On a regular Tuesday evening on Cameroon Street, across Bole Medhanialem Cathedral, Filimon Hailu and his friend Yohannes Bahru were making their way through a bustling crowd in one of the city's busiest areas. They wanted to grab a quick bite at a fast-food restaurant.

This particular neighbourhood has a wide range of such eateries to choose from. Within a 100-metre radius, dozens of popular eateries – from Wow Burger, Chanoly Noodles & Smoothie and Angla Burger to In-Joy Burger – await customers.

Filimon and Yohannes settled for Wow on the ground floor of the landmark Edna Mall, which opened last year.

The restaurant was crowded, hosting roughly 60 people. More were flowing in from each of its three entrances. When the two friends walked in, they were welcomed by the smiling Branch Manager, who showed them to an empty booth in the 280sqm restaurant.

“Apart from injera, burgers are the most satisfying food,” said Filimon.

He paid a little over 200 Br for a burger and a soda. Yohannis nodded in agreement. In the background, around a dozen kitchen staff could be seen working at lightning speed in an open kitchen, a trend dominating the eatery scene across the city lately. Both in their mid-twenties, the duo has been friends since their elementary school days. Their college years 700Km apart did little to diminish their amity. Filimon studied at the Addis Abeba School of Commerce, and Yohannes went on to study in Meqelle. They both now live in the capital and often meet to grab some food and catch up. Often, they prefer fast food joints like Wow Burger.

Their exposure to non-traditional food came from childhood experiences; neither have ever travelled overseas. The influence of television and pop culture have left their mark on them and their taste buds.

They are the familiar faces of contemporary Addis Abeba: young, educated, professional and slick. For Ashenafi Haile, the branch manager who superintends a busy location, nothing is surprising about such a crowd that throngs in for burgers, fries and a soda.

“It's usually like this unless it’s on Wednesday or Friday," he said, referring to the fasting days.

Founded by two friends, Abiyu Mekonnen and Haileleul Abawa, 11 years ago, Wow Burger opened its first location in a small shop near Ras Mekonnen Bridge, on Adwa Street. They began with an initial capital of 150,000 Br, five staff and a monthly rental of 5,000 Br.

In the decade since, the business has seen impressive growth. The partners recently opened their 10th branch in Arat Kilo, across the road from the Tourist Hotel, a historic landmark for Addis Abeba. They also run a training facility, where over 400 people have received coaching on the foodservice industry. Both previously lecturers teaching classes on business and entrepreneurship at Unity University, earning a 2,400 Br monthly salary, Abiyu and Haileleul had agreed to venture together into the world of fast food.

“The business doesn't require large capital," said Abiyu, explaining how they became interested in selling fast-food items, such as burgers. "It's not costly to customers.”

Their big idea was to open a restaurant where customers could have food on the table minutes after ordering. They have succeeded. It takes less than 10 minutes to cook and serve a burger at one of their locations, and around 15 minutes for a pizza, another popular item, along with shawarmas. Their most expensive menu item is a special pizza, priced at a little over 300 Br.

Abiyu and Haileleul are among a new breed of entrepreneurs who capitalised on the expanding food market.

Home to over four million people, Addis Abeba has seen a surge in chain restaurants in the last decade. According to the Addis Abeba Trade Bureau, close to 8,600 restaurants are operating in the capital, and 25 of the establishments are starred.

The growing middle-class created a business opportunity for new entrants willing to put their hard-earned money in the fast-food industry, with a considerable prospect for growth. They are encouraged by the disposable income of individuals in this class, the growing appetite for entertainment and their willingness to pay for it. The fast-food firms are also rushing to increase their presence across the capital, hoping that it would widen their customer base.