Yuk Yuk's
Yuk Yuk's is a privately held Canadian stand-up comedy club chain founded in 1976, operating 14 permanent venues and 20+ On-Tour locations across Canada, serving individual comedy fans, corporate event clients, and franchisees through live shows, talent booking, and branded merchandise.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1976
- HeadquartersToronto, Canada
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Yuk Yuk's does
Yuk Yuk's is a Canadian private company that operates the country's largest stand-up comedy club chain, founded in 1976 by Mark Breslin in the basement of Toronto's Church Street Community Centre. The company runs 14 permanent club locations across Canada — including Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Burlington, London, Niagara Falls, Oshawa, and Surrey — supplemented by a network of more than 20 Yuk Yuk's On-Tour venues serving secondary markets in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, and Nova Scotia. Its wholly-owned subsidiary Funny Business functions as an international talent booking agency, and the company produces the long-running "Search for Canada's Funniest New Comic" annual talent contest as its core talent development pipeline.
The business operates a multi-channel revenue model: consumer ticket sales at general admission prices of $25.99 to $40 CAD (with dinner/show packages at $60-$70 CAD), on-site food and beverage, franchise fees from 14+ club operators, a structured Hire-a-Comic corporate booking service with five pricing tiers ranging from under $950 to over $5,000, gift certificate sales, and branded merchandise via shopyukyuks.com. The company has no proprietary technology platform or AI capabilities — it is a service business built on physical venues, live entertainment, talent relationships, and brand equity.
Yuk Yuk's is privately held by its founders and long-tenured executives, with Mark Breslin as Founder and CEO and Jeff Silverman (joined 1986) as President. The company also produced the Yuk Yuk's TV show for CBC and partners with Humber College on comedy education. Customer segments include individual comedy consumers, corporate event bookers, nonprofit fundraiser organizers, private celebration planners, and franchisees — with no disclosed anchor enterprise clients and a long-tail, low-concentration revenue base.
Yuk Yuk's firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Yuk Yuk's
- Legal name
- Yuk Yuk's Inc.
- Website
- https://yukyuks.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1976
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Yuk Yuk's is a privately held Canadian stand-up comedy club chain founded in 1976, operating 14 permanent venues and 20+ On-Tour locations across Canada, serving individual comedy fans, corporate event clients, and franchisees through live shows, talent booking, and branded merchandise.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Yuk Yuk's industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Live Comedy Entertainment
- NAICS
- Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures (7114)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Comedy Clubs (Nightlife Venues) (MPAGAIAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Stand-Up Comedy Shows (MPAGACAA), Comedy Shows & Spoken-Word Events (THAJAFAC), Comedy Club & Showcase Nights (MPAGACAE)
Keywords
Where Yuk Yuk's is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Toronto
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices32 records
Markets served
Yuk Yuk's business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: One-time ticket sales for comedy show admissions at club venues and special events.
- Food and Beverage: On-site food and beverage sales at comedy club venues including drinks, snacks, and full dinner packages.
- Franchise Fees: Franchise fees from 14+ club locations across Canada operated by franchisees.
- Corporate/Private Event Booking: Hire-a-Comic service for corporate events, private parties, fundraisers, and special occasions with various budget tiers from under $950 to over $5000.
- Merchandise: Online merchandise store (shopyukyuks.com) selling branded merchandise.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | General admission tickets ranging from $25.99 to $40.00 |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Dinner and Show Package |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Corporate/Private Event Budget Tiers |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Yuk Yuk's product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Yuk Yuk's operates a national chain of stand-up comedy clubs in Canada, hosting live comedy performances at 14 permanent venues and a network of On-Tour locations, and sells tickets, food and beverage, and dinner-show packages to consumers. Beyond venue-based shows, the company provides a Hire a Comic corporate booking service, runs a franchise program, manages the Funny Business talent booking agency for international comedian bookings, sells branded merchandise online, and runs talent development programs including amateur nights and the annual Search for Canada's Funniest New Comic contest.
Product overview
Yuk Yuk's is Canada's national stand-up comedy company operating the world's largest chain of comedy clubs. The portfolio consists of permanent club venues (Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Burlington, London, Niagara Falls, Oshawa, Surrey) and a network of Yuk Yuk's On-Tour locations across Canada. Core offerings include live comedy show tickets, the Hire a Comic corporate booking service powered by Funny Business talent agency, and franchise opportunities. Supporting products include gift certificates, the Yuk Yuk's Merch Store, amateur nights, comedy cruises, and the annual Search for Canada's Funniest New Comic talent competition. The company also produced Yuk Yuk's TV show for CBC and manages comedy education programs through Humber College partnership.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Funny Business: Talent booking agency that services the world
Products and services
- Yuk Yuk's Comedy Clubs Physical stand-up comedy club venues offering live performances with scheduled shows featuring professional comedians, including permanent club locations across Canada such as Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Burlington, London, Niagara Falls, Oshawa, and Surrey.
- Hire a Comic / Corporate Comedy Corporate talent booking service allowing businesses and organizations to hire professional stand-up comedians for private events, company functions, fundraisers, and special occasions, with defined budget tiers ranging from under $950 to over $5,000.
- Yuk Yuk's On-Tour Mobile comedy show service bringing stand-up performances to cities and towns across Canada through franchise and touring arrangements, including venues in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, and Nova Scotia.
- Yuk Yuk's Franchise Program Franchise opportunity allowing entrepreneurs to open Yuk Yuk's branded comedy club locations, with support for venue setup, brand licensing, talent booking through Funny Business, and operational systems.
