Big Rooster

Big Rooster is a Papua New Guinean fast-food chain whose menu is centered on barbecue chicken and fried chicken. The brand originated in Queensland, Australia, in the mid-1970s, when business partners Nick Tana and Steve Fyfe established a chicken-focused restaurant concept that became particularly popular with Queensland families during the 1980s. Its Australian advertising used the slogan “What’s the time? It’s Big Rooster time!” and a Queensland-themed jingle, helping position the chain as a locally rooted alternative to the rapidly expanding American fried-chicken format represented by KFC. At its Australian peak, Big Rooster was one of the country’s most prominent chicken chains and was described as the second-largest chicken chain after KFC. It operated directly and through franchisees, with restaurants in Queensland and other Australian states. The brand also had a Western Australian presence under the Chicken World name. In 1986, Coles Myer, the owner of competing Red Rooster, acquired Big Rooster restaurants associated with Steggles Holdings in New South Wales and Victoria and converted them to Red Rooster outlets. This began the withdrawal of the Big Rooster name from mainland Australia. In 1988, Big Rooster merged with Chicken Treat to form Australian Fast Foods, a company led by Nick Tana and Chicken Treat executive Frank Romano. Coles Myer acquired Australian Fast Foods in 1992 for approximately A$20 million. The transaction included 92 Queensland Big Rooster locations, two in the Northern Territory and four in Papua New Guinea, as well as franchise operations. The Australian outlets were subsequently rebranded as Red Roosters. Although Red Rooster was later acquired by Australian Fast Foods in 2002, the Big Rooster name did not return to the Australian market. Papua New Guinea became the surviving home of the brand. Big Rooster (PNG) Ltd. operates a network of restaurants, concentrated in Port Moresby and supplemented by locations elsewhere in the country. The chain serves barbecue and fried chicken, fish, burgers, rolls, fries, nuggets, potato wedges, corn and peas. Historical Australian menu descriptions also mention tropical burgers, chips and banana fritters. In 2024, the company’s website listed 30 locations, while company management described the brand as having operated in Papua New Guinea for roughly 35 years. A Papua New Guinean tourism source has characterized it as the country’s biggest fast-food chain. Big Rooster announced a K1.2 million expansion program in late 2018, with the goal of doubling its 26 outlets over three years. Expansion was subsequently affected by robberies and wider criminal disruption. The Koki restaurant, which had also served as the company’s head office, was ransacked and burned during riots in early 2024. Reported damage was approximately K16 million. Rebuilding began, and a Konedobu branch was planned to serve as the replacement head office. The brand remains active in Papua New Guinea, although its current ownership, exact corporate structure and financial performance are not publicly established in the supplied sources.

Big Rooster began in Queensland, Australia, in the mid-1970s. Nick Tana and Steve Fyfe created the chain as a chicken-focused quick-service business at a time when KFC was helping introduce American fast food to the Australian market. Big Rooster developed a distinctly Queensland identity and became a family-oriented local favorite during the 1980s. Its advertising used the slogan “What’s the time? It’s Big Rooster time!” together with a jingle emphasizing sunny weather and the Queensland way of life. The chain grew into one of Australia’s largest chicken brands. It specialized in roast or barbecue chicken and also sold fried chicken, burgers, chips and other sides. A Western Australian operation used the Chicken World name. By February 1984, the broader Big Rooster business was reported to have generated A$160 million in retail sales, representing 17 percent of the relevant market measure cited in contemporary material. Steggles Holdings operated Big Rooster stores in New South Wales and Victoria, alongside franchisees. Coles Myer, which owned the rival Red Rooster chain, acquired the Steggles-associated Big Rooster restaurants in 1986. The acquired stores were converted to Red Rooster outlets, allowing Red Rooster to expand beyond its original Western Australian base. Big Rooster continued operating in Queensland and maintained a presence in Papua New Guinea. In 1988, Big Rooster merged with Chicken Treat to create Australian Fast Foods. The combined company was managed by Nick Tana and Frank Romano. Coles Myer acquired Australian Fast Foods in 1992. The transaction included 92 Big Rooster locations in Queensland, two in the Northern Territory and four in Papua New Guinea, with a substantial number operated by franchisees. The Australian restaurants acquired in the transaction were converted to Red Rooster outlets, effectively ending the Big Rooster brand’s Australian retail presence. Red Rooster later became part of Australian Fast Foods again when the company acquired the chain in 2002, but Big Rooster itself did not re-emerge in Australia. The Papua New Guinean operation survived the Australian rebranding and became the continuing expression of the brand. Big Rooster (PNG) Ltd. built a network concentrated mainly in Port Moresby. Its menu includes barbecue chicken, fried chicken, fish, rolls, burgers and sides such as fries, nuggets, wedges, corn and peas. The company’s own 2024 location listing contained 30 outlets. Management also described the business as having been present in Papua New Guinea for about 35 years, while a tourism authority described it as the country’s biggest fast-food chain. In late 2018, Big Rooster announced a K1.2 million national expansion plan intended to increase its network from 26 outlets to approximately twice that number over three years. The expansion encountered operational difficulties associated with robberies and criminal incidents. During riots in early 2024, the Koki branch was ransacked and burned. Because Koki also housed the head office, the incident disrupted both retail and administrative operations; reported damage reached K16 million. Rebuilding was subsequently reported to have started, and a new Konedobu location was planned as the replacement head office. Big Rooster remains active in Papua New Guinea, but public information about its ownership, management structure beyond the general manager, and financial performance is limited.

• 2024

  Koki branch is destroyed and rebuilding begins

  [1]Big Roosteren.wikipedia.org

  The Koki restaurant and head-office site is damaged by fire and looting during riots; rebuilding and a move toward Konedobu follow.

