The first thing we noticed upon walking into Shoeless Joe’s in Meadowvale Town Centre last night was how wonderfully loud the place was. There was a DJ playing and it was jam-packed with people, but not the usual crowd of restaurant patrons—these were hockey players. Very young hockey players, dining there as a part of a new competition launched by the restaurant chain: “If Your Team Wins, Your Community Wins!”
But what would draw all those teams at once, aside from the great food and atmosphere? Two words: Former Maple Leaf Darcy Tucker. OK, so that’s five words.
Tucker was on hand as the spokesperson for the competition, but also to meet fans, sign autographs and take photos. And there were a lot of people who took the opportunity, including Spirit of the City Sales Manager Jay Kana.
Here’s how the competition works.
- Teams sign up for the Home Team Advantage (HTA) program either I the restaurant or online (shoelessjoes.ca). This will automatically enter you in the competition. Teams are rewarded with points every time they eat at Shoeless Joe’s, and 15 percent of every food order goes towards a tab for an end-of-year team party.
- The prize is for the community, so the more local teams that participate, the more point the community gets and the greater the chances are of winning. First prize is $20,000, second place is $10,000, and third place gets $5,000.
- Teams can also win individual prizes, such as $1,000 towards team fees and Budweiser Red Lights.
So what are you waiting for? Sign up your team!
For more information on the competition and on local launch parties, visit facebook.com/ShoelessJoes and shoelessjoes.ca.