Acclaimed Australian chefs who have established their culinary footprint in cities like Sydney and Melbourne are branching interstate to diversity their offering and grow their restaurant portfolio.

But what works in one major city, might not play out in the next as these restaurateurs reveal.

Shane Delia’s new restaurant in Brisbane, Layla. Picture: Supplied, Jason Loucas

The farmer has a third daughter in Sydney – and she’s Latina

Alejandro Saravia’s Good Food Guide-hatted Farmer’s Daughter has become a Melbourne institution in the last five years, largely due to its consistency in meal quality and service.

Known for its Gippsland-centric menu, the formula hits the right note with diners who want to support local farmers and micro-businesses when they head out for a fancy meal. It’s a culinary approach that’s always seasonal and where patronage is growing.

In the heart of Sydney’s CBD, and located within the heritage listed GPO, is where Saravia has opened Morena – a new flavour hit that’s Latin American-leaning in its ambition to bring a Peruvian-inspired menu to the table.

In Melbourne, he’d won over the corporate and business clientele across two venues, including Victoria by Farmer’s at Federation Square, and the timing to move to Sydney felt right.

Alejandro Saravia of Farmer’s Daughter fame. Picture: Supplied

“The location is the key in Sydney for us. The GPO building at Martin Place is a Sydney landmark, in the heart of the financial district and tourists are all around – that’s the audience we want to tap into,” Mr Saravia told realcommercial.com.au.

“Morena is an elevated Latin American concept which is more suited to Sydney; they seem ready to embrace the Latin American food more so than in Melbourne which is why we went down this route here.”

Sydney diners also love a happy hour offering, yet in Saravia’s experience, Melbourne couldn’t care less – if they want a drink, they’ll turn up for it no matter what.

Weather also impacts how Sydneysiders dine – when the weather’s not great, they won’t venture, whereas in Melbourne, rain hail or shine, they commit.

Inside Morena, Sydney. Picture: Supplied, Arianna Leggiero

Saravia splits time between the two cities and admits the dining market in Melbourne is more reliable than Sydney.

“In Melbourne, it’s about doing food and beverage well without being too pretentious or over the top – it’s very classic and more refined in a sense.

“Yet in Sydney, people want to be entertained with table side service; they constantly need that entertainment on offer – they’re quick and fast. They push hard on the consumer offering.”

The dining formula is a mix of pre-fixed day time menus – more specials and tasting menus that come with three varietals. When it comes to high end wine, Sydney is out-drinking Melbourne diners at his venues.

Saravia has signed a 15-year lease at GPO Sydney – a chance to really give his hospitality venue a good crack.

“It’s a long time but it also gives you a good length of time to invest with a clear vision and a longer return, rather than try recover money in a shorter period of time – where we know in hospitality is not the case,” he said.

“Trading in the first three months of a new business is a honeymoon period for any restaurant.

“People come to the venue and you’re booked out, then it drops considerably and people move onto the next new opening – that’s the window you have to capture them with new offerings and give them a reason to come back.”

Saravia says Sydney has embraced Latin food culture more than Melbourne. Picture: Supplied

Cracking the Melbourne code

Having worked in hospitality around the world – including creating the menu on Qatar Airways business- and first-class flights – Sydney restaurateur and executive chef Ross Lusted opened his first restaurant Marmelo in Melbourne on Russell Street two years ago.

“People said to me you’re mad opening a restaurant in Melbourne, and that Sydney chefs don’t do well in Melbourne” Mr Lusted said.

“I never really thought of it like that, and it made total sense to come here and bring my lens of Portuguese to Melbourne. It’s not a forced narrative, and one that diners are keen to take on board.”

The San Pellegrino Young Chef Judge for 2026 and his wife Sunny also have the fine dining restaurant Woodcut at Crown Sydney – the one that then Crown owner James Packer asked him to open at the Casino back in 2020.

