The company's roots go back to the mid-1850s, when Thomas Patrick Phelan was selling apples and newspapers to train passengers on the Niagara Steamboats.

At that time, its primary business was catering to the transportation sector (airline and rail meals), but it did operate restaurants and coffee shops in various office towers and airport terminals in Canada.

First, the organization completely bought the entire Second Cup organization,[8] then exchanged its shares of Spectra Group of Great Restaurants for control over the Milestones Bar and Grill chain, and obtained 100% ownership of Kelsey’s International Inc.[7][8] The rights to Outback steakhouse were owned in Canada by Cara, but it was sold back to Outback corporation in the United States because of high food costs.

[11] At the time, Cara fully owned Swiss Chalet, Harvey's, Second Cup, Kelsey's Neighborhood Bar & Grill, and Montana's.

[12] This transaction allowed Cara full control of East Side Mario’s, Casey’s, Bier Markt, Prime Pubs (Fionn MacCool’s and The Merchant).

[19] Through the stock listing, it merged in a 7:8 ratio with Fairfax's East Side Mario's, Casey's and the Bier Markt properties.

[16] In August 2015, Cara obtained full ownership of New York Fries to expand its already extensive line of restaurant chains in Canada.

[22][23] On September 1, 2016, Cara Operations acquired Franworks Group, and its Original Joe's, State & Main, and Elephant & Castle brands.

[25][26] In May 2018, then Chief Executive Officer Bill Gregson announced that Cara Operations Limited would be changing its name to Recipe Unlimited Corporation and would be traded under the new stock symbol "RECP".

Beginning October 5, 2015, female employees at all Bier Markt locations were required to wear tight blue mini-dresses, and heels or boots as footwear on the job.

The work outfit practice applied to employees at locations in Ontario and Quebec who had previously worn black pants and golf shirt as a uniform.

After the CBC investigated complaints of gender discrimination, Cara modified its outfit practice to allow employees to wear the original gender-neutral uniform.