Fran's Restaurant founder's son Francis Deck dies
Deck steered the iconic Toronto diner through decades as owner and operator, preserving the hospitality values that made it a household name across generations.
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Francis "Fran" Deck, son of Fran's Restaurant founder G. Francis "Fran" Deck, has passed away. He spent decades as the owner, operator, and steward of the iconic Toronto restaurant.
Fran's was founded in 1940 as a 10-seat diner at Yonge Street and St. Clair Avenue. It grew into one of Toronto's most recognizable restaurants, expanding to locations at Yonge and Eglinton, and College Street.
Under Deck's leadership, the restaurant preserved the values of hospitality, community, and accessibility that made Fran's a household name. "He will be deeply missed by his family, friends, former colleagues, loyal customers, and the many people whose lives he touched throughout the city," his family said Monday evening.
The Kim family acquired Fran's in 1998 and opened additional locations at Victoria and Shuter streets in 2004, and near Yonge and Front streets in 2010. Only two Fran's locations remain open in Toronto: Yonge and College, and Victoria and Shuter.
Funeral and memorial details are expected to be announced by the family at a later date.