Kingsley’s Chicken in Weston Creek – one of eight stores across the Canberra region. Photo: James Coleman.
Canberra’s very own fast-food joint is preparing to launch its very own merch range – but first, it needs some help coming up with the artwork.
Kingsley’s Chicken is calling on Canberra’s creatives to submit drawings, sketches, paintings, or digital designs that show “what Kingsley’s means to you” – with the winners to feature on a new range of official Kingsley’s merchandise (we hope this includes branded rubber chickens).
“Kingsley’s has been a local legend for generations, known for our unbelievable chicken, awesome chips, and the community that’s kept us going strong,” the company said in a statement.
“Now we want to celebrate that connection through art.”
The brand said the art could represent “the food, the fun, or the spirit of Canberra”, as long as it’s “bold, original and unmistakably Canberra” – and can also be reproduced.
The winning artist will receive $2500 in cash, while runner-ups can also expect vouchers and fame on Kingsley’s social media accounts.
“All ages are welcome to enter, so grab your tools and show us your creative take on Canberra’s most unbelievable chicken and awesome chips,” the company said.
“Unbelievable”? Photo: James Coleman.
You’ve heard the lore – passed down through the generations – about how the first Kingsley’s opened in Woden Plaza in 1984, founded by Kingsley Varr and his wife Jenny Stead.
There are now eight stores across the ACT region, in Belconnen, Erindale, Kippax Fair, Lanyon, Tuggeranong, Weston Creek, Woden and Queanbeyan. Staff are currently being hired for a new store in Casey.
Signage has also been erected at the newest and farthest outpost at Batemans Bay.
In 1991, the founder said the reason for Kingsley’s success lay in the fact that “we’re like the corner store”.
“We recognise customers; we get to know our customers, and we don’t have the same frequent staff turnover like other stores … We try to give value for money to the customer and look to provide a family service and give them their money’s worth.”
As for the marketing catch-cry of “awesome chips” and “unbelievable chicken”, that traces its origins back to the Woden Bus Interchange, when staff took bags of chips and gravy down there to get the public’s feedback.
“We tried it with adults and teenagers, and one of the things that I noticed was the word that kept coming up was ‘awesome’ … And the rest is history. The slogan was born,” former marketing manager Mark Kulasingham said in the 2024 documentary, ‘Kingsley’s Chicken: 40 years of the iconic chicken shop’.
However, namesake Varr himself quietly retired at the end of 2024, and the company is now in the hands of new owners, who themselves have owned two of the stores for the past 20 years.
The art competition is open to all ages, “whether you’re eight or 80”, although entrants under 14 must have a parent or guardian submit on their behalf.
There is also no limit on the number of entries a person can submit, but they must be created by you (no AI-generated work will be accepted).
Entries close midnight, 1 December 2025.