Ross Lusted of Woodcut fame in Sydney has moved down south with his restaurant, Marmelo, in Melbourne. Picture: Supplied

“I’d been working on Woodcut for five years in the USA, and would have opened a series in the States if it hadn’t been for the financial crisis,” Mr Lusted said.

“The fact that James loved my other Sydney restaurant [Bridge Room, closed in 2019] and asked if I wanted to open something bigger, I was like well… actually?!”

Melbourne restaurant marvel opens in Sydney

Lee Ho Fook’s award-winning chef and restaurateur, Victor Liong, recently opened his Sydney restaurant in the heritage listed Porter House in the CBD. He redefines Chinese cuisine through a modern Australian lens, and his decision to move to Sydney was to tap into the demand for Chinese gastronomy.

“In Sydney, Le Ho Fook takes more of a gastronomic focus; for us, it’s about seeing what’s new in Chinese gastronomy and understanding how I fit into the Australian dining landscape,” Mr Liong said.

Liong, who has also expanded with a larger restaurant footprint at Marvel Stadium, can now host up to 150 diners at Marvel’s Medallion Club. That’s more than double he can accommodate at his Duckboard Place restaurant off Flinders Lane.

Victor Liong of Lee Ho Fook fame is bringing his gastronomical Chinese talents north to Sydney. Picture: Supplied, Arianna Leggiero

And it’s also where diners can enjoy dumplings, which aren’t available at his original location – it’s that point of difference that keeps the palette chasers ever attentive to what might happen next.

The upgraded restaurant footprint at Marvel chimes on his two-hatted success at Good Food Guide too.

“At Marvel, Le Ho Fook diners want high-quality classic experiences. The dumplings are a hit here; whereas in Sydney we are more about share plates, larger dishes and classic flavour profiles that we’ve built in terms of our signature,” Mr Liong said.

According to Marvel Stadium’s CEO Scott Fitzgerald, knowing that Liong extends his culinary reputation interstate will no doubt do wonders for his placement at the sporting ground.

“At Marvel we’re trying to be the best of Melbourne and if you don’t have a really good modern Asian cuisine, then you’re not reflective of Melbourne and Melbourne’s food heritage,” Mr Fitzgerald said.

Household name heads north

Shane Delia, best known for his Melbourne restaurants Maha – named after his wife – and Jayda – his daughter – opened his first restaurant in Brisbane last year.

Layla is contributing to the burgeoning food scene in Brisbane, bringing a modern Middle Eastern inspiration to the table.

“There is so much going on in Brisbane; there’s a sense of hope, optimism, a stable economy and the Olympics is around the corner. The produce is top quality and it feels like a breath of fresh air to have a restaurant here,” Mr Delia said.

Shane Delia’s aim of opening in Brisbane is to avoid the echo chamber of Melbourne. Picture: Supplied, Jason Loucas

“I think when you’ve be stuck in the same city for a long time, you become restrained creatively. People expect a certain cuisine and it’s almost like you’re in an echo chamber.

“For me there’s been many freedoms that have come with having a presence interstate, and you become unshackled and cook food that you want to cook – without being under the culinary microscope of Melbourne. It has been liberating.”

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Guzman y Gomez is shifting focus back to Australia after dumping its failed US expansion, with commercial property experts tipping a fierce battle for prime suburban fast-food sites.

Fast-food giant Guzman y Gomez is shifting focus to an aggressive 1000-store land grab across Australia after dumping its failed American expansion.

The ASX-listed burrito chain has abandoned its struggling US restaurants and flagged a $US30m ($42m) to $US40m ($56m) hit to exit America and refocus on its core Australian market.

Investors sent GYG shares almost 20 per cent higher on Friday, despite the one-off cost, as the company moved to end a costly six-year push into the world’s biggest fast-food market.
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But commercial property experts say the real battle is now at home, where GYG is chasing prime suburban sites as part of a long-term plan to grow from about 250 Australian restaurants to 1000.

Colliers retail leasing manager Nathan Brown said GYG remained one of the strongest quick-service restaurant tenants in the country, despite its US retreat.

