Burger lovers can rejoice - Wendy's has opened its doors in Dunedin.
Fans of the fast-food chain had been knocking on the doors every day over the past few weeks, prior to the outlet opening yesterday morning, Wendy's NZ chief executive, Danielle Lendich, said as queues formed mid-morning.
There were 54 jobs created by the opening in Andersons Bay Rd, on part of the former Red Barn Garden Centre site.
Several management positions were still to be filled.
Dunedin could now claim to be the world's southernmost Wendy's site, taking the title from Hornby in Christchurch which opened in November 2013.
Support from the public had been a big motivator in opening the restaurant.
A Dunedin outlet was the most popular request on Wendy's Facebook page, Ms Lendich said. While the chain had been wanting a presence in the city for a long time, the process had taken a bit longer than expected.
Finding the right location had been key and the site chosen was ''very good'' in a busy area, she said.
Events such as the Cricket World Cup and the resumption of the tertiary year had presented some challenges, with accommodation being at capacity while the building work was completed, she said.
There were big expectations for the Dunedin opening after the Hornby opening set a world record for first-week sales.
Topping that was going to be difficult, given there was a smaller popular base in the South, but ''we'll give it our best shot'', she said.
Ingredients were sourced locally wherever possible.
The burger buns were made in Dunedin and cheese, eggs and produce all came from South Island suppliers.
The 60-seater restaurant includes a drive-through, cafe-style seating and group seating for larger parties.
There were now 22 Wendy's in New Zealand.
The reopening of the Hereford St outlet in Christchurch's CBD was expected to take place in November.
It had been open for only 10 weeks when the Christchurch earthquake hit.
Outlets in Whangarei and New Plymouth were ''also on the cards'', Ms Lendich said.
