Happy "Friday Jr." — Andrew from Narcity here. ☕
Off The Top: "Cheadle" is apparently the name for the neon orange cheese dust you end up discovering in every nook and cranny after eating a bag of Cheetos. It's also the name of a town in Alberta that recently installed a massive roadside tribute to the finger-staining snack food. There is no greater endorsement for the value of public art.
In Case You Missed It
1. It Will Soon Become More Expensive To Pay With A Credit Card In Canada
Life with plastic isn't quite as fantastic after a class-action lawsuit has forced credit card companies Visa and Mastercard to allow businesses to pass some surcharges on to their customers. The longtime standard has been for vendors to pay the credit card companies a small fee to process the transaction, usually 1.5-2.5% of the sale. Now, those businesses can offset the fee by adding a surcharge to the customer's bill as long as they disclose that the fee isn't technically coming from the credit card company. Confused? Tristan Wheeler takes us through the latest development right here.
- So What? One survey found that 19% of small businesses intend to add the surcharge right away, while 25% will do so if their suppliers or competitors do. Even larger corporations like Telus have said they will charge customers 1.5% to pay with credit cards starting October 17.
- My Take: I can't wait to panic-tip 20% on top of taxes and credit card surcharges for my $6 takeout coffee.
2. POV: The Surefire Ways To Make The Local McDonald's Staff Hate You
Long before she joined Narcity, Sarah Rohoman used to sling Big Macs and fries at the local Mickey D's, including during the dreaded night shift. Sure, a job like that teaches a little resilience (and $12 an hour as a 16-year-old ain't half bad) but there was also no shortage of things that annoyed the staff to no end. From customers asking for "fresh" ingredients to complaining about the ice cream machine's state of disrepair, here are seven common behaviours that Sarah and her McDonald's cohort couldn't stand.
- Also: While on the topic of McDonald's, Tristan Wheeler explored if the much (over-)hyped Happy Meals for adults will soon come to Canada. If you had your heart set on getting a cheap plastic toy with your lunch, he has some bad news for you.
3. OK, What The Heck's Going On With This Tom Brady-Gisele Bündchen Situation?
You are no doubt generally aware of who Tom Brady is, yes? The legendary NFL quarterback walked away from the game last winter after a sensational season at age 44 — then promptly unretired after evidently realizing he'd rather hang out with a bunch of sweaty 20-something-year-olds experiencing collective brain trauma than his supermodel wife Gisele Bündchen and kids. Now that the power couple appears to be headed for divorce over the matter, Sameen Chaudhry breaks down all the assets they'd need to untangle in a potential split.
- What Else? If your sadness over a broken home is outweighed only by the hilarity of rich and beautiful celebrities experiencing misfortune, climb aboard the meme train with Jenna Kelley.
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What Else You Need To Know Today
🍂 FALL INTO AUTUMN
Cheap flight purveyor CheapOair released its list of the world's nine best spots for experiencing autumn's changing colours, and the entire province of Ontario was one of three Canadian places to make the cut. Madeline Forsyth breaks down where you should actually visit to find the most spectacular views.
🏩 HOTEL HOTSPOT
Speaking of international acclaim, Condé Nast Traveler unveiled the results of its Readers' Choice Awards, and Quebec City's Auberge Saint-Antoine was voted Canada's top hotel. MTL Blog's Mike Chaar writes that the museum-inspired accommodation boasts 95 individually designed rooms and suites plus an on-site farm-to-table restaurant, Chez Muffy.
📌 JOB BOARD
If you're still thinking about how you could possibly relocate to be closer to the giant Cheeto hand we mentioned off the top, how about landing a new job in the relatively close Banff? Charlie Hart reports that the Alberta mountain town is having a big job fair today with employers representing a number of hotels, resorts and restaurants.
⚡ CRYPTO CRUNCH
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission slapped noted economist and techno-futurist Kim Kardashian with a $1.26 million fine earlier this week stemming from an IG post hawking cryptocurrency back in 2021. The gist, per Sameen Chaudhry: because the "EMAX" token qualifies as a security, Kardashian was obligated to disclose the sponsored nature of the endorsement.
🎂 BIRTHDAYS
Want to feel old? LeBron James' eldest son Bronny turns 18 years old today. TikTok personality Addison Rae is 22. OG Pink Power Ranger Amy Jo Johnson is 52. The great Elisabeth Shue turns 59 today. Former NFL play-caller Tony Dungy — the first Black head coach to win a Super Bowl — is 67. The late pro-wrestling legend Bruno Sammartino was born on this day in 1935.
Thanks for reading Narcity's Canada Morning Brief — the only newsletter where the much-maligned "PotterCoin" is accepted as legal tender, surcharge-free.
Is there a better roadside attraction in Canada than Cheadle's giant Cheeto hand? Let me know at andrew.potter@narcity.com or hit me up on Twitter if you'd prefer at @andrewjoepotter.
Have a great day and I will see you back here tomorrow to round out the week!