“From an Australian point of view, they only take the A-grade sites,” Mr Brown said.

“They do not take the B-grade, C-grade sites, which some of these other tenants, like Taco Bell or Carl’s Jr, have taken in the past.

“And they’re extremely tough negotiators.

“They’re easy to deal with, but they’re tough negotiators.”

Colliers retail leasing manager Nathan Brown said Guzman y Gomez remained one of Australia’s strongest quick-service restaurant tenants, but its 1000-store target would depend on securing scarce A-grade sites.

Mr Brown said the failed US expansion was unlikely to hurt GYG’s standing with Australian landlords.

“I don’t really think it’s going to affect them, because they’ve built a certain brand here in Australia now,” he said.
“I think in terms of sentiment, the most popular brand in Australia right now is most certainly GYG with consumers, in my opinion.

“Maccas has probably dropped back a bit. KFC has probably dropped back a bit.

“That whole clean, fresh eating campaign that you consistently hear on radio or see on television definitely translates with what the Australian market wants these days.”

Mr Brown said GYG’s 1000-store ambition was real, but finding the right land would be a major challenge as fast-food operators competed with housing developers for scarce suburban blocks.

“Every time a retailer puts a number of stores out there, that’s very much a blue-sky goal,” he said.

“What is the actual realistic chance of that happening? I think it’s a bit lower than that.

Guzman y Gomez founder and co-chief executive Steven Marks has pulled the pin on the chain’s US restaurants after conceding the American expansion would take more time and capital than expected.

“But where that typically comes from is those brands mapping out wish locations where they would like a site.

“And albeit they might like that location, it might be extremely hard to find that piece of real estate in that location.”

He said established suburbs were particularly difficult because the kind of large, prominent blocks fast-food chains wanted were often worth more as residential development sites.

“If I use the example of Caulfield in Victoria, where are you going to find a 2000sq m piece of land where you’re going to be able to build a fast-food restaurant on it over residential or mid-rise residential?” he said.

“You’re not. That’s not the highest and best use for that location.

“So, albeit they want those locations, that doesn’t necessarily mean they can actually materially get it.

“There might be only one or two sites in that whole suburb that relate to the requirements they have.”

Steven Marks said the US business was unlikely to justify further shareholder investment, with GYG now expected to sharpen its focus on its Australian growth plans.

Mr Brown said GYG’s store target was not just a public relations number.

“From dealing with them, that 1000 number is bang on,” he said.

“I was in a meeting with them two days ago and that was reiterated, that the 1000 mark is the number they want to hit.

“So it’s practically happening on the ground as well and not just a number that’s put out there in the consumer and media world.”

Guzman y Gomez has abandoned its Chicago restaurants after a costly six-year push into the US, but its Australian store ambitions remain firmly on the menu.

Alba Prop director Tom Mifsud said GYG’s American exit showed even successful Australian food brands could not assume their local model would translate overseas.

“What works here is not a pick-and-drop exercise into different countries,” Mr Mifsud said.

“That means costs, wages, product type, product positioning, the makeup of the food, the whole lot.

“So there are lessons learned on both sides.”

Alba Prop director Tom Mifsud said GYG’s US exit showed Australian brands could not simply drop a local fast-food model into overseas markets and expect it to work.

Mr Mifsud said the company’s US retreat would become a test case for other Australian companies with global ambitions.

“What you will find is that GYG’s expansion becomes a great test case for other ambitious entrepreneurs and business owners who are looking to globalise,” he said.

“When they go overseas and look to deploy their product, they can avoid those learnings, make it less costly, and capitalise on the learning.”

Guzman y Gomez has about 250 Australian restaurants and is chasing a long-term 1000-store target, putting it in a growing fight for suburban sites with major fast-food rivals. Picture: Brendan Radke

He said he did not expect the failed US expansion to damage GYG in Australia, where the brand was already well understood by consumers.

“GYG is here. We know it, we understand it,” he said.

