Uncle Tony's Kebabs

Infobox_Company
company_name = Uncle Tony's Kebabs (UTK)
company_
company_type =
company_slogan = | foundation = flagicon|Australia 1965, Sydney
location = flagicon|Australia Ingleburn, NSW
key_people =
industry = Food Wholesale
products = Kebab
revenue = sales$? million AUD (2006)
num_employees =
homepage = [http://www.utk.com.au/ http://www.utk.com.au/]

Uncle Tony's Kebabs (UTK) is a domestic independent specialty fast food retailer in Australia, which aims to offer a healthier fast food alternative within the kebab range of products.

History

UTK were originally introduced in Sydney in 1965 by Tony Khater who used a blend of imported spices and sauces. The founders recipe was introduced into Queensland by his nephew, Bill Mansour and his siter Rita, who used the name "Uncle Tony's Kebabs" from 1983.

Later the Mansour family developed the brand name of the product to what has now become UTK. The company retails through a network of 23 franchised takeaway outlets.

UTK's claim to being a healthier fast food alternative is mainly established through the company's mission statement, which states that the company is "committed to good food, good health and to provide every time to each customer a food experience to set new standards in value, service, cleanliness and quality".cite web | url = http://www.utk.com.au/company.html | title = Fast Food Franchise Australia - UTK| publisher = UTK| accessdate = 2007-05-26 ] This claim has been criticised somewhat by Australia's consumer watchdog "Choice", who through food comparison tests agreed that UTK's kebabs look the best on paper but this was mainly because they are much smaller than the competitors.cite web | url = http://choice.com.au/viewArticle.aspx?id=103633&catId=100289&tid=100008&p=9&title=Fast+food | title = Fast Food - Kebabs| publisher = Choice| accessdate = 2007-05-26 ]

UTK's length of tenure in the Australian fast food market has made them notable enough to be considered a specific party bound within the wage rate setting mechanism of WorkChoices Australia and, along with Eagle Boys Pizza, Hungry Jacks, Red Rooster etc, is included in the bench mark wage setting of the fast food industry through dedicated Fast Food Industry Awards.cite web | url = https://www.workchoices.gov.au/NR/rdonlyres/A16F4B78-3F9B-4EFE-8050-113C84D39359/0/AN140113.pdf | title = AN140113.pdf| publisher = Australian Government - WorkChoices| accessdate = 2007-05-26 ]

Locations

Queensland

Brisbane
* Grand Plaza Shopping Centre, Browns Plains
* Indooroopilly Shopping Centre
* Garden City Shopping Centre
* Westfield Strathpine
* Caltex Service Centre, Gympie Rd Carseldine
* Morayfield Shopping Centre

Gold Coast
* Pacific Fair Shopping Centre
* Runaway Bay Shopping Village
* Robina Town Centre
* Tweed City Shopping Centre
* Carrara Markets

Hervey Bay
* Bay Central Shopping Centre

Sunshine Coast
* Sunshine Plaza (Located both in the Food Court and in the Food Hall)
* Kawana Waters Shopping World
* The Wharf, Mooloolaba

Bundaberg
* Sugarland Shoppingtown

Mackay
* Caneland Shopping Centre

Townsville
* Stocklands Shopping Centre

Northern Territory

*Casuarina Shopping Square

New South Wales

* Ballina Fair Shopping Centre
* Lismore Square Shopping Centre

Awards

UTK has won numerous prestigious awards both in Queensland and Nationally as following:
*1997 Gold Coast Family Business of the Year - 2nd Generation
*1998 Qld State Family Business of the Year - 2nd Generation
*1998 Gold Coast Business Excellence - 2nd Generation Family Business
*1998 Gold Coast Business Excellence - Supreme Award
*1998 Finalist - Australian National Franchise of the Year
*1999 Gold Coast Business Excellence – Retail, Wholesale & Distribution over 10 employees – November Winner
*2000 Australian Family Business of the Year (2nd Generation)
*2000 Gold Coast Business Excellence – October Winner

Voted through consumer surveys:
*As the best take away on the Gold Coast, (Sea FM Radio)
*Voted as the best kebab outlet on the Gold Coast (Gold Coast Bulletin).
*Recognised as the Healthiest Fast Food Alternative in a special “healthy feature” aired by Today Tonight.

References

External links

* [http://www.utk.com.au/ Uncle Tony's Kebabs (UTK)]