Uncle Tony's Kebabs facts for kids
 |
|
| Industry | Fast food restaurants |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1983, Gold Coast, Queensland |
| Founder | Bill Mansour Rita Mansour |
| Defunct | 2007 |
| Headquarters | Gold Coast, Queensland |
| Products | Kebabs |
Uncle Tony's Kebabs was a popular fast food chain in Australia. It was known for its tasty kebabs. The company started in 1983 and grew to have 22 stores. In 2007, another company called Ali Baba Lebanese Cuisine bought Uncle Tony's. The brand slowly disappeared by 2008.
How Uncle Tony's Kebabs Started
Uncle Tony's Kebabs began in Queensland in 1983. It was founded by a brother and sister, Bill Mansour and Rita Mansour. They wanted to share their delicious kebabs with more people.
Just three years later, in 1986, they opened a second store. By 1988, other take-away shops could sell their products. This helped their kebabs reach even more customers. In 1992, they started offering franchises. This meant other people could open their own Uncle Tony's Kebabs stores.
Growing the Business
Bill's son, Mark Mansour, joined the family business in 1994. He brought new ideas, like using computers for accounting and managing supplies. This made the business run much smoother.
In 1997, Mark became the Chief Financial Officer. This job meant he was in charge of all the money matters. When his dad and aunt retired in 2000, Mark took over as the Chief Executive. He was then in charge of the whole company.
Most of the Uncle Tony's Kebabs stores were in Queensland. A few were also in the Northern Territory and New South Wales. For a short time in 2001, there was even a store in a shopping centre in the UK.
In November 2007, a competing kebab company, Ali Baba, bought Uncle Tony's Kebabs. Ali Baba was based in New South Wales.
Awards and Recognition
Uncle Tony's Kebabs received many awards over the years. These awards showed how much people liked their food and how well the business was run.
Here are some of the awards they won:
- 1997 Gold Coast Family Business of the Year: This award recognized them as a great family-run business on the Gold Coast, Queensland.
- 1998 Queensland State Family Business of the Year: They won this for being the best family business in all of Queensland.
- 1998 Gold Coast Business Excellence Awards: They won several awards here, including the top "Supreme Award."
- 1998 Finalist - Australian National Franchise of the Year: This meant they were one of the best franchise businesses in Australia.
- 2000 Australian Family Business of the Year: They were named the best family business in Australia.
- 2003, 2004, 2005 Queensland 400: For three years in a row, they were listed among Queensland's top 400 privately owned businesses.
Customers also voted for Uncle Tony's Kebabs:
- Best Take Away on the Gold Coast: Listeners of Sea FM Radio voted them number one.
- Best Kebab Outlet on the Gold Coast: Readers of The Gold Coast Bulletin newspaper chose them as the best.
- Healthiest Fast Food Alternative: The TV show Today Tonight featured them as a healthy fast food choice.