“People get behind great Aussie ventures, and it’s iconic to the Aussie brand.

“People look at the brand and affiliate it with Australians, and that’s what we’re all about.”

GYG’s renewed Australian focus comes as the local fast-food market becomes increasingly crowded, with El Jannah, Grill’d, Zambrero, Taco Bell, Betty’s Burgers, Wendy’s, McDonald’s, KFC and Hungry Jack’s all competing for customers and prime suburban locations.

The US might have rejected GYG, but its next fight will be much closer to home.

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If you think the rules and regulations around tenant rights can be somewhat confusing, try moving interstate.

While many laws are the same or similar no matter which state you’re in, there are many that differ. Which is why it pays to learn more about your state’s specific rules and regulations regardless of whether you’re renting privately or through a property manager.

Here are four of the major differences between states.

Tenants’ rights differ from state to state, so it pays to look into the local rules and regulations. Picture: Getty

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When your landlord wants you to move out

The states definitely don’t see tenancy laws in the same way – here’s our state-by-state guide on what you need to know

The Australian Capital Territory

In the Australian Capital Territory, a landlord cannot evict you during a fixed-term agreement, unless you have breached the terms of the tenancy agreement. However, if the agreement is periodic, the landlord can evict you on as little as four weeks notice if they have cause, or on 26 weeks notice if they don’t.

Queensland

In Queensland, a landlord must give you at least two months notice to end a tenancy early, if you’re on a periodic lease. If you’re on a fixed-term agreement, the landlord can’t evict you unless you’ve breached the agreement, or both parties mutually agree to end the lease early.

New South Wales

New South Wales landlords can’t end a fixed-term agreement before the end of the agreement unless they have specific grounds for doing so (i.e. you’ve breached the agreement).

If they wish to give you notice at the end of the fixed agreement, it must be at least 30 days in advance. However, if the fixed term has ended and your lease is periodic, your landlord must give you 90 days notice. If you breach your agreement at any time, your landlord only needs to give you 14 days notice.

Victoria

Like most states, Victorian renters can’t be asked to vacate a rental property before the end of a fixed-term lease, unless they’ve broken the terms of that lease. Once the fixed term has ended and the lease is on a month-to-month basis, a landlord must give you at least 60 days notice and must provide a reason for the notice (for example that they plan to sell the property or have their own family move in). If they cannot provide a reason, the notice must be 120 days.

South Australia

In South Australia, a tenant must receive at least 28 days notice if they’re being asked to leave at the end of a fixed-term lease, or at least 60 days notice if they plan to sell, demolish or occupy the house during a periodic lease or after the fixed-term lease has expired. If they cannot offer a reason, the notice period must be at least 90 days.

Western Australia

Western Australian landlords must provide tenants a minimum of 30 days notice at the end of of a fixed-term tenancy, or during a periodic tenancy if the property is to be sold, and 60 days if the landlord wishes to end the tenancy without a reason.

Tasmania

In Tasmania, once the fixed-term agreement ends, the landlord must give the tenant at least 42 days notice to move out, if the property is to be sold, transferred to another person, significantly renovated, used for a purpose other than a rental property, or if a member of the landlord’s family is going to move in. Landlords must also give 42 days notice if they don’t want to renew the lease when it nears its end date; in this scenario. If there is “substantial nuisance at the premises”, a landlord can evict a tenant on 14 days notice, or immediately if they go through the courts. 

Northern Territory

Landlords in the Northern Territory must give at least 14 days notice if they want to end your tenancy once your fixed-term agreement finishes, or if that period has ended and the lease is now ongoing, they must provide tenants with at least 42 days notice.

If you want to keep pets

Rights around pets are among the most sensitive and discussed of all tenant rights, but the good news is that, in some states, it’s getting easier to bring Ralph or Whiskers with you when you move house.

ACT

In the Australian Capital Territory, the State government passed laws in February that give all renters the right to own a pet. Under these news laws, a landlord would need to demonstrate reasonable grounds to refuse a request for a pet.

