Our Mission. Our Story.
Our Mission
At Thaï Express, we’ve learned that when you treat your taste buds right, great things happen. Through the power of flavour, our mission is to share our love for Thaï food with the world!
In 1998 a Montreal businessman fell in love with Thaïland and instinctively knew that he wanted to share his love of Thaï cuisine and bring it to North America. With the help of 4 loving south-east Asian sisters - Loune, Line, Khay and Loy - his passion project became a reality; and with that, Thaï Express came to life.
Our Story
Determined to make authentic Thai food accessible across Canada, Thaï Express pioneered the quick-service Thai restaurant concept, introducing Canadians to the dynamic flavors they now love. From a single restaurant in downtown Montreal, the brand has grown to over 300 locations worldwide, firmly establishing itself as a Canadian business success story.
With the goal of bringing Thaï food to North America and making it more accessible, Thaï Express was the first quick service Thaï option and helped in introducing the dynamic flavours people have come to love. From the first location in Montreal Quebec the brand has now grown to over 300 locations worldwide.
They say it takes a village, and our village rooted from the Thongvan sisters who took a passion project and developed Thaï Express by bringing it to the next level. After immigrating from south-east Asia, Loune, Line, Khay and Loy brought their knowledge and love from their hometown to Thaï Express. While waiting for the creation of her own Thaï Express location, Loune worked in operations and started to refine family recipes for a North American market, developed an identity and brought the idea of Thaï Express to life. In the year 1999, Loune opened her first Thaï Express location in downtown Montreal, using the insight she gathered and developed over the years, to create a new Thaï Express concept that gained massive recognition and success.
Simultaneously with the help of her sisters Line, Khay and Loy, the team worked effortlessly behind the scenes to ensure that Thaï Express ran smoothly, efficiently and would continue to flourish within the Montreal market.
In 2004, Thaï Express joined MTY Food Group, one of Canada’s largest and most successful restaurant franchisors, further fueling the brand’s growth. Despite expanding worldwide, Thaï Express remains deeply connected to its Canadian roots, with the founding team still involved in the brand’s development. Today, Business Development Loune Thongvan, Senior Vice-President Dennis Ng, and Vice-President Tim Le continue to lead the business alongside a dedicated team committed to delivering authentic Thai flavors to communities across Canada and beyond.
Quality
process & people.
our purpose.
Thaï ♡
sharing the love.
A Proudly Canadian Restaurant Brand
From our first location in Montreal, Quebec, to our expansion across Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Ottawa, and beyond, Thaï Express has become a staple in the Canadian restaurant industry. We take pride in being a homegrown Canadian business, bringing authentic Thai flavors to busy Canadians while supporting local franchise owners.
Thaï Express has become a leading Quick Casual brand in the world dedicated to serving authentic Thaï cuisine. We’re committed to continuously improving our standards, exceeding expectations, and abiding by our fundamental core values with every action and decision that we take:
Thanks to the love and support of our loyal Canadian customers, Thaï Express continues to grow, bringing authentic Thai flavors to new locations while staying true to our roots. Whether you’re in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Halifax or beyond, we’re here to serve up the best of Thai cuisine—fast, fresh, and full of flavor.
