Hike to Eat

Explore food and trails in the diverse neighbourhoods of the Greater Toronto Area. We turn the entire city into hiking territory.

Foodie hikes are at a moderate pace of 4 to 6 km/h. They are neither walking tours nor strenuous workouts. We encourage you to research the route beforehand because we won't give much commentary. You should be prepared for unpaved trails, hills, and any weather. Dangerous weather like lightning and low visibility will cancel hikes.

Typically, hikes end at a restaurant. But we'll also pick up takeout and groceries along the way.

Timed hikes
Hikes run like trains. We depart on time and hit scheduled stops. If late or lost, you can refer to the map to find us at these timed checkpoints. You can join or leave at any point according to your schedule and level of fitness.

If you're going below 4 km/h or the minimum stated speed, you might be left behind because we have to keep a schedule. This ensures

• we arrive at food places before they close or get too busy
• we show up on time for restaurant reservations
• others that join in the middle won't wait long at scheduled checkpoints
• we end on time and respect those who need to leave punctually

The list of places on the route are those that we'll pass by. We'll not stop at all of them. If we stop, it won't be more than 5 to 10 minutes. You're free to break from the group and use the map to catch up when you're done. The only time we can sit down to eat is after the hike.

While the hike is ongoing, organizers might not respond to messages. They will be busy leading the group and ordering food. Also, Meetup notifications can be delayed by a few hours!

Omakase
For some hikes, we offer omakase. This is an optional program where participants chip in some money and the organizer will use the collected funds to buy food for sampling. What food to buy, and where and when to share, is entirely up to the organizer. Omakase literally means "I leave it to you".

At some point in the hike, usually during the first leg, the organizer will ask who's interested and collect money. Payment by cash or e-transfer. Please mention dietary restrictions before signing up. We may not be able to accommodate and will advise if you should join. Latecomers are not eligible to sign up if we've already ordered food.

No refunds after orders are placed, even if you left early, got lost, or missed samples for whatever reason. The money would have been already spent on food. We do not make a profit. Leftover funds go to Meetup.com fees.

Situations where we will give a full or partial refund:

• the organizer didn't honour your dietary restrictions and you mentioned it before signing up
• you didn't get your fair share of food because there was not enough to go around

Limited cutlery provided. Bring your own cutlery and containers to save the environment.

Featured businesses do not compensate us. We recommend them because we think they are good or interesting.

Waitlist and attendance policy
If you're on the waitlist for hikes, you can show up and hope that there's space. It's usually OK because of no-shows at free events.

However, if the event is over capacity, the priority is: those on the confirmed list, then the waitlist according to order of sign up. The rest will be asked to leave. We will strictly enforce the number of participants because of safety concerns.

For restaurant events, only those on the confirmed list can attend.

We enforce attendance for hikes with a long waitlist. Organizers will check who did not show up for such hikes. It's selfish to deprive others of the chance to join. It's also inconsiderate to change RSVP at the last minute, because those moved from the waitlist may not have time to react. Of course, there can be legitimate reasons but repeated no-shows will be banned. The event description will mention if we are enforcing attendance.

Pets policy
Pets are welcome but they may not be allowed into some buildings and businesses.

For certain hikes, there may be narrow and steep trails which may not be suitable for your pet. Only you will understand your pet's capabilities. Check the route in advance.

Finally, respect those who may be uncomfortable or allergic to animals by keeping them at a distance, unless they're ok with it.

Photo policy
Photos are welcome but if you're taking pictures of other humans, please ask their permission if you intend to post them anywhere.

No smoking and vaping
Smoking and vaping are prohibited in all hikes. If you must smoke, do it during stops and stay at least 10 metres away from other participants.

All the trails we've done