Victoria

In Victoria, it will soon be a lot easier to own a pet in a rental property. The Victorian Government passed sweeping new reforms to the state’s Residential Tenancies Act in September 2018, and pet ownership was touched upon. As it currently stands, the Residential Tenancies Act doesn’t preclude pets, but allows landlords to include “no pet” clauses in the lease. Under the new laws, which will likely come into effect in July 2020, landlords will no longer be able to include these clauses in the tenancy agreement.

NSW

In New South Wales, there’s nothing in the state’s Residential Tenancies Act that says you can’t have a pet, but landlords can insert their own pet-preventing clauses into leasing agreements, and NSW Fair Trading recommends seeking permission from your landlord before letting your furry friends move in.

Queensland

Queenslanders have it tough – they must get written approval to have a pet in a rental property. And the state’s Residential Tenancies Authority estimates only about 10% of landlords currently allow pets in their property. However, that’s all likely to change very soon, as the state government is expected this year to introduce reforms to its tenancy act that would allow all renters to keep a pet.

Western Australia

In Western Australia, you can only keep pets if you’ve got your landlord’s permission and the pet is included in the lease. WA is also the only state that allows landlords to charge renters a “pet bond” – of up to $260 – to cover cleaning and fumigating when you vacate, if required.

Northern Territory

In the Northern Territory, there is no specific legislation relating to pets and tenancies, and it is up to the landlord as to whether they’ll allow you to keep one. They may have a ‘no pet clause’ in the lease agreement, in which case you’ll need to negotiate with them, but pet bonds are illegal. 

Tasmania and South Australia

And in Tasmania and South Australia, you’re only permitted to have a pet if you’ve got your landlord’s consent.

The good news is it’s becoming easier to rent with pets. Picture: Getty

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When your landlord wants to access your rental

When it comes to the landlord’s right to access their rental properties it depends, again, on where you live.

ACT

In the Australian Capital Territory, landlords must provide at least seven days notice for routine inspections, and can conduct four inspections per year – one at the beginning of the lease, one at the end, and two during the tenancy. The landlords must conduct the inspections at a “reasonable” time; they cannot conduct inspections on Sundays or public holidays, and must conduct them between 8am and 6pm, unless they get your consent to conduct them outside these hours.

New South Wales

Landlords in New South Wales must give you at least seven days written notice for routine inspections, and can conduct as many as four inspections in any 12-month period.

Victoria

In Victoria, a landlord only needs to give their tenants 24 hours written notice before inspecting the property, but inspections can only occur every six months, and not within the first three months of the tenancy.

Tasmania

In Tasmania it’s also only a 24-hour requirement, however, inspections can only be made once every three months.

Queensland

Queensland landlords must give you at least seven days notice for a routine inspection, and may conduct only one inspection every three months.

South Australia

In South Australia, the landlord is allowed to inspect the property once every four weeks, but they must provide between seven and 14 days written notice.

Western Australia

It’s a similar time period in Western Australia: seven to 14 days notice, but not more than four inspections per year.

Northern Territory

In the Northern Territory, at least seven days notice must be given and inspections can only take place once every three months. The tenant must be present during any inspections unless they’ve given the landlord/agent the all-clear to enter the property without them.

Landlord access for inspections vary greatly, with seven days notice in New South Wales and just 24 hours for Victoria. Picture: Getty

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Emergency landlord access

Victoria is the only state that requires landlords to give notice (24 hours) and gain consent in order to enter a rental property in an emergency.

In other states, landlords can enter the premises at any time there is a genuine emergency, as well as when: there are urgent repairs required; the landlord has serious concerns for the welfare of a tenant and has made attempts to gain consent, or the landlord believes the property has been abandoned.

This article was originally published on
9 Jun 2020 at 9:00am
but has been regularly updated to keep the information current.

Hundreds of staff at Taco Bell restaurants across Australia have been left in limbo after revelations seven of the chain’s 27 stores would close.

