Artist’s Queen St Mall Hungry Jacks sign goes viral

A cheeky Queen St Mall sign by an internationally-renowned street artist has gone viral, sparking memories of long-ago lovers’ trysts. SEE ALL THE SIGNS

A cheeky Queen St Mall sign by internationally-renowned Australian “street’’ artist Richard Tipping has gone viral, sparking memories of long-ago lovers’ trysts.

The sign, “RESERVED: Lovers meet here’’ has been erected on a pole outside Hungry Jacks.

The restaurant has been a meeting place for decades, particularly in the pre-mobile phone era when it was harder to co-ordinate a time and place to meet.

So iconic is the restaurant that when it briefly closed last year there was a social media firestorm.

The sign is one of several new Tipping works in the Mall including one next to a water feature which declared: “No fishing in the Mall’’.

Another exhorted passers-by to “Prepare to shop’’.

But the Hungry Jacks sign has prompted the biggest reaction.

The sign outside Hungry Jacks in the Mall.

“I worked there for a long time. I promise Valentine’s Day was so much busier than you’d expect,’’ one person posted on social media site Reddit.

“I felt so bad for the girls taken on dates there. Sitting at the hj’s (Hungry Jacks) table with their roses.’’

Another posted: “I worked there in the mid-90s and one weeknight a male British backpacker came in and asked me if he could set up candles and a tablecloth ’cause he had a date he had promised a romantic dinner to.

“It was a slow night anyway, so we sealed off downstairs to help his cause.

“She looked pretty amused walking down the stairs so I’m pretty sure my guy got lucky.’’

Another commented “Easiest place to find a rebound’’, while one wag quipped “Love at first bite’’.

This Richard Tipping sign has people smiling.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said the signs were another way to highlight the city.

“Brisbane has a growing reputation as a modern and vibrant city, which is why we’re winning accolades from the likes of Time magazine, travel bible Frommers and the New York Times,’’ he said.

“Our Council is always looking for ways we can continue to enhance that reputation, particularly in Queen Street Mall which remains the most popular pedestrian mall in Australia.

“We’ve activated new year-round pop-up dining destinations at each end of the mall.

“Already they’ve featured vendors selling wood-fired pizzas, takeaway coffee and gelato.

One of Richard Tipping's Mall signs.

“We’ve also added these five quirky signs from popular Australian artist Richard Tipping to help ensure the mall remains a fun place to shop.

“I’m sure many Brisbane residents will relate to the Lovers Meet Here sign outside Hungry Jacks, which remains one of our city’s most iconic meeting locations.’’

Richard Tipping's "flood'' sign outside the Powerhouse during the 2011 flood. It marks the high point of the 1974 flood.

Tippings became known over his 45-year career for whimsical takes on road signs including:

- Airpoet

- Artwork Ahead

- End Artwork

- Reduce need

- NOTICE: Thank you for noticing this new notice. Your Noticing it has been noted.

His signs have been installed around the world and his works were exhibited by the Queensland Art Gallery and National Gallery of Australia.

His humorous Brisbane Powerhouse “flood’’ sign, which has the bottom half cut off at the level of the 1974 flood, went partly underwater in 2011.

Originally published as Artist’s Queen St Mall Hungry Jacks sign goes viral