Frequently Asked Questions
Corporate
Is Demetres a Canadian Company?
Yes, we are wholly Canadian owned and have been since our founding in 1989.
How do you pronounce Demetres
Three easy syllables: dee-me-trees
Locations
What are your hours?
All of our locations are open Monday to Sunday. Please visit our locations page to see hours for each location.
Do you have a dress code?
No, we don’t. Please wear whatever you’re comfortable in!
Do you have Wi-Fi?
Free Wi-Fi is available at select cafe locations.
Do you accept credit cards?
Yes we do. We accept VISA, MasterCard and Debit Interac.
What are your holiday hours?
Please visit our locations page to see holiday hours for each location.
Do you charge automatic gratuities?
Absolutely not. We will never charge automatic gratuities on any receipt. We thoroughly believe that tips are an entirely optional kindness a customer extends for good service at their discretion.
Can I make reservations?
Unfortunately we don’t accept reservations.
All tables are accepted on a walk-in basis, with seating dependent on getting the most number of guests to have to wait the least amount of time.
This can be a little tricky, but we do our best. If it is a large party, you can always call-ahead our cafes (approximately 2 hours before is best) to give us a heads-up and we’ll do their best to accommodate you.
This doesn’t mean, however, that we’ll accept a reservation, but rather, by knowing a large party will be coming, we’ll do our best to arrange the parties ahead of yours in a way to reduce overall time for everyone, including you (e.g. we won’t put a party of two in the middle of two tables of eight).
If you’d like to avoid the chance of waiting entirely, you’re also welcome to visit us at some of our non-peak hours. This varies from day to day and location to location, but usually the earlier the better. You can always call the cafe you’d like to visit to ask which days and times tend to have seating without having to wait at all.
Desserts
What types of dessert do you serve?
Our desserts are predominantly iced cream based (with hand-crafted artisanal iced cream), but not all desserts include iced cream. Some of our biggest sellers are gourmet crepes and waffles that are unlike any other, made using fresh delicious ingredients.
You’ll have to experience them for yourself to understand what makes them so uniquely Demetres delicious.
Where can I find your menu prices?
Nothing to hide here – every single price is listed on the website! Simply visit our menu page and click on any menu item to see its price.
Can I buy desserts to go?
Absolutely! Any of our menu items can be purchased as take-out. You can conveniently place an order through our website.
Do you deliver?
You bet! Our delicious desserts can be delivered right to you through our website.
How do I purchase your ice cream?
Our ice cream are available in 500mL pints, perfect for an at-home snack or get-together. You can purchase at our pints at any Demetres location or through our website.
Do you serve vegan items?
Yes, we have vegan features on our menu. Our premium Sorbettos are both made made from delicious, fruity tropical ingredients (and of course, no animal products!).
You’re also welcome to mix and match different ice creams and toppings that are vegan as well on our menu – all vegan items are indicated by a Ⓥ on the menu.
Do you serve gluten-free items?
Most of our ice cream flavours are gluten-free, with the exception of our Cocoa Chanel Ice Cream, which has brownies in it. Many of our toppings and sauces as well are gluten-free.
Are you nut-free?
No, we are not. Because of the nature of our handcrafted ice cream and desserts, some of our products may have come into contact with peanuts and other nuts. We use nuts, including peanuts, in our iced cream, and bakery items may either include or have been exposed to nut ingredients. If you or anyone in your party is allergic to nuts, we strongly advise you to take all necessary precautions for your safety.
Do you accommodate dietary restrictions?
We do our best! However, the dairy, nut and gluten rich nature of our dessert café environments can make it difficult to accommodate dietary restrictions as much as we’d like to.
Do you serve alcohol?
We do not serve alcohol. Prefer different? Let us know.
Does your ice cream contain alcohol?
We use 100% real Madagascar Vanilla in our Honey Vanilla Ice Cream and our crepe mix, which, by law, must contain a certain portion of alcohol to extract the Vanilla flavour properly.
However, it’s a strong real flavour, so we only add a small amount of vanilla in a very large quantity of ice cream/crepe mix, so it works out to a minuscule amount in your desserts.
Does your iced cream contain any eggs?
No, it doesn’t – with the exception of our Cocoa Chanel Flavour (which contains egg from fudge brownies). However, eggs are present in our crêpes, waffles and most of our baked goods.
Is your ice cream kosher?