ASX-listed fast food giant Collins Brands is finalising an agreement to offload its ownership of stores after the brand failed a third attempt to win over the tastebuds of Australian customers.

The stores will be acquired by Restaurant Brands Australia, which already owns the brand and operates the 10 NSW stores.

RBA will pay a “nominal amount” for the stores, as well as stock value and cash floats.

The remaining seven Taco Bell stores will be closed, with impacted locations yet to be announced.

Outside of NSW, Taco Bel operates restaurants in Queensland, Victoria, and Western Australia.

Collins Brands, which also owns the majority of Australia’s KFC stores, signalled its intention to dump Taco Bell last year.

Taco Bell employees Chessica Lamai, Sarah Holmes and Sarah Hocking are ready to serve up tasty tex-mex. Picture: Stewart McLean

Collins revenue for its 27 Taco Bell stores dipped 3.0 per cent to $23.6m in the first half of FY26, with its underlying earnings at a tiny $500,000, according to media reports.

In a statement to the market on Tuesday morning, the company said the move “represents another important step in the execution of Collins Foods’ previously communicated strategy to exit Taco Bell in Australia”.

“This will allow the Company to sharpen its focus on its core brand, KFC, and its key markets, Australia and Europe, particularly Germany,” it said.

The details of the partnership are still being finalised with further updates to be shared in the coming weeks.

Collins Brands has sold 20 of its Taco Bell restaurants after the brand failed a third attempt to win over the tastebuds of Australian customers.

It will include the transfer of the stores, including employees who accept offers of employment from the new owners.

“We are especially pleased that our team members working in the 20 transitioning Taco Bell restaurants will be offered continuity of employment and job security,” Collin Foods CEO Xavier Simonet said.

“We are committed to ensuring a smooth transition and to supporting all our team, whether transitioning or otherwise, through this process.”

Nicholas Maruff with his Taco Bell order.

Collins Foods will continue to operate Taco Bell restaurants until the deal is finalised.

Taco Bell said the store closures would be part of a “broader network reset designed to strengthen the brand for long term growth”.

“A key priority for Taco Bell and RBA throughout this process will be supporting team members, with both organisations working closely with restaurant teams to ensure a smooth and well-managed process,” the company said in a statement.

“With an exciting future ahead, Taco Bell looks forward to sharing more about its Australian plans soon, as the brand focuses on making Taco Bell more accessible across the country.”

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Ed Sheeran performs at Sydney’s Accor Stadium. Picture: Brett Costello

Live entertainment and annual events like Valentine’s Day are driving the travel plans of millions of Australians in spite of the high costs of daily life.

British superstar Ed Sheeran’s performance at Accor Stadium delivered a significant boost to hotel demand across Sydney last weekend, particularly near Sydney Olympic Park.

Accor’s Sydney Olympic Park hotels, including its Novotel, Ibis and Pullman brands, reached capacity over the weekend; year-on-year occupancy was up 16 per cent last Friday, 10 per cent on Saturday and 15 per cent on Sunday. Accor said major concerts drove multi-night stays.

An artist’s impression of the Holiday Inn Express, Cockburn, in Perth which is part of a complex built by a Malaysian developer.

Closer to the Sydney CBD, the French hotelier said events such as Valentine’s Day helped Accor’s Sydney CBD hotels reach 98 per cent occupancy, which was up 5 per cent on the same time last year.

Major events increasingly divert tourism into Sydney, Accor Pacific chief operating officer Adrian Williams said.

“Concerts of this scale generate a tangible uplift in hotel demand, particularly in event precincts like Sydney Olympic Park. We’re seeing how live entertainment, combined with key moments such as Valentine’s Day, can influence travel decisions and extended stays,” he said.

“Events like these energise our cities and reinforce the continued strength of experience-led travel.”

