For the second year in a row, Canada’s Wonderland has turned down a bid for a kosher food cart in the amusement park located north of Toronto.
Isaac Kraus, who had been negotiating for a kosher hot dog cart that would also provide cold cut sandwiches, hamburgers, falafels, salads and other foods, received an email on March 16 from Wonderland vice-president and general manager Norm Pirtovshek, turning him down.
“At this time, we have no requirement for another supplier of kosher product,” Pirtovshek stated. “Based on consumer demand, the product offering we have at this time fills the need of our guests.”
Kraus said Pirtovshek was referring to Wonderland carrying pre-packaged dairy sandwiches provided by Tov-Li, to be made available at various restaurants in the park. However, his proposal was to sell meat meals at a dedicated cart.
Kraus said he is disappointed at Wonderland’s decision, especially since he was led to believe early in the negotiation process that the theme park was receptive to his proposal.
Kraus said he had met with Brian Kerr, the park’s food manager, who was eager to hear his ideas. But that was last summer, not long after Wonderland turned down Howie T’s bid to offer kosher meat meals. Howie Rosenberg, who runs Howie T’s, had been providing kosher meals at Wonderland for two years before being told in 2015, shortly before the summer season began, that his services were no longer required.
Kraus attempted to step into the void, offering to open a cart in mid-August. He said he was told at the time it was too late for the 2015 season, but he should apply for 2016.
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Negotiations continued in the fall and early winter. At first, talk was about Kraus obtaining a kiosk, but Wonderland wanted him to agree to install a new burner and pay 50 per cent of his gross take. Kraus agreed to both. However, as time went on, Wonderland indicated that a kiosk was not available and negotiations turned to a food cart instead. Still, Kraus said, he was willing to accommodate the park.
Over the winter, talks bogged down. Kraus found his calls to Wonderland went unanswered. Meetings were re-scheduled. Then on Feb. 16, he received an email from Brian Kerr, the park’s director of food operations, stating: “Unfortunately we’ve been unable to take on any new concessionaires as our space hasn’t become available as we first thought.”
When Kraus complained to Pirtovshek, saying a food cart takes up very little space, Wonderland’s general manager responded with the March 16 email saying there was insufficient demand.
Coincidentally, Rosenberg went through a similar negotiating experience the year before. Rosenberg operated Howie T’s food cart at Wonderland for two years before he was told in the spring of 2015 that his services were no longer required.
At the time, a Wonderland spokesperson told The CJN the decision was made because of “lack of demand and minimal sales.”
Kraus, who operated a successful kosher food cart in Wonderland until 1997, and later in Niagara Falls for several years, is puzzled. “When I first started with them, they had Tov-Li. Why negotiate with me for six months? They already had Tov-Li.”
Kraus believes Wonderland does not appreciate the benefits of a dedicated kosher spot in the park. The cart will attract people who otherwise wouldn’t visit Wonderland, he said.
Asked to comment about Kraus’ concerns, Soulla Lindo, Wonderland’s manager of public relations and communications, said Tov-Li is currently providing kosher meals at the Backlot Cafe and Action Zone.
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There was no way to hook up a food cart to water and electricity services, she said, though Kraus maintains his cart is self-contained.
“We’ve done it in the past,” Lindo said. “We’ve gone down this route and offered kosher food items and the sales weren’t there.”
Kraus believes the business is there. For kosher consumers, he said,“hot dogs are a treat in itself. For the Orthodox, it’s a huge deal.”