NEWS: Australian QSR Sector Sees Strongest Growth in a Decade, Melbourne Surpasses Sydney in Locations

The Australian fast food and quick service restaurant (QSR) sector has recorded its strongest year of net growth in a decade, according to the newly released GapMaps 2025 Annual Fast Food & QSR Network Report.

Melbourne has overtaken Sydney for the first time in total QSR locations, closing 2025 with 1,522 stores.

“The Australian QSR sector has demonstrated remarkable strength in 2025,” said Toby Wooldridge, Associate Director of Research and Insights at GapMaps. “This was the strongest year of net growth we have recorded, driven by the second-highest number of openings on record and the lowest number of closures in the past decade.”

Nationwide, the sector added 250 net new stores in 2025, with 359 openings and just 109 closures. The closure rate was also the lowest seen in the last ten years.

“The major brands are expanding in line with population growth, while key segments like Mexican and chicken are showing incredible momentum,” Wooldridge added.

The report tracks 36 leading brands across 7,779 Australian locations. Mexican QSR chains led the expansion, with Zambrero and Guzman y Gomez each opening more than 30 stores. Mid-sized chicken brands, including Oporto, El Jannah, and Nando’s, also delivered strong growth. Among the major players, KFC led net gains (+29), followed by McDonald’s (+25) and Subway (+18).

Founded in 2013, GapMaps is an Australian company tracking over 1,500 brands nationwide, providing insights into expansion patterns and network optimization.