Meanwhile, developer Deicorp has announced a 104-room hotel for its Hyde Metropolitan residential tower near Sydney’s Hyde Park. The property, on the lower levels of the tower, will be managed by Marriott International as an AC by Marriott brand, together with independent hotel management company Trilogy Hotels.

Marriott operates more than 250 AC Marriott hotels worldwide and has another 180 in the pipeline.

In Perth, global hotel operator IHG is accelerating its expansion by signing a management agreement to run a $135m hotel development in Perth’s southern corridor. It will run the Holiday Inn Express Cockburn, in partnership with SKS Group, which develops across Australia and Malaysia. Holiday Inn Express is one of IHG’s fastest growing brands with more than 3275 hotels open and a further 664 planned around the world, including 11 Holiday Inn Express properties in Australasia and the Pacific.

An artist’s impression of the InterContinental Port Moresby which is being developed by Gulf Province Properties.

Opening later this year, the 170-room Cockburn property is part of a new mixed-use development presently under construction, featuring a purpose-built hotel tower and a residential tower.

IHG believes that the Perth suburb, 26km from the CBD, has strong fundamentals to support long-term demand.

The property will be positioned close to economic drivers such as the Australian Marine Complex, a major defence, shipbuilding and industrial hub, and the Murdoch Medical Precinct.

IHG Hotels & Resorts managing director Australasia and Pacific Matt Tripolone said IHG was focused on expanding its portfolio of globally recognised brands.

“This signing underscores the strong appeal of Holiday Inn Express to owners seeking a proven, efficient operating model that delivers impressive returns while meeting the evolving needs of today’s travellers,” he said.

Offshore, IHG has just signed up to run the InterContinental Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea, partnering with Gulf Province Properties for the new 179-room luxury hotel scheduled to open in late 2028. The InterContinental will be developed within a mixed-use precinct in the heart of the capital’s diplomatic and government district.

It will be the first internationally branded luxury hotel of its scale in PNG.

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Sizzler is making a comeback.

Sizzler is returning to Australia, six years after closing its doors in Down Under.

Minor Hotel group will open the all-you-can-eat chain at their new NH Collection Hotel at Sydney airport in coming months.

Minor’s founder and chairman Bill Heinecke confirmed the news, with plans to expand the restaurant across the country.

“We have a number of exciting projects in Australia with the opening of the 90-room NH Collection hotel at 102-106 Robey Street, Mascot, and the Avani in Wollongong, and we are also looking at branded residences,” he told the media.

“Sizzler can be in hotels or as stand-alone sites, depending on the opportunities.”

The restaurant chain was created in Culver City, California in 1958 by Del and Helen Johnson.

Offering a steak meal for just $US0.99, the brand quickly became a favourite among diners seeking quality food at affordable prices.

Sizzler and it’s iconic menu is ready to return.

Sizzler’s plan at the time, according to current company president Chris Perkins, was to home in on the rapid success of McDonalds – and later In-N-Out – which, with its two-way speaker box, revolutionised America’s fast food industry and offered a respite from the drudgery of cooking at home.

“Del Johnson realised that you could have a McDonald’s burger or go to a diner or full service diner. There wasn’t something in the middle at a lower price, where you order at the counter, then have the food brought to your table,” he told media outlet SFGATE.

“Johnson was the godfather of fast-casual restaurants that exist today. Because of the model, the restaurant was able to keep its prices low.”

Former staff member Felicity Paddison with some of Sizzler’s famous cheese toast next to the salad bar. Picture: Chris Higgins

Sizzler expanded to Australia in 1985, opening its first restaurant in Annerley in Brisbane.

By 1992, Sizzler had expanded to 74 locations across Australia, marking the height of its popularity.

Fast food giants like KFC, Pizza Hut, and McDonald’s were also expanding, but Sizzler carved out a niche with its service-value-quality equation.

As Mr Perkins noted in 1992: “The consumer of the ‘90s… wants more for less… that’s why Sizzler has been so successful.”

Kevin Perkins, non-executive Chair of Sizzler USA Acquisition, in 1997.

