Francis “Fran” Deck, a longtime figure connected to one of the city’s most recognizable restaurant legacies, has passed away.
Deck was the son of Fran’s Restaurant founder G. Francis “Fran” Deck. The younger Fran helped carry on the family legacy behind the popular Toronto diner, which has been part of the city’s food scene for more than 85 years.
He served as an owner, operator and steward of Fran’s for decades, helping preserve the restaurant’s character and traditions after his father first brought the now-iconic name to the city.
Fran’s Restaurant was founded in 1940, when G. Francis “Fran” Deck opened a modest 10-seat diner at Yonge Street and St. Clair Avenue. It quickly became a city institution, famous for creating the first known bacon cheeseburger, the Forest Hill Burger, in 1941. The family later expanded the restaurant with more locations, including Yonge and Eglinton in 1945 and College and Yonge in 1950.
For decades, Fran’s became known as a dependable Toronto gathering place, serving generations of customers and becoming part of the city’s late-night and comfort-food culture. Its history also includes plenty of local lore: famed Canadian pianist Glenn Gould was a regular at the St. Clair location. He would apparently arrive at 2 a.m. and always order a plate of scrambled eggs!
The Joon and Mi Sook Kim family acquired Fran’s in 1998, later opening the Victoria Street location in 2004, followed by a location near Yonge and Front in 2010, which closed during the pandemic.
In a statement reported by CityNews, Robert Kim, one of Joon and Mi Sook’s sons, said Fran Jr.’s pride in the restaurant, its people and its place in Toronto was “unmistakable.”
“Through his stories, it was easy to see why Fran’s has remained such a beloved gathering place for more than 85 years,” the statement read.
Today, two Fran’s locations remain standing in Toronto: one at Yonge and College and another at Victoria and Shuter, making it a good reminder to visit the city’s classic diners while they’re still around.
Funeral and memorial arrangements are expected to be shared at a later date.