Chicken Treat
Encyclopedia
Chicken Treat is an Australian barbecue
chicken
fast food restaurant
chain that originated in 1974 in Perth, Western Australia
and later expanded throughout Australia.
According to their official website, in 1989, Chicken Treat and its main rival east coast, Big Rooster, became allies as Australian Fast Foods Pty Limited
. In early 2002, the parent company Australian Fast Foods
purchased Red Rooster from Coles Myer. This was followed by a period of rebranding
, changing existing stores outside of Western Australia from Chicken Treat to the more established Red Rooster brand, although there are a few areas where Red Rooster and Chicken Treat co-exist.
In April 2007, Red Rooster
and Chicken Treat were sold by Australian Fast Foods for AU$180 million to a consortium formed by the management and the venture capital arm of Westpac
known as Quadrant Capital
In June 2011, Archer Capital acquired Quick Service Restaurant Holdings (QSR) from Quadrant Private Equity for an estimated $450 million (including Red Rooster
and Oporto
).
deals.
A new addition to the menu is the range of paninis, which are available in a variety, such as the BST, Napolitana, Continental and Hawaiian. All paninis are supposed to contain only breast meat, however most stores rarely adhere to this rule. Currently metropolitan stores are offering BST paninis. Side items includes nuggets, in packs of 6 or 12, Twists, which usually come in a pack of 13, garlic bread, corn on the cob, Prawn Cocktails, roast potatoes and peas and gravy. On 29 July, Continental and Hawaiian paninis were to be removed from the menu as well as the Bacon Burger. Other discontinued or promotional products include chicken hotdogs, footlong chicken rolls, nachos, wedges, a line of chicken salad rolls, cheesy nuggets, and Monster Wraps.
Chicken Treat also offers coleslaw and potato salad(not in some franchise stores), as well as chocolate mousse, cheesecake and a range of drinks from the Coca-Cola
range, as well as Masters milk in chocolate and iced coffee varieties.
Each month brings a range of specials, ranging from whole meals at an inexpensive price, including buy-one, get-one-free vouchers.
Because of the popularity of the Stackas, they were brought back upon the deletion of the 'Real Bacon Burger', however upon their return the sauces were removed and replaced with mayonnaise making them extremely unpopular and the company are now having trouble getting rid of their stocks before again discontinuing the item, and Paninis (Chicken Treat still sells BST Paninis).
As of June 2008, Chicken Treat has been testing out selling V energy drinks in green and berry as well as Coca-Cola's old Mother energy drink.
The Hawaiian Packs no longer refer to one banana fritter and one pineapple fritter, but rather 2 pineapple fritters, instead of the name 'Pineapple Pack'. Chicken Treat no longer sells banana fritters.
Chicken Treat kids packs now come with a 'Kids Dinner' option alongside the Cheeseburger & Chips, Nuggets & Chips or 1/8 Chicken & Chips. A Kids Dinner consists of 1/8 Chicken, Peas and Mash & Gravy. Normal Chicken dinners "Mum's Chicken Dinner" now come with two potatoes, carrots, peas and gravy rather than three potatoes, peas and gravy.
It is important to note that unlike Red Rooster, Chicken Treat does not roast their carrots or potatoes. Carrots are microwaved and potatoes are fried. Chicken Treat claim that their potatoes are roasted however, which is why most customers continue to purchase potatoes in the Mum's Chicken Dinners rather than purchasing chips.
Chicken treat now sells fried chicken known as "Westcoast Fried" which is similar to the texture of KFC but with different flavours. Due to the recent acquisition of Chooks by QSRH, the original seasoning used by Chooks was also rebranded as a "Country Style" version of the Westcoast Fried line.
rooster
as its official mascot, named Chicken Nick. It is now the focus of commercials and used as toys in children themed meals. The mascot is normally involved in a comical skit from surfing to Hula
dancing, which is often a reference to the product being advertised at that time. During the first season of the reality TV series Big Brother
, adverts replicated the 'bum dance' of Perth contestant Sara-Marie Fedele
.
Local celebrities such as former Perth Wildcats
star Ricky Grace
have also been used in commercials and in more recent advertisements, a contestant from Australian Idol
, Chris Murphy
, provided a song.
In late 2009 Chicken Treat updated their logo and branding to appeal to a younger audience which has been updated on some stores. In Early 2011 QSR Holdings acquired the Western Australian Chooks
brand (Formerly known as River Rooster), converting said stores into Direct-Service outlets with no Drive-Thru service. These stores all carry the newer Chicken Treat branding.
