Grand Finales Café takes cake and icing too!

Burnside - If the Burnside Business of the Year awards came in the form of a cake, Grand Finales Café and Catering would have its cake and get to eat it too. The popular Burnside eatery, located at 109 Ilsley Avenue, won the category for Hospitality with under 10 employees for 2008.

Grand Finales finished in the final six in the 2006 Burnside Business of the Year Awards and had no trouble taking the trophy in the 2008 awards program.

Owner Bobby Giannopoulos says the secret of his success is simple.

Youve got to take care of people, he says.

Giannopoulos says winning the award is icing on his cake. Im very happy, very excited about it. I have to say thanks to everyone who works at the café and to all our customers.

With 10 years at the helm of Grand Finales, Giannopoulus says the challenge these days isnt building a dedicated clientele, but keeping food prices and quality high at a time when the cost of his staples, such as flour and oil, have skyrocketed.

Weve more than doubled our customer base since we bought the restaurant and thats because we make everything here from scratch, he says. Our customers know they can depend upon us for quality. Its a challenge for us to keep the prices affordable and maintain the quality were known for. I will not sacrifice food quality or customer service.

Its that attitude that won Grand Finales a Burnside Business of the Year Award. The customers have spoken.

Grande Finales serves breakfast daily from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m., with lunch running until 3 p.m. Take out is available and the restaurant offers trays of sandwiches, fruits and sweets for both business and home gatherings.

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