Yes, our Iced Cream Mix is Kosher (COR507 Dairy). However, various ingredients mixed in or added after may not be.
Does your ice cream contain any animal by-products?
Our ice cream contains no animal by-products.
Can I purchase whole cakes?
Absolutely! Every cake in our selection can be purchased at any Demetres location. However, since we maintain as little stock as possible to ensure what we offer is the freshest, it’s a good idea to call ahead to make sure the specific cake you want is available for whole purchase that day.
We do not however, offer custom or birthday cakes. We only offer the very same cakes we serve on our menu in-house.
Do you provide recipes?
Since developing our recipes takes a lot of hard work, we consider them intellectual property, which we keep secret. On occasion, we do find recipes we think you’d enjoy making at home, and do our best to share them.
Where can I find nutritional information for Demetres desserts?
Sorry, we do not currently provide nutritional information for our menu items.
Do you offer a breakfast, lunch or dinner menu?
Not anymore.
We realized early on that if we wanted to offer the very best dessert experience, and do it better than anyone else, we would have to focus on doing just that. Our exclusively dessert and coffee menu has allowed us to achieve that goal, and a premium dessert experience that is accessible to a wide demographic continues to be the base for our successful company.
Why was my favourite item removed from the menu?
While it breaks our heart to remove items from our menu, it is sometimes necessary. We’re always looking to innovate with new desserts, flavours, and combinations, but in order to prevent our menu from becoming overwhelmingly large, we occasionally have to make tough decisions and remove items.
We’re very sorry, but are confident there’s at least one other item on the menu that can fill that spot in your heart!
Why do you charge a premium price for your desserts?
Thank you for asking. Seriously.
A long time ago, we decided that if we were going to exclusively serve desserts, they really should just be the absolute best. In order to do this, we spend a lot of time sourcing great quality ingredients.
Ontario farm fresh cream. Barry Callebaut Belgian Chocolates. Fresh fruit purees. Cocoa Barry French Chocolate. Crepes and waffles made with real butter, eggs, milk and flour. Incredibly small-batch roasted Toronto espresso beans. Authentic 100% real Vanillas. Not to mention all the other little things that go in making all our dishes.
In order to actually achieve great desserts, you can only use great ingredients.
Why are our prices so high? Because great ingredients are expensive and we refuse to do anything less.
We really do hope you can taste the difference.
Do you fry any of your foods?
No! We’re happy to say that none of our foods are fried. In fact, our cafes are purposely designed without fryers or any heavy duty oily kitchen equipment.
Where do you get your coffee beans from?
Our exclusive blends are crafted especially for us by our local coffee roaster based in Toronto.
Gift Cards
Where can I purchase Demetres gift cards?
You can purchase them right here on the website via our gift cards page or at any Demetres location. If you purchase them online, we ship via Canada Post, either Letter Mail or Express – your choice.
Can you send gift cards online?
Yes, we offer a variety of E-Gift Cards on our gift card page which are sent almost right away, or at a scheduled date via email (so you know you’ll be right on time). At the café, they can be redeemed right from the recipient’s mobile phone or printed and brought in.
What denominations are available for your gift cards?
They’re available in any denomination from $5-$1000.
Can I use Demetres gift cards at any of your locations?
Definitely. Our Gift Cards an be redeemed at any Demetres and Scooped by Demetres locations. You can also redeem your gift cards online for a pick-up or delivery order.
How do I check my gift card balance?
Visit our gift card page and click on Balance Check. Just make sure your pop-up blocker is disabled for this page.
Do the Gift Cards expire or have hidden fees?
Absolutely not! There are categorically no service, dormancy or any other fees either.
Do you provide discounts for Bulk Orders?
You bet! Please contact us directly via the contact page to get started.
Can I reload Demetres gift cards?
Yes, at any of our locations (sorry you can’t yet reload via the website).
Do you have a loyalty program?
Unfortunately we do not. While we genuinely appreciate all our loyal customers, we have not yet figured out a program that is genuinely rewarding without being too onerous for our customers.
Careers
What is the minimum age of employment?
We comply with the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act which dictates the minimum age to work in a restaurant not serving alcohol as 14.
How can I apply for a position with Demetres?
Please visit our Job Opportunities page for more information.
Can I apply for Demetres Corporate Office?
Please visit our Job Opportunities page for more information on current job openings.