Fast Eddys

Fast Eddys Cafe was a fast food and restaurant chain that primarily operated in Perth, Western Australia and also briefly in New South Wales, Adelaide, South Australia, Cairns, Queensland and Melbourne, Victoria.[1] Fast Eddys was most notable at the time of its establishment for being one of the few Perth restaurants open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week including public holidays.[2]

Fast Eddys, Perth - second location in Perth

In May 2019, the final remaining Perth CBD location closed after 41 years in business.[2]

Style
The Fast Eddys logo above the entrance to Fast Eddys in the Perth CBD

The restaurants were split up into two sections, a sit-down table service restaurant and a take away section. The take away section has similar food to the restaurant experience, however it is less expensive and tailored for the take-away market. The restaurants are decorated with various historic memorabilia such as old advertising signs and number plates.

The flagship burger was the EddyBurger. Other items included the Cop-the-Lot Burger, the Steakburger and the Super Hotdog. The restaurant also served all day breakfast items.

History

Fast Eddys was founded in 1979 at the west end of the Perth CBD, on the corner of Hay Street and Milligan Street[3] by Christopher and Con Somas.[4] The restaurant moved to a new location at 454 Murray Street in the early 1990s, were it remained until its closure in 2019.[5] It was rumoured that Fast Eddys took its name from the Paul Newman fictional character (Fast) Eddie Felson in the 1961 US drama film The Hustler, although there are no sources to prove this.

By the 90s, the Somases had sold the business. In the following years, the new ownership had facilitated additional franchises opened across Western Australia, and by 2001 the company expanded into New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria. However, in 2002 the company went into receivership, with most of the stores closing down in the eastern states, and the WA stores being sold off as franchises.[6][7] Former owners (Galloway) had possession of the restaurants up until this point.[8][9]

Apart from the original Perth CBD restaurant, other locations of Fast Eddys restaurants in Western Australia included Morley (which now operates independently as Flying Monkeys Restaurant & Shisha Lounge as of 2019), Armadale, Cannington and Kalgoorlie.[10]

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See also
  • List of restaurant chains in Australia

References
  1. Dyson, Noel (13 March 2001). "Fast Eddys expands across Australia". Business News. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
  2. De Poloni, Gian (11 May 2019). "Fast Eddys closes, marking the end of an era for Perth's first 24-hour diner". ABC News. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  3. Fast Eddys - history of eating house opened in Dec. 1979 The Sunday Times, (Perth, W.A.), 24 July 1988, p.22
  4. Fang, Gavin (11 September 1996). "Dress Circle". The West Australian. p. 60. Back in 1988, Mr Somas was eager to keep the burgers cooking in the proposed QV1 complex. But, a $5.2 million sweetener from the developers was enough to encourage a move down the road.
  5. Shield, Helen (20 September 2018). "Chinese buyer pays $4.8m for Fast Eddys". The West Australian. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  6. "Fast Eddys' plans brought to a halt". Australasian Business Intelligence. COMTEX News Network, Inc.: 1008262i2708 19 September 2002. ISSN 1320-6680.
  7. "Fast Eddys for sale after delays". Australasian Business Intelligence. COMTEX News Network, Inc.: 1008269i5063 18 December 2002. ISSN 1320-6680.
  8. "Bunfight at Fast Eddys". Australasian Business Intelligence. COMTEX News Network, Inc.: 1008058i8257 28 February 2003. ISSN 1320-6680.
  9. "Fast Eddys sale hiccup clouds future", Asia Africa Intelligence Wire, Financial Times Ltd., 20 March 2003, retrieved 15 September 2016
  10. "Chamber welcomes Fast Eddy's news". ABC News. 17 March 2003. Retrieved 1 December 2019.

Further reading
  • Poprzeczny, Joe.(2001) Food speeds down fast lane. (History of fast food industry in WA, from days of Bernies during WWII to Van Eileens in the 1960s to Fast Eddys and Chicken Treat). Business news - Perth, W.A., 15/3/2001, p. 4-5.
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