While poutine is now available at fine restaurants and fast-food chains alike, it was completely unknown in the mid-20th century. The combination of fresh-cut fries, cheese curds, and gravy first appeared in rural Québec snack bars in the late 1950s. Though the precise origins of poutine are much debated, the dish was developed in stages.

While poutine is now available at fine restaurants and fast-food chains alike, it was completely unknown in the mid-20th century. The combination of fresh-cut fries, cheese curds, and gravy first appeared in rural Québec snack bars in the late 1950s. Though the precise origins of poutine are much debated, the dish was developed in stages.