Boston Pizza is one of those really well-known restaurant chains in Canada that everyone and their mother has been to at least once — but having recently moved here from the U.K., I hadn't ever actually stepped foot in one ... until recently.
I'd only heard relatively mediocre things about Boston Pizza, yet still, some of my Canadian friends had this nostalgia-driven loyalty to the restaurant. Despite this, all they could really tell me was that it was just your average family-friendly chain restaurant with sub-par food and lots of kids.
The massive pizza chain — which actually started in Edmonton — apparently has 365 locations across Canada so it's fair to say it's pretty popular.
After hearing about the love/hate relationship some people in this country have with Boston Pizza, I went on a one-woman solo mission to see what it's like from an outside perspective.
Overall, I'd say I had a pretty on-brand Boston Pizza experience, right down to the sticky menu. Am I Canadian now?
The atmosphere
Inside Boston PizzaCharlie Hart | Narcity
I headed down to Boston Pizza on a pretty average Tuesday afternoon, however, it did also happen to be Valentine's Day so there were some vaguely themed decorations up for the occasion. But I couldn't help but think that if my date took me here, it would probably be the last one.
When I spoke to the host, they offered me a seat in the main restaurant or in the bar area, the main difference being the second option was kid-free so that worked for me.
Neither had very many customers as it was a Tuesday afternoon, but I can only imagine the chaos on a weekend when the joint is packed to the brim with rowdy families.
When I sat down at my table, I was genuinely shocked by the number of TVs and how aggressively loud the music was for such a quiet afternoon. There was also a man yelling into his phone at the table behind for the duration of the meal to really add to the ambiance.
My server – who was super friendly and definitely a redeeming factor – handed me a sticky menu and I set about working out what to order.
The food
Food at Boston PizzaCharlie Hart | Narcity
Being a complete Boston Pizza menu novice, I was pleasantly surprised to see that there was more to the menu than just pizza — with pasta, salads and other distantly Italian dishes on offer.
As pizza is in the name and I was a first-timer, getting the actual pizza made sense to me. I ended up opting for the Bourbon BBQ Chicken as it was on a deal that day for $13.
The pizza itself was super tiny and I realized at that point, it's probably way more cost-effective to get a large. After eating a slice though, I was glad I didn't.
I've definitely had worse pizzas in my life and if I'd picked up a slice of this on my way back from a night of drinking, I would have been very happy with my choice.
However, in the cold light of day, it really wasn't hitting the spot. The BBQ sauce was so sweet that it just overpowered everything else and the crust was pretty bland.
The experience overall
Outside Boston PizzaCharlie Hart | Narcity
From my first experience at Boston Pizza, I'd say the overall consensus of it being mediocre across the board is about right. The food and the vibe were both equally flat.
While it's not somewhere I'd actively look to go back to, I can see where Boston Pizza serves a purpose for families. It's a very basic menu with everything a kid is likely to eat on it from pizza to chicken fingers.
I just don't envy the parents who have no choice in the matter.
Take away the childhood nostalgia, and all you’re left with is some very meh pizza.