Barbecue
Barbecue or barbeque , used chiefly in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia is a method and apparatus for cooking meat, poultry and occasionally fish with the heat and hot smoke of a fire, smoking wood, or hot coals of...
chicken
Chicken
The chicken is a domesticated fowl, a subspecies of the Red Junglefowl. As one of the most common and widespread domestic animals, and with a population of more than 24 billion in 2003, there are more chickens in the world than any other species of bird...
fast food restaurant
Fast food restaurant
A fast food restaurant, also known as a Quick Service Restaurant or QSR within the industry itself, is a specific type of restaurant characterized both by its fast food cuisine and by minimal table service...
chain that originated in 1974 in Perth, Western Australia
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
and later expanded throughout Australia.
According to their official website, in 1989, Chicken Treat and its main rival east coast, Big Rooster, became allies as Australian Fast Foods Pty Limited
Australian Fast Foods Pty Limited
Australian Fast Foods Pty Limited based in Balcatta Western Australia is in the takeaway food industry employing 6,956 people Australia wide. As owner of Red Rooster and Chicken Treat it is the joint fourth largest fast food operator in Australia after McDonalds, KFC, and Subway, with 450...
. In early 2002, the parent company Australian Fast Foods
Australian Fast Foods Pty Limited
Australian Fast Foods Pty Limited based in Balcatta Western Australia is in the takeaway food industry employing 6,956 people Australia wide. As owner of Red Rooster and Chicken Treat it is the joint fourth largest fast food operator in Australia after McDonalds, KFC, and Subway, with 450...
purchased Red Rooster from Coles Myer. This was followed by a period of rebranding
Rebranding
Rebranding is the creation of a new name, term, symbol, design, or a combination of them for an established brand with the intention of developing a differentiated position in the mind of stakeholders and competitors....
, changing existing stores outside of Western Australia from Chicken Treat to the more established Red Rooster brand, although there are a few areas where Red Rooster and Chicken Treat co-exist.
In April 2007, Red Rooster
Red Rooster
Red Rooster is an Australian fast food restaurant chain. Red Rooster specialises in selling roasted chicken and other related products.- History :...
and Chicken Treat were sold by Australian Fast Foods for AU$180 million to a consortium formed by the management and the venture capital arm of Westpac
Westpac
Westpac , is a multinational financial services, one of the Australian "big four" banks and the second-largest bank in New Zealand....
known as Quadrant Capital
In June 2011, Archer Capital acquired Quick Service Restaurant Holdings (QSR) from Quadrant Private Equity for an estimated $450 million (including Red Rooster
Red Rooster
Red Rooster is an Australian fast food restaurant chain. Red Rooster specialises in selling roasted chicken and other related products.- History :...
and Oporto
Oporto (restaurant)
Oporto is an Australian-based fast-food franchise with a Portuguese-theme.Oporto specialises in Portuguese style chicken , burgers, chips and spicy chilli sauce...
).
Stores
Chicken Treat has over 60 stores within Western Australia. The company operates via its stores' small-scale catering services. In some metropolitan areas there are meals on wheelsMeals on Wheels
Meals on Wheels are programs that deliver meals to individuals at home who are unable to purchase or prepare their own meals. The name is often used generically to refer to home-delivered meals programs, not all of which are actually named "Meals on Wheels"...
deals.
Menu
The menu of the store has maintained relatively constant since the beginning of its operations, with the core product being a 1/4 or 1/2 a chicken with a serving of chips. Variants include pineapple fritters; another labeled as a "Chicken Dinner" includes a serving peas and gravy with the option of replacing the chips with roasted potatoes. Whole BBQ chickens may also be bought. Other main course products include: Chicken Rolls, a range of burgers including the Fillet Deluxe Burger the Hot n' Spicy Boom Burger and Chicken Cheeseburger, as well as wraps which come in either Fillet Deluxe or Hot n' Spicy Boom. Kids Packs come with a choice of either four nuggets, a Chicken Cheeseburger or an 1/8 of a chicken.A new addition to the menu is the range of paninis, which are available in a variety, such as the BST, Napolitana, Continental and Hawaiian. All paninis are supposed to contain only breast meat, however most stores rarely adhere to this rule. Currently metropolitan stores are offering BST paninis. Side items includes nuggets, in packs of 6 or 12, Twists, which usually come in a pack of 13, garlic bread, corn on the cob, Prawn Cocktails, roast potatoes and peas and gravy. On 29 July, Continental and Hawaiian paninis were to be removed from the menu as well as the Bacon Burger. Other discontinued or promotional products include chicken hotdogs, footlong chicken rolls, nachos, wedges, a line of chicken salad rolls, cheesy nuggets, and Monster Wraps.
Chicken Treat also offers coleslaw and potato salad(not in some franchise stores), as well as chocolate mousse, cheesecake and a range of drinks from the Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
range, as well as Masters milk in chocolate and iced coffee varieties.
