85 years of services to members

Like the ARQ, member services have evolved considerably over the course of the Association’s history. From the cooking classes and recipes offered in the 1950s to the wide range of services offered today, the ARQ is always striving to make life easier for its members.

The First Services

The 1950s were the years when the modern face of the ARQ took shape. Founder Eddy Prévost, a restaurateur and man of action, wanted to give Québec restaurateurs the means to make their industry shine. He therefore focused on training. Mr. Prévost decided at that time to give recipes to chefs. He also organized demonstrations; 3 000 in 16 years for a total of 900 recipes! He also taught ARQ members how to calculate the cost price of a dish.

The Range Expands

The 1980s were a turning point in the provision of services to members. They set the tone and the path to follow. It was at this time that agreements were signed with MasterCard for preferential rates and with general bakeries for exclusive discounts for members.

Over the years, the range of services grew. In 1985, the Association entered the computer age. It allowed its members to benefit from preferential rates for credit card transactions, free installation and a discount on the rental price of a point-of-sale terminal, a commercial insurance program, and corporate rates with certain car rental companies. At the end of 1987, an exclusive partnership allowed ARQ members to receive a 4% discount on their gasoline bill. The health of members also had to be considered: a group insurance program was set up.

New Enthusiasm

The early 1990s were marked by the “natural gas discount program” that the ARQ set up thanks to the liberalization of the energy market. The savings made by members were significant. This gave the ARQ new impetus. In 1995, it signed a partnership with Dale-Parizeau LM for very advantageous commercial, personal and drug insurance services. This partnership is still in effect with the company that has since become Lussier.

Purchasing Program

In 2006, the ARQ created the Programme d’achats Privilège Plu$ (PAPP), which has become one of the largest in Québec.

Bringing together some one hundred restaurateurs and two partners, including the historic Distal, which later became Gordon’s Food Service, the PAPP now has nearly 3 000 members, 27 partners and some one hundred suppliers. More than $6.3 million in rebates were paid out during the 2021-2022 fiscal year - a record!

CLAUDE MÉNARD, MEMBER 0001 OF THE PURCHASING PROGRAM!

Owner of the restaurant Le Montagnais in Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré and previously in Saint-Tite-des-Caps, Claude Ménard has been an active member of the ARQ since 1986. He was also president of the ARQ Board of Directors in 2012-2015 and did not hesitate for a second to be part of the Plu$ Privilege Purchase Program (PAPP) when it was launched in 2006.

ARQ Info: 17 years ago, when the PAPP was born, why did you join immediately?

Claude Ménard: At the time, I was a member of the ARQ Board of Directors.

When the idea came up, I joined right away. I am member 0001. That was in 2006. To date, with the PAPP, I have collected $250,000 in rebates, and that’s just with the Sainte-Anne-deBeaupré restaurant. The PAPP has also allowed me to learn about new products and suppliers. As an independent restaurateur who is not part of a chain, there can be no better organization than the ARQ to help you start a restaurant project or to continue in the field with all the advice and benefits offered by the Association.

For you, the ARQ is much more than the PAPP. Why are you involved?

I care about the restaurant industry; I want to move the industry forward. I am passionate about the restaurant industry. I used to attend the various ARQ events, whether it was general meetings or organized activities. It was a group that I liked and I jumped at the chance to sit on the Board. I’ve been through some big battles, some big issues: the tobacco ban, the arrival of the MEV and more recently the modernization of the Liquor Licence Act.