There’s a Fresh Face of Fast Food in Town: Flynn Group Opens its First Wendy’s Restaurant in Australia
Move over kings, colonels and clowns, there’s a new burger queen in Queensland
Wendy’s Australian exclusive menu items include hand-breaded chicken tenders – an offering specifically for Australians, demonstrating the brand’s dedication to quality and fresh-made food
The first of 200 Wendy’s restaurants to open in the market, the expansion is projected to inject millions to the Australian economy and generate 30-40 jobs for each new location
Wendy’s to use 100% Australian sourced beef and chicken
Wendy’s® has arrived with a fresh take on fast food, featuring its iconic, fresh beef square hamburger patties and a chicken tender offering made specifically for the Australian palate. The iconic hamburger brand, known for its sharp-witted social media content, will officially open its doors on Cavill Avenue in Surfer's Paradise, Gold Coast on January 15, 2025. This grand opening marks the first of many Wendy's restaurants in Australia with new master franchisee, Flynn Group, and the beginning of a significant expansion across the country.
Wendy's Australian rollout is driven by a strategic partnership with California-based Flynn Group, a powerhouse in the franchise world. Flynn Group's portfolio includes over 2,900 restaurants across seven iconic brands, generating $5 billion USD in total sales*. The inaugural launch signals a significant investment in the Australian market, generating 30-40 jobs for each new restaurant location, injecting millions to the Australian economy.
Australian burger lovers can finally experience Wendy's signature menu items, including the Classic Double, Baconmator™, and Spicy Chicken Sandwich. The real star of the show is Wendy's double hand-breaded chicken tenders. Made with premium 100% Australian chicken, these crispy, juicy tenders were specifically crafted after many iterations and feedback from Australian diners. Demonstrating the brand’s dedication to fresh, quality and mouth-watering food, each chicken fillet will be hand-breaded in restaurant. Australians can look forward to more menu innovations as Wendy’s promises to shake up the tired burger scene.
Lauren Leahy, Chief Transformation Officer at Flynn Group, the master franchisee for Wendy's Australia says, "We’re proud to bring a fresh approach to the Australian food scene. The Wendy’s brand was built on doing things differently, from square hamburgers to being one of the most talked about brands on social media. Wendy’s embraces a challenger mindset, and we think Australians do too. We’ve put our guests in the centre of every detail from a vibrant new restaurant design with a laser focus on delivering the best chicken and hamburger experience.”
E.J. Wunsch, President, International at The Wendy’s Company says: “The opening of the first Wendy's restaurant on Australia's Gold Coast is an exciting milestone, showcasing the brand’s global relevance and proven ability to travel around the world. With Flynn Group's expertise and passion, we have crafted a restaurant experience that blends Wendy’s iconic square hamburgers and craveable chicken offerings with bold menu innovation crafted with Aussies in mind. This is the start of a journey to bring Wendy's unique fresh, famous food to fans across Australia as we continue our expansion throughout the Asia Pacific region.”
Diners can choose chicken selections like Homestyle or a fiery new signature spicy recipe served as tenders in a 3-piece or 5-piece, in a burger or a wrap. Aussies can choose to dress it up with a creamy ranch dressing or opt for the all-new signature dipping sauce – available for the first time globally in the new flagship Gold Coast restaurant.
For the perfect sweet treat, Australian’s can finally indulge in the Wendy’s Frosty® dessert on home soil – available in chocolate or vanilla – thick enough to use a spoon, smooth enough to use a straw. If that isn’t enough, customers can complete their meal with Hot & Crispy natural-cut, skin-on, sea-salted Fries – loaded with cheese, chili and cheese or bacon and cheese.
Flynn Group’s acquisition of the master franchise license for Pizza Hut in Australia in June 2023, encompassing 260 locations, demonstrates its commitment to investing in and growing within the Australian market. This partnership underscores Flynn's proven record delivering best-in-class operations for brands at scale and positions Wendy's for rapid and successful growth across Australia.
Aussies can head to Wendy's in Paradise Centre, 2 Cavill Avenue, Surfer's Paradise from 15 January, 2025. For more information, visit WendysHamburgers.com.au.