For certain Sydney communities, protecting their identity means pushing back against the fast food giants.
In recent months, some inner-city suburbs have rallied in a bid to reject development proposals, voicing their opinions on social media, in submissions to council and even with vandalism.
It comes as the number of Australian fast food and takeaway businesses in the country surpassed 26,000 in 2025, IbisWorld data shows.
The country’s top three remain the same as five years ago, according to Roy Morgan Research: McDonald’s, KFC and Hungry Jack’s.
These communities explain why they have fought to largely remain free of these popular outlets.
‘Four steps backwards’
In May, a $3 million development application for a 24-hour, two-storey McDonald’s in Redfern was rejected by the City of Sydney Council.
Out of 286 public submissions, only 17 supported the proposal, which would have seen the first of Australia’s top three fast food giants in the inner-city suburb.
Supporters of the proposal mentioned it would increase foot traffic and boost surrounding local business.
Aboriginal Medical Services Redfern CEO LaVerne Bellear objected, raising concerns about public health.
“Research has shown that the proliferation of fast food outlets correlates with increased rates of obesity, diabetes, and other diet-related illnesses, which disproportionately affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations,” Ms Bellear stated in her submission.
Douglas has strong connections with the people and places of Redfern. (Supplied: Eddy Summers)
Dhungatti Archibald Prize-winning artist Blak Douglas, who lived and worked in Redfern for 17 years, shared similar views.
Douglas said fast food giants would detract from First Nations businesses trying to improve local nutrition.
“That’s like one step forward in our community with a focus on native nutrition, and then it’s four steps backwards with a fast-food franchise coming in there,”
he said.
In a statement, a McDonald’s spokesperson said every restaurant contributed to the local community “by creating 100 new jobs … and providing ongoing training and development for employees”.
The company said it “values community feedback” and supports community causes through its in-house charity.
Second time lucky?
Newtown in Sydney’s inner west has also been pushing back.
McDonald’s opened for the first time in the area in 1989.
McDonald’s on King Street at Newtown in the early 1990s. (Supplied: City of Sydney Archives)
Eleven years later, it closed, citing the “changing demographics of the Newtown area, particularly in King Street”.
In 2025, the company tried to return with a 24-hour outlet.
Out of 1,433 public submissions to the development proposal, only six supported it.
The City of Sydney council rejected the proposal in October, saying the application lacked merit, would not comply with late trading, did not have toilets for customers and its footpath would be hazardous for delivery drivers.
Newtown resident of 18 years, Liam Coffey, said Newtown was “full of heart and character”.
The content creator said residents were not afraid to voice their opinions because its “existence has been political” and diverse.
“We as a community have always been one to stand up and to not just take it lying down and just accept what the big man tells us,”
Mr Coffey said.
Mr Coffey was a fierce opponent of the fast food outlet proposals in Newtown. (Supplied)
When the Newtown McDonald’s was proposed, Mr Coffey took to the streets to make videos about the community’s response, which amassed thousands of views.
“I think without a doubt, my use of social media has directly impacted this decision,” he said.
Despite working at McDonald’s when he was younger, Mr Coffey disagreed with supporters, saying fast food companies would bring jobs.
“They [existing local employees] are going to lose their jobs, they’re going to cut their hours, because a fast food local business is not going to be able to compete with the big ones,” he said.
‘We can’t survive it’
This is what the KFC looked like in the early 90s in Newtown. (Supplied: City of Sydney Archives)
In July last year, KFC made a comeback to Newtown decades after its closure, but this time on King Street.
It replaced an Indian and Sri Lankan restaurant.
The development proposal received 11 submissions, with one supporting the development.
A City of Sydney spokesperson said KFC was approved and McDonald’s was not, as the former only wanted 60 per cent of floor space to be kitchen and back of house, compared to its competitor’s 84 to 90 per cent.
Broaster Chicken Newtown owner Md Rubel said business had been a “disaster” ever since.
“[The] last six, seven months it’s going really bad because I think it’s pretty similar food, and obviously we can’t beat the price,”
he said.
Broaster Chicken has been operating in Newtown for almost six years now. (Supplied)
Mr Rubel said he struggles to pay rent — $10,000 minimum per month — and suppliers on time and had started a second job as a driver to provide for his family.
He said if McDonald’s did manage to build a restaurant in the area, his business would not survive.
“I’ll have to shut the shop … We can’t survive it.”
Eleven submissions were made to council with just one supporting the development. (Supplied: Google Maps)
About 10 minutes away, McDonald’s built a restaurant in Marrickville after it was approved last year through a Complying Development Certificate, which means it did not need public or council support.
During construction in September, the site was vandalised with “McF*** off”.
The Marrickville McDonald’s construction site was vandalised in September. (ABC News: Simon Amery)
McDonald’s said in a statement the business represented a $5 million investment into the local economy.
The company did not respond to questions asking how many development applications were submitted across the country in the past year, or how many of those were rejected.
Corporate model vs local identity
Ms Morrison says some suburbs are very protective of their “vibe” and “identity”.
(Supplied)
Nicky Morrison, who is the professor of planning and co-director of the Urban Transformations Research Centre at Western University, said certain areas like Redfern and Newtown opposed fast food because of local identity and vibe.
“They have a very strong sense of place, and they’ve invested decades into shaping the local culture, the street life, the food scene and the character of their high streets,” she said.
“They’re not just objecting to a building or a business, they’re very much objecting to what they feel is a loss of social and cultural fabric of their neighbourhood.“
Ms Morrison noted some parts of Sydney had different responses.
“Fast food can be heavily constrained to lower income areas because they really do have fewer resources and less capacity to mobilise opposition,” she said.
“It does raise an equity question. I think it’s not just about planning here, it’s also about health outcomes and who’s paying for the impact of these developments.”
Bucking the trend
Fabio Stefanelli’s La Favola Italian restaurant in Newtown is directly across from the new KFC.
Mr Stefanelli owns an Italian restaurant across the road from a fried chicken fast food giant. (Supplied)
Mr Stefanelli said he “didn’t really care” about the new addition.
“Lots of people still complain … but honestly, I prefer to see a place tidy, clean and [with] good vibes, compared to a closing shop [because of high rents],”
he said.
Mr Stefanelli said it had attracted more people and diversified food options available after 10pm.
Fashion store owner Ruth Tate, who has operated on the street for six years, said she understood why KFC wanted to be on King Street from a business perspective.
“Lots of people have now moved to Newtown for nightlife because Kings Cross died with the lockout laws,” she said.
KFC declined to comment.
