The owner of a Lebanese restaurant that's operated for years in a downtown Montreal food court is worried he may be forced to close over a dispute about pizza.
For nine years, Chez Fourna has been making manouchi - a round flatbread with toppings and baked in a wood-fired oven.
Owner Mohammad Eid said his troubles began last year when a Double Pizza opened in the same Carrefour Industrielle Alliance mall food court.
Chez Fourna Lebanese bakery/eatery at the Carrefour Industrielle Alliance food court whose managers are telling them they can't sell their flatbreads with toppings because it's too much like pizza and that Double Pizza in the same food court has exclusivity to pizza sales. #CJAD pic.twitter.com/6egWGb9kcx
— Shuyee Lee (@sleeCJAD) July 20, 2018
Eid said mall management told him to stop selling the manouchi with pizza-like toppings such as tomato sauce, cheese, basil and salami because that made it similar to pizza and Double Pizza had exclusivity for pizza sales in the food court.
Eid tried compromising with a rolled-up version of manouchi but he said management told him that wasn't enough and may cancel his lease if he didn't stop selling the item.
"Anybody in my place would be not happy, losing his business, he has family and three kids," Eid told CJAD 800.
"It's unfair."
Eid said manouchi is not even the same thing as pizza since the dough is made with just flour and water without eggs, oil, sugar or yeast.
Assaad Zakka comes to Carrefour Industrielle Alliance all the time and eats at both Chez Fourna and Double Pizza. He says restaurants should sell what they want and customers should be able to choose. #CJAD pic.twitter.com/ZPm81obaeG
— Shuyee Lee (@sleeCJAD) July 20, 2018
A steady stream of customers and even non-customers dropped by to support Eid.
"Why not? Everybody is allowed to sell what they want," said one woman buying her manouchi for lunch.
"I've never had a manouchi. But even if it tasted like pizza, it's irrelevant," said one man perusing the menu.
"He was here long before Double Pizza, he should have seniority. His pizza and products are different from theirs," said Jim who passed by to offer words of support to Eid.
Pierre Parent did the same but he also bought a manouchi to try.
"I'm simply here to support an honest business person," said Parent.
"I think it's just disgusting that corporations are pushing people around. He should be able to serve his food in any form that he's been serving since he's been open."
CJAD 800 is still waiting for comment from Ahern Real Estate Corporation which manages the mall.
"He's not directly competing w/ Double Pizza & there's no reason he should be pushed around the way he's being pushed around." - Pierre Parent who never ate @ Chez Fourna but had to drop by to show support in wake of news that it may lose its lease over a pizza dispute.#CJAD800 pic.twitter.com/7d4eQ6guBR
— Shuyee Lee (@sleeCJAD) July 20, 2018
Chez Fourna owner Mohammad Eid says management is telling him they may cancel his lease if he doesn't stop selling manouchi - open-faced flatbread with toppings like tomato sauce & cheese because it's too much like pizza which is exclusivity of new neighbour Double Pizza. #CJAD pic.twitter.com/KxrTcTT1cc
— Shuyee Lee (@sleeCJAD) July 20, 2018