After seeing a beloved restaurant in his hometown of Toronto was closing down, Drake swooped in and has offered to buy the business in order to keep it open to the public.
Randy’s Patties announced in an Instagram post that it would be closing its doors on February 26th after 40 years in business. The restaurant provided a variety of reasons for the decision, including labor shortages, aging owners, and the impact of the coronavirus pandemic over the last two years.
Describing itself as a family run Jamaican business, the restaurant expressed gratitude to its faithful customers in the post, writing, “We are very thankful to be a part of this amazing community. Thank you for all the great years.”
With only two days notice in advance of the closure, Randy’s Patties – located at 1569 Eglinton Avenue West – saw an influx of customers the following day, with reports of hundreds of people lining up down the block.
"This was one of the best places to buy patties," one customer told CTV News. "Any time you think of Oakwood and Eglington, the first place you always think of is Randy's."
The company’s social media post caught the attention of many followers, but there was one in particular who it struck a chord with – Drake. In the comments section, the rapper wrote, “I’ll buy Randy’s right now.”
It’s unclear if Drake plans to put in an offer or how much it would cost him to keep the shop open. But with a reported net worth of $200 million, it’s definitely doable for the Canadian celebrity.
And it appears the rapper may have started negotiations. As per Complex, the restaurant’s manager gave an interview with The Roz & Mocha Show’s Damnit Maurie, where he shares that the owners have heard from “several people” about buying the business, including one who allegedly represents Drake.
“I’m not really at liberty to discuss this right now,” he explained. “We haven’t even started any real discussion or discourse yet amongst ourselves, much less with anybody else.”
The manager added the owners have taken “a step back” and are looking at “what options are available.”
This wouldn’t be the first time Drake invests in the restaurant and food industry. Last year, the entertainer bought a stake in Dave’s Hot Chicken franchise, which also has big-name investors like Boston Red Sox Chairman Tom Werner and actor Samuel L. Jackson. Drake has also opened a number of restaurants in Toronto over the years, so he may be adding Randy’s to the list soon.
Sources: CTV News, Instagram @randyspatties, Complex,