Starting a brand-new hospitality concept from scratch isn’t easy, but having a cracker of an idea and a business plan to match certainly helps. Chukwuemeka ‘Julius’ Azubuike and Alison Reid recently cut the ribbon on their first joint Yums! Chicken, marking the fulfilment of months of hard work. Inspired by the likes of American burger chain Shake Shack and Honest Burgers in the UK, Yums is taking a few pages out of the book of fast-casual dining, creating a versatile family-friendly outlet based around an offering of fried chicken, sides and shakes. For its first location, Julius and Alison sought an area that boasted loyal local market in need of an approachable and easygoing eatery, targeting suburban hubs rather than the bustling and oversaturated promenades of the inner city. Yums has snagged a spot at the base of the Eastwood apartment building on Logan Road in Woolloongabba (opposite South City Square), perfectly positioned to capitalise on the area’s predicted growth as nearby anticipated high-profile developments reach fruition. A DIY design and refurbishment period has resulted in a breezy modern-industrial vibe, with ample interior and outdoor seating accentuated by big-screen TVS and a colour palette of green and yellow. Julius and Alison have big dreams for Yums’ evolution, with the menu, aesthetic and business model designed to be replicated for potential franchise expansion.

The Yums menu is simple to follow, but that won’t make your inevitable choice any easier. The logical starting point is Yums’ range of burgers, which will likely form the centrepiece of your meal. Guests can chomp into an original crispy buttermilk chicken burger or opt for its spicy sibling, a tangy buffalo-style option, a juicy stack boasting chicken, bacon and cheddar, and a healthier grilled-chicken variety. Yums’ menu also features a vegetarian-friendly haloumi burger and a bacon-and-egg sanga, the latter of which is a handy breakfast option for late risers. Aside from the house-made marinades and sauces, the secret to the Yums burger is its potato ButterBun, which boasts the perfect amount of softness and integrity, making consumption a joy. Moving beyond burgs, the menu also features a range of chicken wings (available in half- or full-kilo serves that are lathered in buffalo, barbecue, sweet-and-spicy or lemon-pepper sauce), chicken tenders (crispy buttermilk or spicy), salads and fries (regular or sweet potato – Julius claims they’re the crispiest in town). Fries can also be loaded up with dollops of American liquid cheese, handfuls of crispy bacon bits, crispy buttermilk tenders and jalapenos. Yums’ thick-shakes are suitably decadent finishers, with a host of flavours (Hershey’s chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, caramel, coffee, lime, Oreo, Milo, peanut butter, malt, banana and Biscoff) on hand for those that love variety. Folks seeking a frothier tipple can sip on beers from Coors and Blue Moon or Canadian Club and dry.

Yums! Chicken is open seven days a week. Click on over to the Stumble Guide for operating hours and contact details.