Wimpy (restaurant) — BrandWiki

products	Hamburgers, Chicken, French fries

areas served	South Africa Namibia United Kingdom Kuwait Egypt Lesotho United Arab Emirates

parent	Famous Brands

homepage	wimpy.uk.com wimpy.co.za wimpy.me/

Wimpy is a South African fast-food casual dining chain that was founded in the United States. It found its success internationally, mainly in the United Kingdom and South Africa, and has changed between being a table-service establishment and counter-service establishment throughout its history.[1]

The chain was founded in Bloomington, Indiana, by Edward Gold in 1934 as Wimpy Grills, with the chain in the United States hitting its peak with 26 locations in 1947. In 1954, Gold signed a license with J. Lyons and Co. for them to operate Wimpy Bar across the United Kingdom, with further international agreements a few years later through its subsidiary company, Wimpy International.

By 1977, there were only seven Wimpy locations in the United States, which all folded following Gold's death in that year. Despite the brand's demise domestically, the chain would peak at 1,500 international locations the following year.

The company was sold to United Biscuits in 1977, and then to Grand Metropolitan in 1989. Grand Metropolitan began to phase out the Wimpy Bar in the United Kingdom, rebranding many of them as Burger King (which it also owned) because Burger King had the greater brand recognition amongst consumers, and to aid market competition against McDonald's.[2]

Following various buyouts, Wimpy was sold to South African restaurant and fast food conglomerate Famous Brands in 2007. Famous Brands had operated the South African Wimpy franchise for a number of years, and the acquisition made it the parent company.

As of June 2023, the company remains headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, where it has 453 outlets;[3] this is followed by the United Kingdom with 61 outlets.[4] In 2017 and 2020, the company announced plans for nationwide expansion in the United Kingdom.[5] The company also operates locations in Kuwait, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates,[6] Namibia,[7] and Lesotho.[8]

History

Origins in the United States

The Wimpy brand was established in 1934 by Edward Gold, when he opened his first location in Bloomington, Indiana, under the name Wimpy Grills.[9][10] The name was inspired by the character of J. Wellington Wimpy from the Popeye cartoons created by E. C. Segar. Gold did not open his first Chicago area location until two years later in 1936, after opening units in five other Midwestern cities.[11] By 1947, the Chicago Tribune reported that the chain had 26 units, and expected to sell eight million hamburgers annually in the Chicago area.[12]

According to a 1978 Chicago Tribune article, Gold's company Wimpy Grills Inc. of Chicago, had 25 locations in the United States at its peak, but only seven locations remained at the time of his death in 1977.

Former locations

Europe

Finland

There were three franchise locations in the Finnish capital Helsinki between 1973 and 1977.[47]

France

In May 1961, French businessman Jacques Borel opened his first Wimpy restaurant in Paris after obtaining an exclusive franchise to operate Wimpy restaurants in France.[48][49] His restaurant was the first hamburger restaurant in France and predated the opening of the first McDonald's restaurant by a decade.

By the end of that year, he was able to open three more locations within Paris.

External links

References

Ellen Castelow. Food in Britain in the 1950s and 1960s Historic UK, retrieved 16 July 2018^
Jasper Pickering. We ate at Wimpy — the UK's forgotten fast food chain that was almost wiped out by McDonald's Business Insider, 2018-01-13, retrieved 2021-11-05^
All Wimpy Restaurants

United Kingdom

Lyons obtained a licence to use the Wimpy brand in the United Kingdom from Edward Gold's Chicago based Wimpy Grills Inc.[14][15] and, in 1954, the first "Wimpy Bar" was established at the Lyons Corner House in Coventry Street, London.[17] The bar began as a special fast food section within traditional Corner House restaurants, but the success soon led to the establishment of separate Wimpy restaurants serving only hamburger-based meals.

