores, indicating confidence in their prime retail locations and a shift towards creating destination retail experiences. Simons is opening locations in CF Toronto Eaton Centre and Yorkdale Shopping Centre.
 

Notable concepts opening in Canadian malls

Experiential concepts inked new U.S. mall deals in Q1

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Canada and the U.S. Unite in Restaurant Expansion

Canada retail market dynamics

United States Retail Market Dynamics Q1 2025