Luckys Snack Bar: A Favourite Spot for Travellers

Founded in 1969, this iconic Ontario snack bar along the Trans Canada Highway is known for its burger and fries and award-winning secret gravy!
Luckys Snack Bar

When a business has been around since 1969, you know it must be doing something right. Luckys Snack Bar is in the village of Spanish, Ontario. Just within the eastern border of Algoma District and Algoma Country about 190 km east of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

Two giant orders of poutine on a countertop.
The famous poutine from Luckys. Is your mouth watering yet? Photo credit: Luckys Snack Bar

I met up with Sherri Odenback, the current owner for the past nine years, on a beautiful summer afternoon. She'd grown up in the area and loved Luckys. "When an opportunity came up to buy it, I jumped on it and have never looked back. I now have another restaurant by the same name and menu just down the road in Walford, Luckys Home Style Restaurant,” she told me. Both businesses employ about seven people, with the snack bar open seasonally from May to the end of September and the restaurant open year-round.

Luckys Snack Bar Spanish Ontario
Photo credit: Sandra Trainor

What is it about Luckys that keeps their customers coming back? Maybe it is the fact there are daily specials, or that the burgers are made fresh every day, or that the French fries are cut fresh daily. Or maybe it's because their gluten-free gravy was voted the best in Ontario by the “Trans-Canada Fryway” guys

2 Luckys Hamburgers on a wooden countertop
Photo credit: Luckys Snack Bar

The Menu 

Luckys' menu is extensive and varied. Everything from burgers, wraps, hotdogs, and hot sandwiches. Fries, poutine and deep-fried selections to fish and chips or shrimp and fries. They have a big selection of desserts like soft serve ice cream, banana splits, ice cream sandwiches or ice-cream pies. They also offer 15 flavours of Farquhar’s ice cream—Luckys is known as the "big scoopers.” Not to mention the butter tarts, brownies, and variations of those with more ice cream. How about an ice cream float or milkshake? Luckys offers it. 

Luckys Snack Bar hotdog Luckys Snack Bar club sandwich and fries Luckys Snack Bar ice cream sandwich Luckys Snack Bar milkshakes
Photo credit: Luckys Snack Bar

If you are looking for vegetarian options, those are available to, at the chip stand. “Everything on our menu is made to order. We value freshness and our customers appreciate that," Sherri said. Produce comes from Massey Wholesale as well as Small Bites Grocers in Spanish. Potatoes are sourced from Chelmsford, Ontario and ice cream from Farquhar’s Dairy in Espanola.

While you're waiting for your order, enjoy the quirky and historic signs that adorn Luckys inside and out. Then enjoy your meal on one of the plentiful picnic tables spread around the grounds. For the kids, there is some playground equipment to run off some steam.  

Luckys Snack Bar children's playground
Photo credit: Luckys Snack Bar

Luckys is a welcome break and a friendly stop for the travelling public who come from far and wide. "Yesterday we had a couple from Switzerland,” Sherri said. “Our customers are tourists, but many are from the local area who have come to love our food as much as I did when I was growing up.”

Sherri wanted to add that she is proud to join many of the women-owned businesses in Spanish. “Our town council are all women too!” Sherri's positive energy and enthusiasm come through in how she treats her employees and her customers. I would say that is much more than lucky!

Luckys Snack Bar

Owner: Sherri Odenback
93 Front Street Highway 17 East Spanish
OPEN 7 Days per week 11 am to 8 pm
Mother’s Day weekend – End of September

Luckys Home Style Restaurant

403 TransCanada Hwy 17 Walford

About Sandra J. Trainor

Born and raised in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Sandra is a Freelance Marketing Consultant, specializing in assisting busy small businesses maximize sales and marketing ROI. Sandra recently returned to her hometown, after living and working in the Simcoe County area for more than 30 years. It was there where she developed her passion for local food and agriculture, while working with farmers, producers, farmers’ markets, retailers, and restaurateurs. She believes that food brings people together, no matter what their background and that food grown and produced close to us should be not only supported, but celebrated. In her spare time, Sandra loves to explore area lakes in her kayak and spending time at her cottage on the North Shore.