Iconic American burger chain Wendy’s makes its long-awaited Australian debut on the Gold Coast
Global fast-food brand Wendy’s is officially flipping burgers Down Under with its first Australian store opening right here on the Gold Coast. Located in the Paradise Centre on Cavill Avenue in Surfers Paradise, the country’s flagship Wendy’s location will be grilling its iconic square hamburger patties and swirling its thick-shake-like Frosty desserts from Wednesday January 15.
If you’ve visited one of the 7,000 Wendy’s restaurants worldwide, then no doubt you’ve been waiting patiently (and quietly salivating) for the delicious news of its Australian debut to come to fruition. If you’re yet to experience the wonder of Wendy’s, then you’re in for a treat.
Promising “a fresh take on fast food”, the Wendy’s Surfers Paradise menu is stacked with global favourites. There’s the famous Classic Double burger featuring the brand’s signature ‘fresh not frozen’ square-shaped beef patties, towering burgers like The Baconator loaded with six (yes, six) strips of bacon, the Spicy Chicken Sandwich and the moreish Loaded Chilli Cheese Fries. Plus, there are a few Australian-exclusive items being added to the fold.
In a bid to win over Aussie taste buds, Wendy’s will introduce a range of fried chicken tenders at its Gold Coast store, which were perfected after many iterations and feedback from Australian diners. Hand-breaded on-site, the tasty new tenders can be served on their own with a creamy ranch dressing, or enjoyed in a burger or wrap.
For the first time, Australians will be able to indulge in the ultimate sweet treat – a Wendy’s Frosty – which has been a staple on the burger chain’s menu for more than 50 years. Available in chocolate and vanilla, the Frosty sits somewhere between a thick-shake and a soft serve – and it also doubles as a sweet dip to enjoy with Wendy’s skin-on sea-salted fries (an elite snack).
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The opening of Wendy’s Surfers Paradise is the first step in a huge Australian expansion for the brand. A further 200 stores are expected to roll out as part of a partnership between The Wendy’s Company and California-based Flynn Group, which also acquired the master franchise licence for Pizza Hut in Australia in 2023.
“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,” E.J. Wunsch, President, International at The Wendy’s Company said in a statement.
Wendy’s Surfers Paradise opens on Wednesday January 15.
Images: supplied