New virtual restaurant opens in Sudbury

There’s a new venture in Sudbury, Sparks Diner, which opened at the beginning of January.

The owner is calling it a ‘virtual restaurant.’ There are no tables or chairs inside the restaurant and customers can either order online or in-person and then take their food to go.

Owner Lesley Leclair said he wanted to give customers something different.

"Everybody’s been eating pizza, fried chicken and burgers for the past two years," said Leclair. "So, we wanted to offer something different like 'bang bang' shrimp dinners, traditional schnitzels, beef dippers and whatnot."

Leclair said in addition to offering customers something different, he also wanted to give people in the industry somewhere to work.

"This industry has been battered in many, many ways," he said. "Employees are leaving. So by being a restaurant that has takeout only, no dining in, we don’t have to lay anybody off."

Leclair said he is also planning on opening a 'virtual' Mexican restaurant at the same location within the next month or so.