Donair Dude — Restaurant in Vancouver

I don't write reviews often, but after experiencing the Shawarma here I felt absolutely compelled to do so. First off, I take take my Shawarmas and general street meats seriously. I have eaten hundreds of donairs and wrapped sandwiches of various types spanning across 12 different countries and numerous ethnical origins. This isn't a food option for me, it's a way of life. Of all the different wraps and sandwiches I've had, Shawarma always stands out as king. That beautiful mix of grilled pita, seasoned tender meat, and an assortment of toppings I can't even begin to describe. The experience of a proper Shawarma is nearly out of body for me. Savory, sweet, salty, moist and yet still crunchy the Shawarma has it all.

Donair dude was suggested to me by a fellow Shawarma enthusiast, a Shwarm we'll call him. Decor isn't much in that establishment, but that's not why people go there. The staff are professional and polite. All the normal stuff you'd expect. Enough chat about that though, time to talk about the good stuff...

To be fair, my review is based entirely on the one and only food item I've had there. The plainly named "Chicken Sandwich". Don't let the name fool you, it's a Shawarma wrap through and through. Why they wouldn't want to advertise the king of sandwiches is beyond me. These bad boys are doubled-pita wrapped chicken filled pockets of pure ecstasy. They don't skimp on fillings either. My honest guess is that my wrap weighed around 2lbs. Just enough to satisfy my insatiable need to consume street meat until my next craving occurs.

The flavor profile here is really what matters. What Donair Dude does better than other similar stores in the area is flavor distribution. Each bite of your Shawarma experience (and yes it's an experience, not just another meal you require to provide your body with the sustenance and nourishment required to survive) is filled with a different but delicious portion of the shawarma. One bite could be chicken and hummus with hot sauce and a hint of lettuce, another could be pickled turnips, tahini and chicken. Donair Dude has carefully crafting their procedure in creating these sandwiches, so that the overall shape of your wrap is more wide than round. The order in which they add spreads, toppings, and meat is also key. It results in a sandwich with perfectly distributed innards. Each bite nets you some pita, chicken and sauce, but could also comprise any combination of other toppings. The effect is heavenly. Even as I write this my mouth is watering just thinking of food I ate days ago for under $9.

Which brings me to my last point. This marvel of international cuisine in being sold for 8 and half bucks, and it comes with a pop. Based on the quantity and quality of food you receive, I can only imagine that their profit margins are razor thin. I understand that they have to compete with other Shawarma restaurants in town, but still.

So that's it. Go experience this for yourself if you haven't already. I also understand that Shawarma's aren't for everyone. It's a whole lot of flavor for one sandwich, and for some it may be too much. If that's the case then I say you can happily go back to eating your soup broth and other lifeless meals, then return to your place of work for what I can only imagine is accounting. For the rest of us who enjoy life, I cannot suggest this place enough. You won't be...

I'm not sure if perhaps there's been a change of management/ownership... I've been eating there for years, but this place simply hasn't been the same... I will NOT be returning (donair on Granville Street is dime a dozen). The last time I visited, the employee just wasn't listening when I spoke loud and clear and had to constantly repeat on what I wanted and what I didn't want on my donair... then, when I asked to have a little bit of all 3 sauces, not sure if maybe she was annoyed with me or what, she went to town on the first sauce (yes, I spoke loud and clear and even made a hand gesture to imply "little". I had to wave at her to stop putting so much hot sauce). So, as I have mentioned, I've been eating there for years, one of my routines is to stop by there on my way going deeper into downtown Vancouver as I run errands (on foot) and perhaps do some street photography... I always use their washroom after I eat and before I proceed to head out on my long walk for the day... But on this particular visit, the washroom was locked, I looked over at the counter and I saw a key attached to a keychain (which I believe was the key for the washroom), I asked them if someone was in there and turned to look down at the key... All three employees (including someone that appeared to be the manager or owner) looked at each other and told me that the washroom was for employees only. Wow, really? I kinda rather they had just lied and said it was out of order... but this is what happens when things changed, as I suspect there has been change of management/ownership, and I will "change" to visit other donair establishments instead.

Oh, as for the food... oftentimes, the lettuce wouldn't be fresh (you can tell visually), which sucks because all I like on my donair (veggie wise) is lettuce and tomatoes... so, I'd end up just asking...

Imagine the worst customer service you can possibly receive now multiply it by 10. It used to be such a good place to get amazing food and receive good service. Now they are scamming people with buy one get one free offers and charging for both of those items. Plus if you are friends with the people working there, you can do whatever you want, get whatever you need and the rules dont apply to you and you are the donair kings. We went there on new years eve and wanted to use the washrooms after paying for a good amount of food. They told us the washrooms are closed we said ok that's understandable. Only to see a couple of people walking in and them telling the staff they need to use the washroom the staff smiled and happily let them push past us and use the washroom for as long as they needed.

The hypocrisy along with the huge decline in the quality of food and bad service makes me wanna never go back to...