Fast Eddys was a fast food and restaurant chain that primarily operated in Perth, Western Australia, and also briefly in Adelaide, South Australia, Cairns, Queensland, Melbourne, Victoria, as well as in New South Wales.[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]
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 were decorated with various historic memorabilia such as old advertising signs and number plates.
The flagship burger was the Eddy Burger. 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, where it remained until its closure in 2019.[5]
By the mid 1990s, Christopher and Con Somas had sold the business. In the following years, the new owners Ernie and Mark Galloway opened new restaurants 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 restaurants closing down in the eastern states, and the WA restaurants being sold off as franchises.[6][7][8][9]
The Melbourne location operated at 32-38 Bourke Street, in the Melbourne CBD. The restaurant closed in February 2003.[10]
Apart from the original Perth CBD restaurant, other locations of Fast Eddys restaurants in Western Australia included Morley, Armadale, Cannington and Kalgoorlie.[11] In 2018, the remaining 454 Murray Street location was sold to a Chinese investor for $4.8 million; the restaurant's tenancy of the property was reported to expire in June 2019, with options to extend.[5] However the restaurant would ultimately close for good in May 2019.[2]
^"Fast Eddys - history of eating house opened in Dec. 1979". Sunday Times. Perth, Western Australia. 24 July 1988. p. 22.
^Fang, Gavin (11 September 1996). "Dress Circle". 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.
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.
