'Sad day': Sale of St-Hubert has Quebecers clucking over rotisserie chicken

A quarter chicken leg meal in a takeout box from St-Hubert in Montreal on Thursday, March 31, 2016. (Peter McCabe / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Some Quebecers are clucking at news that St-Hubert is set to be sold to the owner of its rotisserie chicken-brand competitor, Swiss Chalet.

Cara Operations, which owns several national restaurant chains including Harvey’s and Swiss Chalet, announced the $537 million deal to acquire Groupe St-Hubert.

St- Hubert restaurants operate predominantly in Quebec, while Swiss Chalet serves its own brand of rotisserie chicken and special sauce in English-speaking provinces.

News of the deal prompted debate over which restaurant had the best rotisserie chicken, with many St-Hubert fans weighing in online:

The deal is also bringing hope to others who long for St-Hubert in other parts of Canada:

The acquisition also saw Quebec politicians lamenting online.

In a tweet, Parti Quebecois Leader Pierre Karl Peladeau said ‘it is a sad day” for Quebec, and that the province is “for sale.”

Peladeau also made reference to Rona, the Quebec-based home improvement retailer that was sold to U.S. giant Lowes in February for $3.2 billion.

One tweeter, @jybig61, said in a tweet: “Come on, the Liberals should nationalize St-Hubert and hire French-speaking players with the Canadiens.”