American burger chain Five Guys is set to open its first Australian location in 2021, according to several local media reports.
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The Arlington, Virginia-based fast-food retailer will open a restaurant in Sydney’s outer western suburb, Penrith, in partnership with its Australian franchisee partner, Seagrass Boutique Hospitality Group.
Seagrass BHG has initially planned to launch Five Guys in the bustling Sydney CBD region. However, the Covid-19 pandemic lead to Seagrass BHG aborting on the city mission, due to high rent costs in the area and unsuitable venues. Heading to the suburbs, Seagrass BHG went on to sign a 10-year lease with the National Rugby League’s Panthers Group for a restaurant site next to its entertainment and dining precinct.
Covering a space of 500 square metres, Five Guys Penrith will open next-door to Penrith Leagues Club, between McDonalds and KFC on Mulgoa Road. The store is set to open mid-2021 and building is slated to begin in the next couple of weeks, according to reports.
Looking forward, Seagrass BHG said it plans to bring more Five Guys locations to Sydney’s shores with plans to open at further sites in the CBD, as well as Darling Harbour, Circular Quay and Broadway. The franchisee is also planning to launch locations in Melbourne and on the Gold Coast, as well as New Zealand.
Famous for its burgers, hotdogs and fries, Five Guys was founded in Virginia in 1986 by Janie and Jerry Murrell and their four sons, Jim, Matt, Chad and Ben – making up the ‘five guys’. It currently has more than 1,500 locations worldwide, including in the UK, Spain, Singapore, UAE and Kuwait.
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Seagrass BHG is a private-equity backed hospitality firm and operates more than 40 restaurants in Australia including Meat & Wine Co and Ribs & Burgers.