Each month brings a range of specials, ranging from whole meals at an inexpensive price, including buy-one, get-one-free vouchers.
Because of the popularity of the Stackas, they were brought back upon the deletion of the 'Real Bacon Burger', however upon their return the sauces were removed and replaced with mayonnaise making them extremely unpopular and the company are now having trouble getting rid of their stocks before again discontinuing the item, and Paninis (Chicken Treat still sells BST Paninis).
As of June 2008, Chicken Treat has been testing out selling V energy drinks in green and berry as well as Coca-Cola's old Mother energy drink.
The Hawaiian Packs no longer refer to one banana fritter and one pineapple fritter, but rather 2 pineapple fritters, instead of the name 'Pineapple Pack'. Chicken Treat no longer sells banana fritters.
Chicken Treat kids packs now come with a 'Kids Dinner' option alongside the Cheeseburger & Chips, Nuggets & Chips or 1/8 Chicken & Chips. A Kids Dinner consists of 1/8 Chicken, Peas and Mash & Gravy. Normal Chicken dinners "Mum's Chicken Dinner" now come with two potatoes, carrots, peas and gravy rather than three potatoes, peas and gravy.
It is important to note that unlike Red Rooster, Chicken Treat does not roast their carrots or potatoes. Carrots are microwaved and potatoes are fried. Chicken Treat claim that their potatoes are roasted however, which is why most customers continue to purchase potatoes in the Mum's Chicken Dinners rather than purchasing chips.
Chicken treat now sells fried chicken known as "Westcoast Fried" which is similar to the texture of KFC but with different flavours. Due to the recent acquisition of Chooks by QSRH, the original seasoning used by Chooks was also rebranded as a "Country Style" version of the Westcoast Fried line.
Logo and mascot
In the late 1990s, the company began to use a CGIComputer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
rooster
Rooster
A rooster, also known as a cockerel, cock or chanticleer, is a male chicken with the female being called a hen. Immature male chickens of less than a year's age are called cockerels...
as its official mascot, named Chicken Nick. It is now the focus of commercials and used as toys in children themed meals. The mascot is normally involved in a comical skit from surfing to Hula
Hula
Hula is a dance form accompanied by chant or song . It was developed in the Hawaiian Islands by the Polynesians who originally settled there. The hula dramatizes or portrays the words of the oli or mele in a visual dance form....
dancing, which is often a reference to the product being advertised at that time. During the first season of the reality TV series Big Brother
Big Brother (Australia series 1)
Big Brother Australia 2001 was the first series of Big Brother Australia. The season ran from 23 April 2001 until 16 July 2001, a duration of 86 days. The series was hosted by Gretel Killeen, who remained as the host until 2008, not returning for the eighth season...
, adverts replicated the 'bum dance' of Perth contestant Sara-Marie Fedele
Sara-Marie Fedele
Sara-Marie Fedele gained fame as one of the loudest and most flamboyant Housemates on Big Brother Australia 2001...
.
Local celebrities such as former Perth Wildcats
Perth Wildcats
The Perth Wildcats are an Australian professional basketball team competing in the National Basketball League. The Wildcats are the only team in the league representing the state of Western Australia and are based in the state capital, Perth...
star Ricky Grace
Ricky Grace
Ricky Ray Grace is an American/Australian professional basketball player who played in the Australian National Basketball League from 1990 until the 2004/2005 season.- Playing career :...
have also been used in commercials and in more recent advertisements, a contestant from Australian Idol
Australian Idol
Australian Idol is a Logie Award-winning Australian singing competition, which began its first season on July 2003 and ended its run in November 2009. As part of the Idol franchise, Australian Idol originated from the reality program Pop Idol, which was created by British entertainment executive...
, Chris Murphy
Chris Murphy (Australian singer)
Christopher Bryce Murphy , is an Australian male singer-songwriter who rose to fame when he placed fourth in Australian Idol 2006....
, provided a song.
In late 2009 Chicken Treat updated their logo and branding to appeal to a younger audience which has been updated on some stores. In Early 2011 QSR Holdings acquired the Western Australian Chooks
Chooks Fresh & Tasty
Chooks Fresh & Tasty was a Western Australian fast food chain that specialized in barbecued and fried chicken.-History:Chooks was originally a well known regional fast food brand named River Rooster. Operations began in Busselton and Margaret River in 1991...
brand (Formerly known as River Rooster), converting said stores into Direct-Service outlets with no Drive-Thru service. These stores all carry the newer Chicken Treat branding.
Slogans
- The chicken lover's chicken
- The taste that's close to home
- I've got the taste!
- We do chicken right!
- We treat our chicken right.
- Its just too tender to be called a chook.