The Daily Grill, on the corner of Davenport and Northfield in Waterloo, has become one of my favourite restaurants in the region. So what is it about this restaurant that causes it to be the first one I consider when we feel like going out to eat?

The Daily Grill, on the corner of Davenport and Northfield in Waterloo, has become one of my favourite restaurants in the region. Would it win any awards for food preparation or culinary expertise? Not likely, mind you the food is good. Is it the most romantic or aesthetically pleasing environment? Not quite, but it’s comfortable. So what is it about this restaurant that causes it to be the first one I consider when we feel like going out to eat?

It started a few years ago when a few of my business associates and I had been frequenting a local restaurant. As much as I would love to publish the name of this old restaurant, I won’t (at this time). I couldn’t even guess at the amount of money we collectively spent at this particular restaurant, but when I think back to how regularly we went, it had to be in the tens of thousands. But the winds of change came through and what used to be our favourite restaurant has become our most despised.

How did it become so detested? New management, which led to a different culture, which led to great staff leaving, then followed with the elimination of what they considered costly and useless services such as the elimination of debit card usage (they forced you uset an ATM machine that charged $1.50 per transaction). These are just a few of the reasons we abandoned it and never returned. In fact, we make it a point to tell friends about this demise.

We needed a new hang out. We tried a few and within a very short time we ended up at The Daily Grill. We were greeted with a genuine welcome and sincere gratitude for coming to their restaurant. Pretty good start, I thought. We were attended to immediately, despite the restaurant being full. Nice follow through! The waitress was (and is) extremely personable and funny. And that was just the start.

We’ve grown to have nicknames for most of the wait staff (and they have some for us too). We’ve gotten to know the family that owns it. Momma Louisa, Poppa Greg, Brother Chris, who’s really a character and Sister Elpe ensure that everyone is treated with the utmost respect and care.

Bottom line is that they care about people and it shows. I encourage you to make it a habit to go The Daily Grill. You’ll see what I mean. Oh and…..they accept debit.