Burger wars: US fast food giant Wendy’s makes Brisbane move

Famous for its square patties and Frosty shakes, US fast food giant Wendy’s is making a move on Brisbane.

Plans for a Wendy’s outlet at the corner of Adelaide and Albert streets in the CBD have been lodged with Brisbane City Council.

The development application by Wendy’s Australia shows a blue and red colour scheme – synonymous with the American burger chain – for the vacant building, which was previously occupied by private health insurer Bupa.

An artist’s impression from Wendy’s development application lodged with Brisbane City Council.

McDonald’s, KFC, Hungry Jack’s – the Australian iteration of US chain Burger King – and Wendy’s will all be within 120 metres of each other if the plans go ahead.

A Brisbane store would be the second Wendy’s outlet in Queensland after the burger giant opened a branch in January at Surfers Paradise – 40 years after leaving Australia’s shores.

At its Cavill Avenue store, Wendy’s has been promoting “Australian hacks” of its menu items, including adding soft drink to a traditional Frosty shake to create a beverage similar to a “spider” or “Coke float”.

“At Wendy’s, we’ve always been about fresh food made right, and we love seeing our fans put their own spin on it. These hacks show just how creative Aussies are, and we’re all for it,” said John Li, the company’s vice president of culinary innovation.

Burger King was the first US burger chain to set up shop in Australia, landing in Perth in April 1971. McDonald’s golden arches followed eight months later.

Wendy’s opened its first Australian outlet in Melbourne in 1982, only to disappear three years later. Now the world’s third-largest burger chain is having another crack at the Australian market.

An artist’s impression of the new Wendy’s outlet in Brisbane’s CBD.

“Brisbane has always been a key part of our growth strategy,” said Richard Wallis, Wendy’s Flynn Group APAC president. “It’s a fast-growing city with a dynamic food scene, and we’re confident the Wendy’s experience will resonate strongly there.

“Fans across the country have been calling for us to open in their neighbourhoods, and we’re thrilled to bring our Fresh, Not Frozen menu to the vibrant Brisbane community.”

Wendy’s ambition to retest the waters follows the recent trend of American burger giants trying to crack the Australian market. Despite the hype, these interlopers have so far tasted limited success.

Five Guys, which has 1425 stores in the US, has three outlets in Australia. Char-grilled burger chain Carl’s Jr has more than 1000 locations in the US, but limited visibility in Australian cities. It has, however, found some success along Australian highways with 30 venues, mostly drive-throughs.

Major US burger chain Wendy’s is targeting expansion in Australia.Credit: Bloomberg

Actor Mark Wahlberg-owned Wahlburgers, which has 49 stores in the US, has four in Australia, while In-N-Out, which has almost 400 locations around the US, has only ever run sporadic – albeit wildly popular – pop-ups locally.

The latest foray by Wendy’s comes as a challenge to local producers fighting for a piece of the burger market.

Grill’d has grown to 160 stores and captures a modest 3 to 4 per cent of the market off their pitch of “fresh, healthy” premium burgers. Betty’s Burgers has 54 Australian stores but plans to open about 25 more annually.

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Last month, one of Brisbane’s most cherished casual restaurants, Red Hook, flipped its last burger patty after 11 years.

Red Hook opened in 2014 and quickly gathered a loyal following for its take on classic New York street food – its burgers in particular. The open-air restaurant’s Brooklyn Cheeseburger was a massive draw for lunching office jockeys, who often queued down Gresham Lane, off Queen Street, until it closed.

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