Wimpy

General information

Wimpy is a much-loved UK fast food franchise serving a varied menu, with an emphasis on good quality ingredients, cooked fresh to order.

Where did the name come from?
The name was inspired by J. Wellington Wimpy, the hamburger-loving character from the Popeye cartoons, which were massively popular in the 1950s.

History
The first Wimpy restaurant in the UK opened in London’s Coventry Street in 1954. Not that we called them restaurants back then of course. Nope, way back then they were called ‘Wimpy Bars’ as they tended to occupy a special fast food section within the more established Corner House restaurants. But not for long!

The public voted with their stomachs, demonstrating a healthy appetite for hearty hamburgers and delicious desserts. Separate Wimpy restaurants soon started to pop up across the UK. Wimpy continued to grow throughout the 1960s and by 1970 there were more than 1,000 restaurants in 23 countries.

In 1977 Wimpy was bought by United Biscuits who ran the business until 1989 when they sold it to the food and drinks giant Diageo. Several management buy-outs followed first in 1990 and then again in 2002.

In 2007 it was announced that Famous Brands, the owner of the Wimpy franchise in South Africa, where Wimpy has a similarly fond place in people’s hearts, had bought Wimpy UK.

Fast forward to 2011. Along with a number of new look restaurants (with more being opened and re-vamped all the time) we’ve launched a new menu packed with old favourites like the classic Wimpy burger and ice cream sundaes and some new surprises like our tasty open burgers.
As good today as it always was

A lot has changed since 1954, but some things will never change. We still believe in using the best possible ingredients and cook them fresh to order so you can enjoy every moment, every time.