Lord of the Fries

Lord of the Fries is an Australian casual-dining fast-food chain whose menu is entirely plant-based. The brand began in August 2004 as a vegetarian mobile chip van operated across Australia. Its founders later established the first permanent location in Melbourne city centre in late 2005, creating a format centred on fries, vegetarian fast food, and accessible meat-free versions of familiar takeaway dishes. The business was founded by Mark Koronczyk, Amanda Leigh Walker, and Mark's brother Sam Koronczyk. From its Melbourne base, the chain expanded through a combination of company and franchise locations. Its offer developed beyond conventional fries to include loaded fries, veggie burgers, vegan hot dogs, sides, and breakfast products. The brand positioned plant-based food as mainstream fast food rather than solely as a specialist vegetarian product, seeking to appeal to both vegans and customers who simply wanted an alternative to conventional fast food. Lord of the Fries became fully vegan in 2018. As described by the brand's Wikipedia entry, the all-plant-based menu also means that its meals are kosher and halal. The chain's food has included meat-free burger patties, vegan sausages, sauces, toppings, and fries prepared in a fast-service restaurant format. In the same year that it became fully vegan, Lord of the Fries announced a partnership with Beyond Meat. The arrangement made it the first Australian restaurant chain to offer Beyond Meat plant-based burger patties, linking the local chain to the rapidly expanding international plant-based meat sector. The brand opened its first international restaurant in Auckland, New Zealand, in 2016. New Zealand later grew to six Lord of the Fries locations, but all New Zealand stores had closed by 2025. In Australia, the chain has continued to operate a smaller network, with locations reported in Victoria, South Australia, and Western Australia. Reported Victorian locations include sites at Flinders Street Station, Southern Cross Station, and South Yarra; South Australia has had a Hindley Street location in Adelaide, and Western Australia has had one store. The company experienced a significant corporate and property-related setback in 2022 when Lord of the Fries Property, a leasing vehicle important to franchisees, collapsed with reported debts of approximately A$2 million. The property entity's failure was distinct from a simple menu or product change, but it affected the operating structure supporting the network. In early 2025, the co-founders announced that they were stepping away from the brand. The business has also developed adjacent product activity, including the Lord of the... side brand for plant-based take-home macaroni and cheese products. Lord of the Fries remains associated with vegan fast food in Australia, especially fries, burgers, and hot dogs served through compact urban locations. Its history reflects the development of plant-based dining from a niche vegetarian offering into a more recognizable quick-service category, while its later store closures, property-company collapse, and founder transition show the operational pressures involved in expanding and maintaining a franchise-led restaurant network.

Lord of the Fries began in August 2004 as a vegetarian mobile chip van travelling across Australia. The mobile format allowed the founders to test a focused offer built around fries and meat-free fast food before committing to a permanent restaurant. The van continued operating until late 2005, when the first fixed Lord of the Fries store opened in Melbourne city centre. The permanent Melbourne location established the brand's core identity: familiar fast-food formats adapted for vegetarian customers and served in an urban, quick-service environment. The founding team consisted of Mark Koronczyk, Amanda Leigh Walker, and Mark's brother Sam Koronczyk. The business subsequently expanded across Australia through a network that included franchise operations. Its menu broadened to include veggie burgers, vegan hot dogs, loaded fries, sides, and breakfast items, allowing the restaurants to function as more than specialist fry shops. Lord of the Fries initially operated as a vegetarian business, but the chain ultimately made its menu 100% vegan in 2018. This change simplified the brand's dietary proposition and aligned every menu item with a fully plant-based identity. The chain's all-vegan menu also means, according to the referenced encyclopedia material, that its meals are kosher and halal. The same year brought a notable product and supply-chain development: Lord of the Fries partnered with Beyond Meat and introduced Beyond Meat burger patties. The partnership connected an Australian restaurant chain with one of the best-known producers in the emerging plant-based meat industry. The company expanded beyond Australia with the opening of its first Auckland restaurant in 2016. Its New Zealand presence eventually reached six stores. That international expansion was not sustained, however, and all New Zealand locations had closed by 2025. In Australia, the chain retained a more limited presence, with reported locations in Victoria, South Australia, and Western Australia. Melbourne locations have included Flinders Street Station, Southern Cross Station, and South Yarra; the reported South Australian site was on Hindley Street in Adelaide, alongside one Western Australian location. The chain's operational structure also faced difficulty. In 2022, Lord of the Fries Property, described as an important leasing vehicle for franchisees, collapsed with debts of approximately A$2 million. This event formed part of the brand's later corporate history and helps explain why the restaurant network should not be understood simply as a straightforward store-expansion story. In early 2025, the co-founders announced that they were stepping away from the brand, marking a leadership transition after two decades of association with the business. Lord of the Fries has also extended its retail activity through minor brands associated with its restaurants. The Lord of the... label has been used for plant-based take-home macaroni and cheese products, broadening the brand beyond restaurant consumption. Overall, the company's history traces the movement of vegan food from specialist vegetarian catering toward mainstream fast food, while also illustrating the challenges of multi-location expansion, leasing arrangements, franchise support, international operations, and founder succession.

