Seattle Restaurants Are Offering Visiting Canadian Tourists a Discount, and an Apology | Eater Seattle
"The storied local seafood chain has long cultivated ties with Canadian visitors and is a lead organizer of the Open Arms for Canada campaign, which will accept Canadian dollars and discount tabs by roughly 30 percent for anyone who can show a Canadian ID during Blue Jays weekend. The campaign was hatched by a group of local businesspeople, including Bob Donegan and Howard Wright. Says Bob Donegan, the president of the storied local seafood chain, “They take over the waterfront, the downtown hotels, all the restaurants, and there’s as many Blue Jay hats and jerseys at [the ballpark] as there are Mariner things.” “It’s just a delightful weekend.” Donegan recalls historical outreach to Vancouver: the founder Ivar Haglund donated the animals in his aquarium to Vancouver when he closed it, and, as he puts it, “And [the chain] was the largest advertiser on Vancouver radio and television during the ’50s and the ’60s, because whenever any Canadians came to town, he wanted to stop by the waterfront and visit [that location].” Donegan also notes that the chain normally avoids statements about politics or religion and doesn’t believe this campaign violates that dictate. He adds, “We like the Canadians so much. They’re friendly, they’re pleasant, they’re family people, and they got that delightful accent, eh?”" - Harry Cheadle
