Mr. Mike's
Mr. Mike's is a Canadian casual-dining chain built around steaks, burgers and a West Coast-inspired steakhouse-casual format.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Mr. Mike's is a Canadian casual-dining restaurant chain whose identity developed from a low-cost, family-oriented restaurant in Vancouver into a franchised steakhouse and bar concept operating across Canada. The original restaurant opened on Granville Street in Vancouver in 1960. It was founded by brothers Bob and Nick Constabaris, who sought to provide an accessible dining experience for families. An unusual feature for the period was a self-service model. During the late 1960s, the business added a salad bar, while the Mikeburger became one of its best-known menu items. The burger was served on a fresh French loaf with garlic butter and the chain's signature Mike's sauce. The concept expanded rapidly through franchising. By 1970, the system had opened its fiftieth Mr. Mike's restaurant and had served more than 250,000 customers during that year. The chain reached a peak of 69 operating restaurants by 1980. An economic downturn in British Columbia in the early 1980s led to the closure of several locations, but 49 restaurants remained in operation by 1985. A significant change in the brand's direction occurred in 1995, when Bill and Kelly Ranford partnered with Darren and Lindsey Flintoff to acquire the chain. They repositioned it as a full-service West Coast-themed steakhouse and removed the salad-bar element from the concept. At that stage, the franchise system consisted of 21 restaurants. In 2006, FDC Brands, associated with Canadian entrepreneur Yuri Fulmer, acquired the Mr. Mike's Steakhouse and Bar chain and undertook a rebranding effort. RAMMP Hospitality Brands purchased the franchise system in 2011 and subsequently led another substantial modernization of the concept. Under RAMMP, the brand developed and promoted the term "Steakhouse Casual" to describe its market position. Reconfigured flagship locations reopened in Prince George, followed by restaurants in Quesnel and Mission. The revised concept was also introduced in markets such as Yorkton, Saskatchewan, and Bonnyville, Alberta. Rather than presenting itself solely as a traditional steakhouse, Mr. Mike's combined a restaurant experience with a lounge-oriented space known as the urbanLODGE. This format was intended to offer a food-focused dining area alongside a more relaxed social setting. The modern menu retains Canada AAA steaks and Mikeburgers as core offerings, while also covering salads, pasta and seafood. The chain no longer operates a salad bar, with that feature having been discontinued by 2015. Expansion into Eastern Canada began in 2017, when the first location in that region opened in Welland, Ontario, on November 21. Mr. Mike's remains a Canadian restaurant brand centered on accessible full-service dining, recognizable signature menu items and a casual steakhouse positioning.
History
Mr. Mike's began in 1960 when brothers Bob and Nick Constabaris opened a restaurant on Granville Street in Vancouver, British Columbia. Their initial objective was to offer families a comparatively inexpensive place to eat. The restaurant used a self-service approach, which was distinctive at the time, and later added a salad bar in the late 1960s. Its most prominent menu innovation was the Mikeburger: a burger patty served on fresh French bread with garlic butter and the chain's Mike's sauce. The Vancouver restaurant developed into a franchise system. In 1970, the chain opened its fiftieth franchise location and served more than 250,000 customers during the year. Expansion continued into the following decade, reaching 69 operating restaurants by 1980. The economic downturn that particularly affected British Columbia in the early 1980s forced a number of franchise closures. Nevertheless, the system still had 49 restaurants in 1985. The chain changed ownership and direction in 1995. Bill and Kelly Ranford joined with Darren and Lindsey Flintoff to acquire the business, which then had 21 franchised restaurants. The new owners shifted the concept toward a full-service West Coast-themed steakhouse and eliminated the salad-bar format. In 2006, FDC Brands acquired the Mr. Mike's Steakhouse and Bar chain and rebranded it. FDC Brands was associated with Canadian entrepreneur Yuri Fulmer. RAMMP Hospitality Brands acquired the Mr. Mike's franchise system in 2011. Its subsequent work focused on updating the brand and formalizing a new category called Steakhouse Casual. The first flagship locations using the revised format reopened in Prince George, followed by sites in Quesnel and Mission. The concept was also introduced to additional Western Canadian markets, including Yorkton, Saskatchewan, and Bonnyville, Alberta. The updated format combined a full-service restaurant with the urbanLODGE, a lounge-oriented area designed to provide a more relaxed social experience. The brand continued to emphasize steaks and Mikeburgers while broadening the menu to include salads, pasta and seafood. Although the salad bar had been part of the historical concept, it was no longer offered by 2015. In 2017, Mr. Mike's began expanding into Eastern Canada. Its first Eastern Canadian location opened in Welland, Ontario, on November 21. The chain is headquartered in Burnaby, British Columbia, and operates as a Canadian casual-dining brand under Mr. Mikes Restaurants Corp.
