KFC, Nando’s, Guzman y Gomez: New plans across Melbourne
Melbourne’s fast food scene is rapidly evolving with new locations opening up and other eateries’ sites for sale.
A host of fast food restaurants including KFC, Nando’s and Guzman y Gomez are spicing up things up across Melbourne.
Leading the pack is KFC which is set to open two new inner-city locations in 2026.
Fried chicken fans will be able to get their feast on at a KFC drive-through site coming to 294 Swan St, Richmond, a property which formerly served as a Red Rooster.
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That particular premises will be relocating from its freestanding restaurant at 234 Coppin St, near the corner of Swan St.
The Colonel is also coming to Smith St, Collingwood, at a storefront previously occupied by Mexican restaurant Fonda.
Commercial real estate agency Fitzroys’ Shane Mills and Chris James negotiated 10-year lease deals for the buildings where the new tenant is an experienced KFC franchisee.
The Red Rooster at 294 Swan St, Richmond, is set to become a KFC.
And separately, a site tenanted to KFC, on Blackburn Road near the corner Wellington Road in Clayton, is up for sale.
Mr Mills said the Swan St site was popular with Cremorne and Richmond office workers during the day and revellers who attended nearby sports games and night-life venues in the evenings.
“We generated interest from a number of drive-though operators,” Mr Mills said.
“A big part of the reason the landlord took up the KFC proposal was the confidence in their brand.”
Mr James said the KFC in Collingwood was located across from grocery store Woolworths.
“Locations on Smith St don’t come up too often and the franchisee thought this was an
excellent chance to set up in a world-renowned location,” he added.
The Collingwood KFC is about four weeks away from opening, while Richmond is likely to open its doors to diners mid-2026.
Fitzroys also recently leased a Smith St site to the recently-opened salad bar Crop.
A storefront leased to Guzman y Gomez in Clayton has hit the market.
Mexican chain Guzman y Gomez set up shop on the strip too after last year announcing plans to open new outlets in Fitzroy, Dandenong North, Clayton and Eltham.
For those whose taste leans more towards being a landlord to a finger-lickin’ food operator, a
Clayton eatery leased to KFC has been listed for sale.
The 826 Blackburn Rd site will be part of a portfolio auction hosted by agency CBRE at 10.30am on February 25.
A nearby 2040sq m property that’s home to a Guzman y Gomez is also on the market via expressions of interest closing at 3pm on March 4.
A building where Nando’s is based is seeking a new owner in Cranbourne North.
Rounding out the fast food offerings is a Cranbourne North site where a new Nando’s opened in 2025.
The Thompsons Rd taste hub will head under the hammer at CBRE’s portfolio auction on February 25.
Agents Beau Coulter, George Wilkinson, Matthew Wright and Zomart He have the Clayton listings.
Mr Coulter and Mr Wilkinson are managing the Cranbourne North sale along with colleagues Paul Tran and Shaun Venables.
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