Long before McDonald’s and Burger King landed in the UK, there was another US fast food chain reigning supreme. To celebrate its 70th birthday, I headed down to Wimpy to see why this high street staple has stood the test of time.
After finding success in America, Wimpy went on to enjoy international success, with chains popping up in South Africa and the UK. The first-ever branch in Britain opened its doors in 1954, and throughout the 1970s and 80s, it fast became the crown jewel of the high street. With over 500 restaurants up and down the country at one point, practically every major city had a Wimpy Bar (as it was known back then), and it was the place to be. Countless first dates took place at its restaurants over the years, with some couples getting engaged in their local or hosting their wedding reception there. Others visited weekly for family dinners, while some picked it as the place to celebrate special occasions like anniversaries – and even a lottery win.
Today, the fast food joint is often overlooked in favor of newer chains like Popeyes and Taco Bell, but 70 years after it first opened its doors here, Wimpy is still going strong – and it’s even looking to expand. Currently, there are 63 Wimpys across England and Scotland, filled with bright red booths, serving up dishes such as the signature quarter pounder, which comes in a (controversial) brown bun with Wimpy Special Sauce, cheese, lettuce, and onion, and as a meal with chips. And while it might sound like something you’d get at Maccies, the big difference here is that this burger will be brought out to your table on a plate, with cutlery to go with it. No paper bags in sight! The whole thing has to be washed down with a milkshake, as these are a real standout option on the menu. Over on Reddit, the shakes have been branded ‘the best’ and ‘amazing’ by fans, and having tried one, I can confirm they are top notch… and, dare I say it, even better than a Maccies Thick Shake.
Wimpy’s menu has a number of other items you’d expect to find, such as breakfast muffins, hash browns, chicken burgers, and soda, but there are also a few surprises on there. The restaurants serve an all-day breakfast, as well as an item known as a Pork Bendy, which gets a lot of attention online, as you might expect. Some will even recall that once upon a time it was known as a ‘Bender’ – undoubtedly many a school child (and let’s face it, adults too) will have had a good giggle over that. For those that are curious, the quirky product is a fried frankfurter sausage which has been curved into a circular shape. You can order it in a bun with cheese, tomato and onion, or on the side of breakfast and grill options.
A number of classic items have also been making their way back of late, but with a twist. These form a new ‘Legends Menu’ which will change monthly until the end of the year to celebrate Wimpy’s 70th anniversary. The first product to be brought back was the Corner House Coffee Shake which pays homage to Wimpy’s coffee bar roots.
If you’re wondering how the Wimpy is still going after all this time, the answer is simple: nostalgia. Speak to anyone who visited Wimpy regularly in their childhood and they’ll have nothing but fond memories to share. And many of them are still loyal to the chain, continuing to go and introducing new generations to the restaurant they’ve always loved. ‘I was in a Wimpy restaurant recently and I was introduced to four generations of the same family, they’ve always been Wimpy customers,’ says Chris Woolfenden, the general manager of Famous Brands, which owns Wimpy. ‘I hear that a lot, that someone’s parents or grandparents brought them to eat there and now there are multiple generations still going. It’s fantastic.’
Kat Storr, a writer from London, told Metro.co.uk: ‘We had one in Teddington where I grew up. We went to lots of birthday parties there and it was always a treat with our grandparents. It was a big part of the community.’ James Barley, a publicist from London, felt similarly, saying: ‘I had my 10th birthday at the Woolwich one – my parents booked out the whole restaurant. Also fond memories of many lime milkshakes. ‘Last time I went to one was in Margate with my partner. We wanted to buy some of their Wimpy branded plates.’ And narrative designer, Dan Dawes, found it hard to pick just one favorite Wimpy memory, as the chain has proved a special place for him over the years. He told Metro: ‘I have a niece who’s very shy and barely said a word to my wife and I. We took her to Wimpy and, for some reason, it unlocked something and she suddenly became as talkative as a chat show host. She hasn’t stopped yapping to us since. Wimpys are good for language skills. Who knew?’ Wimpy was also the first takeaway he enjoyed post-lockdown. So for Dan, a Wimpy burger is synonymous with the ‘taste of freedom’.
If this weren’t enough, the chain is also known to have had some famous fans over the years, with Brad Pitt reportedly eating at the former Billericay branch in 2014, and singer Lulu once trying her hand at flipping burgers at the opening of the Harrow Road Wimpy in 1968.
Wimpy’s general manger, Chris, isn’t surprised that so many people still love the chain, and credits its success to their amazing franchisees and staff. ‘When you look back over the last 70 years, there aren’t many other restaurant brands from back then that are still present on the high street, and [we’ve even outlasted] some real powerhouse retail brands, and I think it’s a real testament to the brand that we’re still here,’ he explains. ‘I’ve been asked if I still think we’ll be here in another 70 years and I hope so. We are looking for significant expansion and we’ll expand through franchising.’ So if there’s not already a Wimpy near you, there could be one coming very soon!
The vanilla milkshake is an instant winner. It’s a very generous size, it’s thick and creamy, and there were no issues with broken machines when ordering, so I’d say it surpasses the McDonald’s Thick Shake in just about every way. And if you’re not a fan of Maccies’ overly-salty fries, then the chips at Wimpy will be right up your street. But when it comes to burgers, there’s no competition. I wasn’t a fan of the Quarter Pounder from Wimpy, the Special Sauce had nothing on Big Mac sauce, and the brown bun threw me off. It just felt wrong. The patty itself was lacking in flavor, with onions being the only thing I could really taste. I desperately wanted to like this after learning so much about this iconic brand, but unfortunately it just wasn’t for me.
