A popular Quebec restaurant chain has changed the name of its “Vladimir” poutine in protest of the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
Frite Alors, which has 13 locations across the province, has been serving Belgian and Quebec casse-croûte meals since 1991, the most popular of which is a poutine named after Russian President Vladimir Putin.
- You might also like:
- Allies in Fries: McCain suspends product shipments to Russia, shutters half-built facility
- Montreal restaurant takes poutine off the menu because of Putin
- "Children bear the brunt of this conflict": Stories from the Ukraine-Romania border
The name refers to how Putin’s name can be translated to “poutine” in French.
Effective immediately, Frite Alors says it has changed the name of its classic-style poutine, “La Vladimir,” to “La Volodymyr,” after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
In a Facebook post, Frite Alors reassures foodies its popular traditional poutine is “changing its name for the better” and says all of the tasty ingredients will remain the same.
On its website, the Quebec poutine joint says La Volodymyr poutine is “classic,” featuring Belgian fries, St-Guillaume cheese curds, and brown sauce.
View this post on Instagram
In a video posted to “Tout un Matin” of Radio-Canada, Frite Alors’ Product Development Director Yannick de Groote says the restaurant chain changed “La Vladimir’s” name after receiving comments and complaints from customers.
de Groote says the new name is meant to show solidarity with Ukraine and condemn the actions of Putin.
Frite Alors initially adopted “La Vladimir” as a joke name in 2012 during the beginning of Putin’s third term as Russia’s president.
Follow Channels and Categories