In the 1920s, White Spot's founder, Nat Bailey, operated a travelling lunch counter in Vancouver, operating out of a 1918 Model T. He sold hotdogs for a dime and ice cream for a nickel. In 1928, Bailey founded the first White Spot restaurant. Initially, he had planned on naming the eatery the Granville Barbecue, but changed his mind instead taking the advice of a friend who suggested he call it White Spot in honour of a restaurant on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles, California—in part because the name sounded spotless and clean. That White Spot restaurant in Los Angeles has long since closed. The first restaurant was located in the Marpole neighbourhood, at 67th and Granville Street, at what would become known as Granville House, in Vancouver, British Columbia. The restaurant was called White Spot Barbecue Sandwiches, evolving into a drive-in and dining room. By 1955, the chain was serving 10,000 cars a day and 110,000 customers a week. By the 1990s, some White Spot drive-ins were phased out owing to an increase in the number of franchise restaurants and a gradual decrease in the popularity of drive-ins. Granville House was a popular dining spot until 1986 when a fire in the kitchen damaged the building. The restaurant closed permanently at that location shortly thereafter, despite some talk of rebuilding.
Franchising and growth
The chain was sold to General Foods in 1968 when Bailey retired. In 1982, White Spot returned to local ownership when the company was purchased by BC businessman Peter Toigo, becoming part of Shato Holdings Limited. After his death in 1993, his sons Peter and Ron Toigo took over ownership. In 1986, the chain was sued in the court caseGee v. White Spot. The plaintiffs, Mr. Gee and Mr. and Mrs. Pan, claimed damages for botulism poisoning related to a beef dip sandwich. The decision made it easier for diners to sue restaurants for breach of contract and implied warranty instead of the harder-to-prove negligence. In 1993, White Spot introduced franchising, and in 1997 it launched its Triple-O's quick service brand, which is named after White Spots' trademark hamburger sauce. Since 1999, the company's franchises have been installed on some ships in the BC Ferries fleet. By the 2000s, the chain was opening burger-focused takeouts at its Triple-O's locations. In 2012, 64 White Spot restaurants and 62 Triple -O's served 17 million customers and generated $200 million in gross revenues. and ice cream Chef Chuck Currie has been featured in marketing campaigns alongside guest celebrity chefs hailing from Vancouver, including John Bishop, Rob Feenie, Umberto Menghi, and Melissa Craig.