- 2017
Eastern Canadian expansion begins
[1]The first Mr. Mike's location in Eastern Canada opens in Welland, Ontario, on November 21.
- 2015
Salad bar no longer part of the format
[1]The chain's historical salad-bar feature is no longer offered by this point.
- 2011
RAMMP Hospitality Brands acquires franchise system
[1]RAMMP Hospitality Brands purchases the Mr. Mike's franchise system and begins a further modernization of the brand.
- 2006
FDC Brands acquisition and rebranding
[1]FDC Brands acquires the Mr. Mike's Steakhouse and Bar chain and rebrands the concept.
- 1995
Ownership-led concept change
[1]Bill and Kelly Ranford partner with Darren and Lindsey Flintoff to acquire the chain and reposition it as a full-service West Coast-themed steakhouse.
- 1985
49 restaurants remain after downturn
[1]Following closures associated with the early-1980s economic downturn in British Columbia, 49 restaurants remain in operation.
- 1980
Chain reaches 69 restaurants
[1]Mr. Mike's reaches a reported peak of 69 operating restaurants.
- 1970
Fiftieth franchise opens
[1]The chain reaches its fiftieth franchised restaurant and serves more than 250,000 customers during the year.
- 1960
First restaurant opens in Vancouver
[1]Bob and Nick Constabaris open the first Mr. Mike's restaurant on Granville Street in Vancouver, offering an accessible family dining experience with a self-service format.
Products and positioning
Mid-market full-service casual dining, combining a steakhouse menu with a relaxed lounge environment under the Steakhouse Casual concept.
Steakhouse entrees
Canada AAA steaks
Canada AAA steaks are a central part of Mr. Mike's contemporary menu and reinforce the brand's steakhouse identity. They are presented within a broader full-service casual-dining menu rather than as part of an exclusively premium steakhouse proposition.
Burgers
Mikeburger
The Mikeburger is the chain's signature burger offering and one of its longest-associated menu items. The original version used a burger patty on fresh French loaf with garlic butter and Mike's sauce, helping establish a recognizable alternative to the steak offerings.
Side dishes and entrees
Salads
Salads remain part of the restaurant menu even though the historical self-service salad bar was discontinued. They broaden the offer beyond steaks and burgers and support the chain's full-service casual positioning.
Entrees
Pasta dishes
Pasta is included among the non-steak entree categories offered by the modern Mr. Mike's concept, giving customers a broader choice within its casual restaurant format.
Entrees
Seafood dishes
Seafood dishes complement the chain's core steak and burger menu. Their inclusion reflects the transition from a narrowly defined steakhouse toward a broader full-service restaurant menu.
Lounge format
urbanLODGE
urbanLODGE is the lounge-oriented component of the Steakhouse Casual format. It operates alongside the food-focused restaurant area and is intended to provide a more relaxed social environment within the same location.
Brand decisions
2017
Expansion into Eastern CanadaStrategyBackground
After establishing and refreshing the Steakhouse Casual concept in Western Canadian markets, the brand pursued geographic expansion.
Action taken
Mr. Mike's opened its first Eastern Canadian location in Welland, Ontario, on November 21.
Aftermath
The opening extended the chain's operating footprint beyond its established Western Canadian base.
2011
RAMMP Hospitality Brands purchaseM&ABackground
RAMMP Hospitality Brands acquired the Mr. Mike's franchise system.
Action taken
RAMMP took control of the franchise system and began work on a further brand redevelopment.
Aftermath
The company introduced the Steakhouse Casual category, refreshed flagship locations and expanded the concept into additional Canadian markets.
2006
FDC Brands acquisitionM&ABackground
FDC Brands, a company associated with Canadian entrepreneur Yuri Fulmer, acquired the Mr. Mike's Steakhouse and Bar chain.
Action taken
The buyer acquired the chain and initiated a rebranding.
Aftermath
The transaction preceded further changes in the brand's ownership and concept development.
1995
Shift to a full-service West Coast-themed steakhouseStrategyBackground
The acquiring partners took control of a franchise system with 21 restaurants and sought to update its market position.
Action taken
They repositioned the chain as a full-service West Coast-themed steakhouse and removed the salad-bar feature.
Aftermath
The change marked a move away from the earlier low-cost self-service model toward a more conventional full-service restaurant format.
Recent events
Mr. Mikes joins Mealshare program[2]
Reported:
Mr. Mikes restaurants in High River and across Canada became part of Mealshare, a program through which participating restaurants and customers contribute to meals for children in need.
Sources2 sources
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