Celebrate 10 years of Grease Monkey. Photo: Grease Monkey/Facebook.
Grease Monkey turns 10 in June: how time flies! The Canberra burger icon has been flipping patties, pouring beers and fuelling good times for a full decade, and it’s put together some great deals to celebrate.
Greasy’s owner Nick Tuckwell attributed the success to a variety of factors.
“There was definitely an element of ‘right place right time’, but there was also a lot of hard work that went into it. Particularly in Braddon, creating an experience was really important. So that was about the beer garden, the atmosphere, the fit-out and everything else,” Nick told Region.
“And of course, we picked a great location: Lonsdale Street has become the Golden Mile for food and beverage in Canberra!”
Brandon and Mitch were the first customers to buy burgers at Grease Monkey when it opened the doors 10 years ago. Photo: 2015, Grease Monkey/Facebook.
Over the past 10 years, the brand has grown to include bricks-and-mortar shops in Gungahlin and Woden (with one more on the way in Belconnen), plus a food truck. And it’s become an iconic name in Canberra’s dining scene.
A big party at the Braddon location will celebrate the birthday on Sunday 29 June.
“There will be beer specials from our longtime partners like Capital Brewing, Bentspoke and Hawkes Brewing Co. We’ll also have some live music on and when they’re not playing there will be a playlist of 2015 classics!”
The Tightarse Chewsday meal deal – “you buy the burger, we buy the bevvy” – has been a longstanding tradition. And customers can relive the past in June when original menu items return to their 2015 prices! Remember when a burger cost $15?
To help combat those “cozzie livs” (the rising cost of living), Grease Monkey has launched its Chump Change menu of affordable bites for $10 or less. Think a piece of fried chicken, a cup of chips (covered in that signature Greasy’s spiced salt) or a hotdog. This value menu aims to keep folks – even those doing it tough – enjoying Grease Monkey.
“I wanted to do something that was a bit of a thank you to our loyal customers over the last 10 years,” Nick said.
“And that Chump Change menu will be sticking around all day, every day. It’s not just for June!”
Grease Monkey has been partnering with local breweries, including neighbours Bentspoke, for a decade. Photo: Zachary Griffith.
Nick has seen plenty of changes in the last 10 years. Yes, prices have gone up. But he’s also seen the rise of delivery services and the growth of Canberra’s food industry into a well-regarded culinary scene.
The next 10 weeks will see the last work on the upcoming store in Belconnen, which Nick hopes will open soon.
As for the next 10 years?
“We’re going to explore options outside Canberra, maybe regional towns a bit similar to Canberra, like Wollongong and Newcastle.”
Celebrate 10 years of Grease Monkey from 2 pm on Sunday, 26 June, at 19 Lonsdale Street, Braddon. Follow Grease Monkey on Facebook or Instagram to find out more about its birthday deals.
