Lord of the Fries

Lord of the Fries began in August 2004 as a vegetarian chip van that Mark Koronczyk and Amanda Leigh Walker drove around Australia. In late 2005 they opened a permanent shop in Melbourne’s city centre, and with Mark’s brother Sam they grew it into a national chain, at its peak with restaurants in most states and six in New Zealand. The name says what it was first known for: fries with a long list of dipping sauces.

The menu was vegetarian from the start and became entirely vegan in 2018, which also makes everything kosher and halal. The same year it became the first Australian chain to serve Beyond Meat patties. The burgers copy the fast-food classics closely, with mock beef and chick’n patties, vegan cheese and the familiar sauces, which is the point: they are meant for people who miss a cheeseburger, not only for committed vegans.

The chain has shrunk since its peak. Its property company collapsed in 2022, the last New Zealand shops had closed by 2025, and early that year the founders stepped away from the brand. A few restaurants remain, including two at Melbourne’s busiest railway stations, Flinders Street and Southern Cross. Nutrition information is published for every burger.

A handful of restaurants: three in Melbourne, one in Adelaide and one in Western Australia.

• Burger Urge (Australia, since 2007). Brisbane’s gourmet burger chain, as famous for its provocative marketing as its burgers. Also built on beef, egg, pineapple and cheese.
• Ribs & Burgers (Australia, since 2011). An Australian grillhouse chain started by butchers: flame-grilled burgers, Wagyu doubles and racks of slow-cooked ribs. Also built on beef, egg, pineapple and cheese.
• Grill'd (Australia, since 2004). Australia’s “healthy burger” chain, where your change goes to a local cause. Also built on beef, egg and cheese.
• BurgerFuel (New Zealand, since 1995). New Zealand’s cheeky burger chain, with beetroot, pineapple and a burger called the Bastard. Also built on beef, pineapple and cheese.