This ‘old school’ Toronto restaurant is rolling weekday brunch prices back to 1995, Canada Reviews

Toronto brunch spot Old School is turning weekday mornings into a time machine (well, at least for your wallet). The retro-forward restaurant in the city’s Dundas West neighbourhood is running a Throwback Brunch promotion, bringing back comfort-food classics on weekdays (dine-in only) for just $4.95.

“This is our way of saying thank you for supporting your local Dundas West spot so hard that now people from all over the world show up for a stack of Blueberry Hill Pancakes and a proper plate of Bennies,” the restaurant noted in a promo post on its website, adding that these are “prices we haven’t seen since 1995!”

The deal runs until Feb. 27, with a different throwback plate each weekday: a BLT with fries on Mondays, “Return of the Mac n’ Cheese” on Tuesdays, Blueberry Hill Pancakes on Wednesdays, Strawberry Waffles on Thursdays, and a “Combo of Three” (home fries, beans, and two eggs) on Fridays.

We’re only a few weeks into 2026, and it already feels like a nostalgia-heavy year, with people looking back at everything from old social media posts to throwback pricing. And as the cost of living continues to shape how people eat out, more businesses are experimenting with price drops and value offers to keep customers coming through the door.

Sam James Coffee Bar is another Toronto spot drawing attention for its discounted pricing. After originally dropping drip coffee to $2.49 last year as a limited-time deal, the company decided not to revert to higher pricing this year.

“We talked about raising it back. Then we looked around and decided not to.
Rent didn’t get cheaper.
Neither did groceries. So we landed here.
Any size drip coffee is $2.99. No end date. A lower, lasting price.
See you soon,” the coffee bar noted in a recent Instagram post.

Even fast food joints are getting in on the price lock trend. McDonald’s Canada announced a one-year “price promise” that locks in $5 McValue Meals and $1 small McCafé coffee for a year. It’s the first time in over a decade that McDonald’s Canada has publicly committed to a price lock of this kind.

“The decision underscores the company’s dedication to delivering reliable value at a time when Canadians are navigating rising costs,” the company stated.

With affordability top of mind for a lot of diners right now, don’t be surprised if more restaurants respond with more deals like this in the months ahead (thankfully, Old School’s version comes with pancakes and mac n’ cheese!).

Old School is located at 800 Dundas St W.