In a 1955 newspaper column, Art Buchwald, syndicated writer for the Washington Post, wrote about the recent opening of a "Wimpy's Hamburger Parlor" on Coventry Street and about the influence of American culture on the British.[18]

Buchwald wrote, "Food served at the table within ten minutes of ordering and with atomic age efficiency. No cutlery needed or given. Drinks served in a bottle with a straw. Condiments in pre-packaged single serving packets." In addition to familiar Wimpy burgers and milkshakes, the British franchise served ham or sardine rolls called torpedoes and sandwiches called Freddies, which contained a cold frankfurter with pickled cucumber.[18]

During the 1970s Wimpy refused entry to women on their own after midnight. This may have been because of an assumption they might be prostitutes.[19][20] A requirement not to allow thieves or prostitutes to assemble on the premises existed under the Late Night Refreshment Houses Act 1969.[21]

By 1970, the business had expanded to over 1,000 restaurants in 23 countries.[17]

In July 1977, the business was acquired by United Biscuits.[22] In 1978, the long-running Mr Wimpy advertising character was introduced, starting in Brighton.[23] The fast food chain coined its name from J. Wellington Wimpy in the Popeye cartoon strip, so used Mr Wimpy, an exaggerated beefeater figure, to advertise and promote their product, including employing people to wear Mr Wimpy suits outside the restaurants.[24]

By the end of the 1980s, Wimpy was beginning to lose ground to McDonald's, which had opened its first restaurant in the country in 1974, and so the new management of Wimpy began to streamline the business, by converting some of the traditional table service restaurants to counter service. When United Biscuits decided to divest its restaurant division in 1989, it sold the business to Grand Metropolitan (now Diageo). At the time of the sale, there were 381 locations in the United Kingdom. Grand Metropolitan had acquired Burger King the previous year, and it began to convert the counter service restaurants to Burger King since it had a greater global brand recognition.[25]

In February 1990, the remaining 216 table service restaurants were purchased by a management buyout, backed by 3i.[26] These were locations that were considered less desirable by Grand Metropolitan. At the time of the buyout, there were also 140 franchised locations outside of the United Kingdom. In October 1999, Wimpy rolled out a chain of restaurants known as Dr. Beaks, to take on brands such as KFC.[27]

A second management buyout occurred in May 2002, backed by the Bank of Scotland.[28] At the time of the sale in 2002, there were approximately 300 locations in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Although Wimpy outlets have decreased in numbers in the United Kingdom, they are still found in many towns and cities, including Huddersfield, and at seafront/seasonal locations, such as Felixstowe, Clacton-on-Sea, Clarence Pier in Southsea.[29] By the beginning of the 21st century, most Wimpys were found in less desirable low-rent locations that primarily cater to pensioners and others on a fixed income, rather than the high street locations of former times.[30] Another big change from earlier times was that most locations were now franchises and not company-owned operations.

On 27 February 2007, Famous Brands, which owns the Wimpy franchise in South Africa, announced that it had acquired Wimpy UK.[31][32] Having acquired the brand, Famous Brands has rebranded Wimpy in the United Kingdom, to bring it in line with Wimpy South Africa. The "new" logo is the one that had been used by Wimpy UK from the 1960s until the 1980s. In November 2009, Famous Brands began to upgrade its 170 locations in the United Kingdom to resemble United States-style diners.[33] As of January 2025, 61 restaurants remain in the United Kingdom.[34]

IRA bombing

On 26 October 1981, Kenneth Howorth, an explosives officer with London's Metropolitan Police, was killed whilst attempting to defuse a bomb planted by the Provisional Irish Republican Army in the basement of Wimpy's in Oxford Street.[35]

founder
former name	Wimpy Grills, Wimpy Bar
type	Wholly owned subsidiary
location city	Johannesburg
location country	South Africa
num locations	545 (2025)
industry	Restaurants
foundation	1934 in Bloomington, Indiana, US

History

Origins in the United States

Former locations

Europe

Finland

France

See also

External links

References

Wimpy's International

United Kingdom

IRA bombing

IRA bombing

South Africa

Lesotho

Kuwait

Egypt

United Arab Emirates

Ireland

Netherlands

West Germany

Finland

France

Ireland

Netherlands

West Germany

Oceania

Australia

New Zealand

Australia

New Zealand

Asia

Bangladesh

India

Indonesia

Israel

Malaysia

Saudi Arabia

Singapore

Thailand

Bangladesh

India

Indonesia

Israel

Malaysia

Saudi Arabia

Singapore

Thailand

South America

Colombia

Colombia