Rashay’s opens new restaurant in Bundaberg

A Sydney born restaurant franchise has opened in Bundaberg, generating 50 jobs and the promise of more jobs to come. Take a sneak peek.

Family owned franchise Rashay’s opened a new restaurant in Bundaberg on Wednesday, August 31 - 25 years after the first Rashays opened in Sydney.

Rashay’s Queensland operations assistant Tiana Pennington said the new restaurant in Takalvan Street, Avoca, would bring something fresh to the Bundaberg dining scene.

“We offer extended opening times and we don’t close in between, and we pride ourselves on customer service, a friendly face and being family oriented,” Mrs Pennington said.

“We’re welcoming, we don’t discriminate, we love to open ourselves to the community and the new engagement with the community is a start.”

Mrs Pennington said the positive community response had been overwhelming, and the store already had 50 local staff on the books.

“We’re people pleasers, so we look for people that align with that and have had to turn away applications,” she said.

Bundaberg resident Amity Preston is one of those new staff members.

“It’s amazing to be able to open with the store, and see how we go and how the community embraces us,” she said.

“There are a lot of restaurants in Bundaberg, but Rashay’s has a little bit of everything which will benefit the community because it’s just something different.”

Ms Preston was able to gain employment back-of-house alongside her partner, and said she was glad of the new employment opportunity.

“I originally wasn’t going for the job myself. I applied for my partner, and we both ended up getting a job.”

Mrs Pennington said the family focus of Rashay’s was what made it such a successful business, and why it would be a great addition to the Bundaberg restaurant scene.

“It’s about engaging, understanding and getting familiar with the community so that we can gauge what they want from us, Rashay’s is about the people,” she said.

Mrs Pennington said the future of the restaurant in Bundaberg would come from the team they had put on, and the close knit nature of the staff.

“We actually get to work with the founder (Rami Ykmour) as well, he’s always touching base, he’s always making sure that we’re okay, that we’re supported, that we’re welcome and I’ve never come across a business that focuses on the staff as much as he does,” she said.

The restaurant is set to open seven days a week, and will include a vegan menu, cafe and a menu full of “modern aussie favs.”

The restaurant’s menu caters to everyone, with a huge selection of favourites including pizza, pasta, burgers, salads and a range of desserts.

The restaurant has taken over the site previously occupied by Lone Star.