Winky's Hamburgers was a chain of hamburger fast food restaurants in and near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was founded by two brothers, Harold and Bernard Erenstein in 1962.[1] Their slogans were "Fast Food Cheap" and "Winky's Makes You Happy To be Hungry."[2][3] Their signs advertised "Winky's Hamburger 15¢"; other sandwiches offered were The Big Wink, The Great One, and The Ground Rounder. Hot dogs also were on the menu. One of the television commercials for the chain featured a puppet monster reading a list of signs featuring the names of the towns where restaurants were located. Upon learning that there was no Winky's in Wilmerding, the monster ate the panel, exclaiming, "There's no Winky's in Wilmerding!"
History
Winky's started as a sideline of the Jiffy Steak Company, a meat company that the Erensteins had originally started in the back of their family's grocery store in Ambridge, Pennsylvania after the end of World War II.[4]