7/28/06 - Background: Chip Stands
On our previous big trip in 2001 we rafted on the Ottawa River with a company named Esprit (we also kayaked it later on the same trip). As we were on the bus leaving base camp, the guides told us about the small shacks we saw lining the road: “chip stands,” they called them, “the second largest industry in this town after rafting.” A chip stand is a small hut on the road that sells some combination of fries (chips), burgers, ice cream, and a variety of other similar foods. They are quite common in parts of Ontario and Quebec, particularly (in our experience) in small towns along the main roads that otherwise have very little on them. We both love French fries so naturally we are big fans of these stands and wish there were more of them in US. :-) We always make a point of stopping at least once at one when we are in Canada (which seems to happen at least once per summer).