Table Talk

Table Talk from MTL Resto Rap explores the people, conversations, ideas and stories shaping Montreal’s restaurant and food scene, from chefs and restaurateurs to dining culture and the business behind the plate.

A close-up shot of a person's hands holding a smartphone, capturing a photo of a restaurant meal featuring a burger and fries.

Tony Medeiros

Table Talk

The Free Meal Hustle. Are Food Influencers Taking Restaurants for a Ride?

Montreal restaurants face requests for free meals from food influencers. Is it genuine promotion or an expectation of free dining?

Sabayon restaurant interior in Montreal, featuring a reserved wooden dining table set with wine glasses, folded napkins and silverware, navy banquette seating, black pendant lights and large street-facing windows.

Tony Medeiros

Table Talk

We Pay Uber Before the Food Arrives. Why Not Pay Before We Sit Down?

Could prepaid dining give independent restaurants a financial lifeline? Montreal's Sabayon offers an intriguing example of a different way to run a restaurant.

Blindfolded Lady Justice dressed as a restaurant worker in an apron, holding a tray of burgers and fries while balancing a tip jar and a payment terminal on her scales.

Tony Medeiros

Table Talk

Tipping the Scales: Who Is Getting Your Tip?

Leaving a restaurant tip seems simple, but what happens after the money is collected? Quebec has rules protecting employees’ tips, and restaurant owners need to…

PayFacto payment terminal displaying 18%, 20% and 22% tip options, alongside a pleading 🥺 emoji and the message, “Our team works hard. A tip would really help! Thank you!”

Tony Medeiros

Table Talk

The Tip Screen Strikes Again: When Does Generosity Start Getting Expensive?

A daily coffee and Danish seem harmless enough, until the tips add up. One Montreal diner's credit card statement sparks a bigger question about tipping.

An advertisement for A&W root beer features a frosty mug sitting at the surface of orange liquid, with the bulk of the drink submerged below like an iceberg, surrounded by bubbles against an orange background.

Tony Medeiros

Table Talk

A&W Doesn’t Want Ice in Your Drink. But What About Takeout?

A&W skips the ice to protect its drinks from dilution, but should takeout customers have the option of a few cubes?

An outdoor city street scene showing construction barriers with orange and white striped wooden rails. Two orange signs with black text in French read "RUE BARRÉE" (street closed) and "DÉTOUR" (detour) with an arrow indicating a U-turn. Blue temporary fencing, snow piles at the base, and historic European-style architecture are visible in the background under a blue sky with scattered clouds.

Tony Medeiros

Table Talk

Montreal Is Upgrading Its Streets. Are Restaurants Paying the Price?

Montreal construction disrupts restaurant access and sales. From Verdun to downtown, are street upgrades putting local businesses at risk?

A close-up view of a restaurant table set for dinner with a 'RESERVED' sign, a small lamp, glasses, and a plate, against a blurred backdrop of city lights and a vibrant red sunset.

Tony Medeiros

Table Talk

OpenTable Privacy: What Diners Should Know About Their Data

OpenTable makes restaurant reservations easy, but what happens to your personal data? A diner weighs convenience, deals and privacy.

A tall glass of dark brown cola with ice and many bubbles sits on a white napkin on a wooden table. To the left is a small potted plant and a pepper grinder. In the background, out of focus, are dark booths and people dining in a restaurant.

Tony Medeiros

Table Talk

Why Does Your Restaurant Coke Cost $4?

Why does a restaurant Coke cost $4? We look at fountain drinks, restaurant margins, self-serve soda and who really controls the experience.

Uber Eats has become part of the restaurant business, connecting restaurants with customers who want convenience. Uber Eats: The Necessary Evil of the Restaurant Business.

Tony Medeiros

Table Talk

Uber Eats: The Necessary Evil of the Restaurant Business

Uber Eats has become part of the restaurant business, connecting restaurants with customers who want convenience.