Fans left disappointed as popular YouTuber ditches restaurant opening - sending a cartoon mascot instead

Fans were left disappointed this week when they were robbed of a chance to see their favourite YouTube star at the opening of his new Sydney kebab shop.

Spanian, real name Anthony Lees, opened his new Spanian's Kebabs location in Kogarah on Friday. 

However, the social media star was nowhere to be seen when it came time for the ribbon cutting.

He did not leave fans completely out in the cold, though, sending an oversized cartoon mascot likeness to entertain hungry followers.

The comical creation bore a striking resemblance to its real-life counterpart – right down to the heavily inked arms and legs. 

Despite the name on the sign being a no-show, the grand opening attracted a sizeable crowd eager to get a glimpse of Spanian and grab one of his tasty creations.

Spanian's likeness did find the time to press the flesh with the crowd though, with diners happy to snap selfies with the character.

One fan was spotted beaming as he posed for a photo with cartoon Spanian – hard not to, considering the infectious smile the character sported.     

It appears that Spanian was out of the country for the opening, with his latest Instagram post, shared on Wednesday, showing him in Bangkok. 

It comes after the YouTuber copped a roasting when fans noticed a bizarre detail at the grand opening of another of his Sydney kebab shops. 

The social media star shared a clip to Instagram in January showing him posing happily with fans at the official opening of Spanian's Kebabs in Newtown.

Grinning from ear to ear, Spanian cut the commemorative ribbon before proudly showcasing the sleek new takeaway venue.

But it wasn't long before followers noticed something was off.

Fans quickly zeroed in on artwork depicting Spanian painted on the store's wall – which highlighted the results of his recent nose job and dental work – with many insisting it looked nothing like him.

'Nice... but whoever did that mural did old Spanyos dirty,' wrote one person on X.

'Who is that in the painting?' another asked. 

'Got a nose job bro,' a second added. 

Elsewhere, another offered his artistic advice.

'Think the mural should be a clean graphic slightly raised with a dim LED. Black and white. With your egg of a head on it clutching...' they wrote.

However, there were fans who loved the new King Street eatery. 

'Congrats on the opening. The food and service was perfect. The seasoning on the chips was off the chart. Should have stayed for ice cream,' wrote another. 

'The food is amazing,' added one more, and they weren't alone. 

Spanian was once Sydney's poster boy for the working-class urban youth subculture called eshays, known for tracksuits, bum bags, tough talk and street cred. 

Now a legitimate businessman and entertainer, he has previous convictions for armed robbery, causing grievous bodily harm with intent, and reckless wounding.

His last sentence was for operating a criminal group that dealt drugs, and he has served more than 12 years in prison in total.

After his most recent prison release in 2017, he launched the YouTube series Into the Hood, travelling across Australia and the world visiting dangerous, crime-riddled areas.

An influencer career soon beckoned as he marketed himself on YouTube as a reformed ex-crim, earning a fortune in the process.

He recently ended his two-year marriage to Angela McColl, just a few months after she gave birth to their son.

He is currently dating his much younger girlfriend, Ava Jean Walker, 22.