Unfortunately, in the early 2010s, Sizzler faced challenges as underperforming stores closed. By 2017, the number of locations had dropped to just 17, primarily in Queensland.

The eatery closed all its Australian restaurants in November 2020 after the pandemic disrupted the business.

Today, the locations have transformed into daycare centres, libraries, and warehouses, while others remain vacant.

Back in 2024, Brisbane radio hosts Robin Bailey and Kip Wightman launched a Sizzler pop-up for one night only at the Coffee Club on Charlotte St.

– Additional reporting by Lydia Kellner

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Alex de Minaur and Accor CEO Adrian Williams.

The Australian Open has once again proven to be a powerful drawcard for Melbourne’s tourism sector, enabling a strong start to the year for Australia’s largest hotel operator, Accor, which owns 33 hotels across the Victorian capital.

Momentum built even earlier than usual this year, with increased accommodation demand recorded in the week leading into the official start of the Australian Open.

Accor said its Melbourne hotels, including the Sofitel Melbourne on Collins, were close to full from the first week of the competition.

The biggest off-court rally took place from January 19 to 21, with Accor hotels up an average of 12 per cent compared to the same period of the tournament last year.

Consistent bookings continued throughout the remainder of the tournament, contributing to a stronger overall performance year-on-year.

“The Australian Open always gives Melbourne’s tourism economy a strong opening serve,” said Adrian Williams, Accor’s chief operating officer for the Pacific region. “The uplift we saw during the first week, particularly the double-digit increase compared to last year, reflects how quickly demand intensifies when the city hosts events of this scale.

“It reinforces Melbourne’s position as a destination that consistently performs on the global stage.”

Looking ahead, Melbourne’s major events calendar includes the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix from March 5.

Accor is already recording strong forward demand for the four-day event, with holdings tracking ahead year-on-year.

Emirates Wolgan Valley, a Ritz-Carlton Lodge will re-open after a three year closure by mid year.

Nationally, agent Colliers reckons 2026 will be a strong year for capital investment in hotels, given transaction volumes climbed to $2.7bn last year, an 80 per cent increase on 2024, and 58 per cent above the long-term average.

The 75 per cent increase in transaction volumes came as 67 hotels changed hands in 2025, with the average deal size rising to $40m, according to the agency’s Capital Markets Investment Review.

Premium assets dominated activity, with 13 transactions above $50m accounting for 67 per cent of total deal flow, more than double the level recorded in 2024.

The major sales included Ayers Rock Resort in the Northern Territory, Park Hyatt Melbourne, and a 50 per cent stake in Ritz-Carlton Perth. The announcement of Blackstone’s acquisition of Hamilton Island provides a strong footing for deal flow in 2026.

Adding more confidence to the sector is the decision last week by Emirates to reopen the six-star Wolgan Valley resort, with new operators The Ritz-Carlton Lodge.

Offshore capital re-engaged strongly, representing 49 per cent of total deal flow, led by Thai, US and Singaporean investors.

Colliers head of hotels, transaction services, Karen Wales, said family offices and high-net-worth individuals accounted for a third of total deal flow, reflecting a growing appetite for long-term, legacy assets.

“Elevated replacement costs and constrained development pipelines mean existing assets are trading below replacement cost, a rare arbitrage opportunity for investors,“ she said.

Ms Wales said 2026 transaction volumes are forecast to average $3bn.

“We expect heightened bid activity in 2026 as investors capitalise on limited new supply and robust tourism fundamentals.”

Assets with unique positions, heritage landmarks, lifestyle hotels and properties catering to wellness experiences will continue to command premium interest, she said.

Tourism Research Australia forecasts international visitor arrivals to increase by 5.2 per cent this year and 5.2 per cent in 2027.

Luxury and upper-upscale segments led growth, with average daily rate premiums of more than 30 per cent in major markets.

With only 7300 rooms under construction across Australia’s 10 major markets and openings expected to peak in 2026, supply constraints will further support pricing power, Colliers said.

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