- Funny Business Talent Agency Talent booking agency that is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Yuk Yuk's, servicing clients globally by connecting comedians with venues and events for international bookings.
- Yuk Yuk's Merch Store Online merchandise store selling branded apparel and memorabilia including t-shirts featuring the Yuk Yuk's logo and comedy-related merchandise.
- Yuk Yuk's Comedy Cruises Special event programming featuring stand-up comedy performances on boat cruises, offering unique venue experiences for live comedy shows.
Quantifiable outcome
- Launched careers of major international comedians including Jim Carrey, Norm Macdonald, Howie Mandel, Seth Rogen
Companies that use Yuk Yuk's
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Yuk Yuk's technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Yuk Yuk's partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Funny BusinesscoreFunny Business is Yuk Yuk's talent booking agency that services the world, handling international comedian bookings and corporate entertainment requests.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Yuk Yuk's competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Absolute Comedy: Canadian comedy club chain with multiple Ontario locations (Toronto, Mississauga, Vaughan, Kitchener). Directly comparable to Yuk Yuk's as a Canadian multi-location comedy club operator with ticketed stand-up shows, amateur nights, food and beverage service, and similar mid-market ticket pricing in overlapping metropolitan markets.
- The Second City: Long-running comedy theater chain with venues in Chicago, Toronto, and other cities offering improv and stand-up programming, comedy school, and corporate training. Comparable to Yuk Yuk's as a Chicago-founded comedy institution with a Toronto location, sharing the same Canadian live comedy market and a complementary programming model.
- The Comedy Store: Iconic US (and London) comedy club chain founded in 1972, the closest international analog to Yuk Yuk's. Operates multiple venues with live stand-up programming, food and beverage service, and a legendary alumni list, sharing the same business model of venue-based stand-up entertainment, talent development, and national brand recognition.
- Comedy Cellar: Iconic New York Village comedy venue (with Olive Tree Comedy Club), known for its role in launching and showcasing top-tier stand-up talent including many late-night TV appearances. Comparable to Yuk Yuk's as a heritage comedy venue with strong brand recognition, talent development reputation, and ticketed live-show revenue model.
- Caroline's on Broadway: Iconic New York City comedy venue operating a flagship club plus Caroline's Comedy Club within the Mohegan Sun. Comparable to Yuk Yuk's as a destination stand-up comedy club hosting national headliners, with a similar revenue model around tickets and on-site F&B.
- Helium Comedy Club: Growing US comedy club chain with multiple locations (Indianapolis, Portland, St. Louis, Philadelphia). Comparable to Yuk Yuk's as a multi-venue stand-up comedy operator with a similar programming mix of national headliners and developing talent, plus on-site food and beverage service.
- The Improv (Improv Comedy Clubs): Largest US comedy club chain historically operating franchised comedy venues nationwide. Directly comparable to Yuk Yuk's franchise-based multi-location model with national touring comedians, branded club experience, and similar mid-market ticket pricing.
- The Laugh Factory: Multi-location US comedy club chain with venues in Hollywood, Long Beach, Las Vegas, and Chicago. Directly comparable to Yuk Yuk's in operating branded comedy clubs with headline and emerging talent programming, ticketed shows, and food and beverage service across major North American markets.
Broad incumbents
- Live Nation Entertainment: Global live entertainment conglomerate owning Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, and venue operations worldwide. Comparable to Yuk Yuk's as a promoter and operator of live entertainment events, but operates at massive scale across music, comedy, and theater rather than specializing in stand-up comedy club venues.
- Just for Laughs: Montreal-based global comedy festival, producer, and broadcasting company operating the world's largest comedy festival plus year-round content distribution and talent management. Comparable to Yuk Yuk's as a dominant Canadian-headquartered comedy brand, but operates at a much larger scale through festival programming, TV production, and international licensing rather than venue-based comedy club operations.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Yuk Yuk's social profiles
Digital presenceYuk Yuk's financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Yuk Yuk's leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Yuk Yuk's subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Yuk Yuk's funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Yuk Yuk's M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Yuk Yuk's
What does Yuk Yuk's do?
Yuk Yuk's operates a national chain of stand-up comedy clubs in Canada, hosting live comedy performances at 14 permanent venues and a network of On-Tour locations, and sells tickets, food and beverage, and dinner-show packages to consumers. Beyond venue-based shows, the company provides a Hire a Comic corporate booking service, runs a franchise program, manages the Funny Business talent booking agency for international comedian bookings, sells branded merchandise online, and runs talent development programs including amateur nights and the annual Search for Canada's Funniest New Comic contest.
Is Yuk Yuk's a public or private company?
Yuk Yuk's is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Yuk Yuk's founded?
Yuk Yuk's was founded in 1976. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Yuk Yuk's based?
Yuk Yuk's is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Yuk Yuk's make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are food and Beverage, franchise Fees, corporate/Private Event Booking and merchandise.
Who are Yuk Yuk's's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Absolute Comedy, The Second City, The Comedy Store, Comedy Cellar, Caroline's on Broadway, Helium Comedy Club, The Improv (Improv Comedy Clubs) and The Laugh Factory. Broad incumbents are Live Nation Entertainment and Just for Laughs.
Does Yuk Yuk's have an API?
No public API is recorded for Yuk Yuk's.
What industry is Yuk Yuk's in?
Yuk Yuk's's product category is Live Comedy Entertainment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGAIAH, Comedy Clubs (Nightlife Venues), with a secondary code of MPAGACAA, Stand-Up Comedy Shows. Its NAICS code is 71131 and its SIC code is 7900.