• 2018

  Papua New Guinea expansion plan announced

  [1]Big Roosteren.wikipedia.org

  Big Rooster announces a K1.2 million program intended to double its 26-outlet network within three years.

• 2002

  Australian Fast Foods acquires Red Rooster

  [1]Big Roosteren.wikipedia.org

  Australian Fast Foods later acquires Red Rooster, the brand that had absorbed Big Rooster’s Australian stores.

• 1992

  Australian Fast Foods is acquired by Coles Myer

  [1]Big Roosteren.wikipedia.org

  The acquisition brings the remaining Australian Big Rooster network and Papua New Guinean outlets into the transaction; the Australian stores are converted to Red Rooster.

• 1988

  Big Rooster merges with Chicken Treat

  [1]Big Roosteren.wikipedia.org

  The two chains combine to form Australian Fast Foods.

• 1986

  Coles Myer converts acquired stores to Red Rooster

  [1]Big Roosteren.wikipedia.org

  Coles Myer acquires Big Rooster outlets in New South Wales and Victoria and rebrands them as Red Rooster restaurants.

• 1984

  Big Rooster reaches a major Australian market position

  [1]Big Roosteren.wikipedia.org

  Contemporary figures cited for February 1984 report A$160 million in retail sales and identify Big Rooster as the second-largest chicken chain in Australia.

• 1970

  Big Rooster is established in Queensland

  [1]Big Roosteren.wikipedia.org

  Nick Tana and Steve Fyfe start the chicken-focused fast-food chain in Queensland during the mid-1970s.

A locally established Papua New Guinean quick-service chicken chain offering barbecue and fried chicken, burgers, fish and familiar fast-food sides.

• Chicken meals

  Barbecue chicken

  Barbecue chicken is Big Rooster’s defining specialty and links the Papua New Guinean chain to its original Australian roast-chicken identity. It is offered as a principal meal category alongside fried chicken, generally accompanied by standard quick-service sides.

• Chicken meals

  Fried chicken

  Fried chicken is a core menu line and provides a second major preparation style beside barbecue chicken. It reflects the chain’s position within the broader chicken fast-food category while remaining part of a menu that also includes burgers, fish and sides.

• Handheld meals

  Burgers and rolls

  Big Rooster sells burgers and rolls as handheld alternatives to its chicken-piece meals. Historical Australian descriptions refer to tropical burgers, while the current Papua New Guinean menu is described more generally as including burgers and rolls.

• Fast-food meals

  Fish

  Fish is included among the chain’s Papua New Guinean menu offerings, broadening the range beyond chicken and providing a non-chicken main-meal option.

• Side dishes

  Sides

  Reported sides include fries, chicken nuggets, potato wedges, corn and peas. These items complement the chain’s chicken, fish, burger and roll offerings and form the standard accompaniment layer of its quick-service menu.

• 1980Big Rooster time advertising

  Australia

  Australian television advertising used the slogan “What’s the time? It’s Big Rooster time!” and a jingle built around sunny Queensland imagery and local identity.

  Outcome. The campaign supported the brand’s family-friendly Queensland positioning during its strongest Australian growth period.

  Source

• 2024

  Post-riot rebuilding and head-office relocationStrategy

  Background

  The Koki restaurant and head office were ransacked and burned during early-2024 riots.

  Action taken

  Big Rooster began rebuilding the Koki branch and planned for a Konedobu branch to serve as the new head office.

  Aftermath

  The incident created substantial reconstruction needs and disrupted the chain’s former administrative base.

  Reported damage. K16 million (Early 2024)

  Source

• 2018

  Papua New Guinea network expansionStrategy

  Background

  Big Rooster had 26 outlets in Papua New Guinea and sought broader national coverage.

  Action taken

  The company announced K1.2 million in planned investment to double its outlet count within three years.

  Aftermath

  The expansion was later constrained by robberies and criminal incidents.

  Planned expansion investment. K1.2 million (Announced in late 2018)

  Source

• 1992

  Australian Fast Foods is sold to Coles MyerM&A

  Background

  Australian Fast Foods controlled the Big Rooster and Chicken Treat businesses and their associated restaurant networks.

  Action taken

  Coles Myer acquired Australian Fast Foods for approximately A$20 million and converted the Australian Big Rooster stores to Red Rooster.

  Aftermath

  The Big Rooster name disappeared from Australian restaurants, while the Papua New Guinean operation survived.

  Acquisition price. A$20 million (1992)

  Source

• 1988

  Merger with Chicken TreatM&A

  Background

  Big Rooster and Chicken Treat were both established Australian chicken quick-service chains.

  Action taken

  The businesses merged to create Australian Fast Foods.

  Aftermath

  The combined company was later acquired by Coles Myer in 1992.

  Source

• 1986

  Coles Myer acquires selected Big Rooster outletsM&A

  Background

  Coles Myer owned the competing Red Rooster chain and sought to expand its Australian network.

  Action taken

  It acquired Big Rooster stores associated with Steggles Holdings in New South Wales and Victoria and converted them to Red Rooster.

  Aftermath

  Red Rooster expanded into New South Wales, while Big Rooster continued primarily in Queensland and Papua New Guinea.

  Source

• 2024

  Koki restaurant destroyed during Papua New Guinea unrest[1]Big Roosteren.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The Koki branch and former head office was reportedly ransacked and burned during riots, with estimated damage of K16 million.

• 2024

  Big Rooster begins rebuilding and plans a Konedobu head office[1]Big Roosteren.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Reconstruction of the damaged Koki site began, while a Konedobu branch was intended to become the new head office.

• 2018

  Big Rooster announces Papua New Guinea expansion plan[1]Big Roosteren.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The company announced plans to invest K1.2 million and double its Papua New Guinean outlet count from 26 within three years.

1. 1Big Roosteren.wikipedia.org