1. 2025New Zealand network closes

   All New Zealand stores have closed by this year after the business previously operated six locations there.

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2. 2025Founders announce departure

   The co-founders announce in early 2025 that they are stepping away from the brand.

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3. 2022Lord of the Fries Property collapses

   The leasing vehicle associated with franchisee support collapses with reported debts of approximately A$2 million.

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4. 2018Menu becomes entirely vegan

   The chain completes its transition from vegetarian food to a 100% vegan menu.

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5. 2018Beyond Meat partnership announced

   The company partners with Beyond Meat to offer its plant-based burger patties in Australia.

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6. 2016First international store opens in Auckland

   Lord of the Fries enters New Zealand with its first Auckland location.

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7. 2005First permanent Melbourne store opens

   After the mobile period, the first permanent store opens in Melbourne city centre in late 2005.

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8. 2004Vegetarian mobile chip van begins operation

   Lord of the Fries starts in August as a vegetarian mobile chip van travelling around Australia.

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Accessible mainstream vegan fast food

• Fries and loaded friesFast-food sides2004

  Fries are the brand's foundational product, inherited from its original mobile chip-van format. The menu also includes loaded fries, in which fries serve as the base for additional plant-based toppings, sauces, and other components. These products anchor the chain's identity and provide a familiar, accessible entry point for customers who may be new to vegan food.

• Plant-based burgersVegan burgers

  Lord of the Fries offers meat-free burgers within a fast-food format. The burger range became particularly significant after the 2018 partnership with Beyond Meat, which brought Beyond Meat plant-based patties to the chain and helped position the restaurant alongside the growing plant-based meat category.

• Vegan hot dogsPlant-based fast food

  Vegan hot dogs extend the chain's approach of recreating familiar takeaway formats without animal-derived ingredients. They form one of the brand's recurring core menu categories alongside burgers and fries.

• Sides and breakfast itemsFast-food menu

  The chain's all-vegan menu includes a range of sides and breakfast items in addition to its best-known fries, burgers, and hot dogs. These products broaden the occasions on which the restaurants can be used and support the brand's casual-dining positioning.

• Lord of the... macaroni and cheeseRetail plant-based food

  Lord of the... is a related product label associated with Lord of the Fries. It has been used for plant-based take-home macaroni and cheese products, extending the brand concept from restaurant meals into packaged food for home consumption.

• 2025Founders step away from the brandStrategy

  After approximately two decades of involvement in the business, the co-founders announced a change in their relationship with Lord of the Fries.

  What changed. The co-founders announced in early 2025 that they were stepping away from the brand.

  Aftermath. The announcement marked a founder-ledership transition; the identity of any subsequent operating leadership is not specified in the available reference material.

  Source
• 2022Collapse of Lord of the Fries PropertyOther

  Lord of the Fries Property served as a leasing vehicle that was important to the chain's franchisees and store network.

  What changed. The property entity collapsed in 2022.

  Aftermath. The entity was reported to have debts of approximately A$2 million, creating a significant operational and corporate issue for the franchise structure.

  Reported debts. Approximately A$2 million (2022)

  Source
• 2018Complete transition to a vegan menuStrategy

  Lord of the Fries had developed from a vegetarian mobile food business into a multi-location restaurant chain. The company chose to make the entire menu plant-based rather than continuing to offer a broader vegetarian proposition.

  What changed. The chain announced that its restaurants had become 100% vegan.

  Aftermath. The decision gave the brand a consistent vegan identity and meant that its menu was described as kosher and halal in the reference material.

  Source
• 2018Introduction of Beyond Meat pattiesProduct launch

  Plant-based meat producers were developing products designed to replicate the texture and use of conventional burger patties, creating an opportunity for restaurant chains to reach beyond traditional vegetarian customers.

  What changed. Lord of the Fries partnered with Beyond Meat and offered its plant-based burger patties.

  Aftermath. The partnership made Lord of the Fries the first Australian restaurant chain identified in the source material as offering Beyond Meat patties.

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• 2025New Zealand locations close

  All New Zealand Lord of the Fries stores had closed by 2025 after the chain had previously operated six locations in the country.

  Other
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• 2025Co-founders step away from Lord of the Fries

  The co-founders announced in early 2025 that they were stepping away from the brand.

  Leadership change
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• 2022Lord of the Fries Property collapses

  Lord of the Fries Property, a leasing vehicle used in support of franchisees, collapsed with reported debts of approximately A$2 million.

  Bankruptcy
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• 2018Lord of the Fries becomes fully vegan

  The restaurant chain announced that all of its offerings were vegan, completing its move from a vegetarian menu to an entirely plant-based menu.

  Product generation
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• 2018Lord of the Fries partners with Beyond Meat

  The chain announced a partnership with Beyond Meat and became the first Australian restaurant chain identified in the reference material as offering the producer's plant-based burger patties.

  M&AProduct launch
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1. Lord of the Fries