Wimpy (brand)
Encyclopedia
Wimpy is the brand name of a chain of fast-food hamburger
restaurants based in the United Kingdom.
from the Popeye
cartoons created by E. C. Segar
. Eddie Gold was running 12 restaurants by the early 1950s, when the concept of fast food came to the attention of the directors of J. Lyons and Co. Lyons licensed the brand for use in the United Kingdom and in 1954 the first "Wimpy Bar" Lyons was established at the Lyons Corner House in Coventry Street, London. Originally the bar was a special fast-food section within the more traditional Corner House restaurants, but the success soon led to the establishment of separate Wimpy restaurants serving only hamburger based meals. By 1970 the business had expanded to over a thousand restaurants in 23 countries.
In 1977, the business was acquired by United Biscuits
. By the late 1980s, Wimpy was beginning to lose ground to McDonald’s
, who had opened their first UK restaurant 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. In 1989, the business was sold to Grand Metropolitan
(now Diageo
). Grand Metropolitan had acquired Burger King
the previous year and they began to convert the “counter service” restaurants to Burger King restaurants. In 1990, the remaining 220 “table service” restaurants were purchased by a management buy-out backed by 3i
. A second management buy-out occurred in 2002.
Although Wimpy has decreased in numbers in the United Kingdom, it is still found in some towns and cities and at the Dundee Megabowl
and Namco Funscape Newcastle (XS Super Bowl) bowling alleys. The branches at the Roadchef and bowling alley locations typically have an 'express' counter service as opposed to a table service format.
Wimpy is the only major fast food chain that offers Quorn
burgers on the menu.
On 27 February 2007, Famous Brands, which owns the Wimpy franchise in South Africa, announced that it had acquired Wimpy UK. Having acquired the brand, Famous Brands has re-branded Wimpy in the UK to bring it in line with Wimpy South Africa. The "new" logo is actually one used by Wimpy UK from the 1960s until the 1980s.
Wimpy is currently re-branding and refreshing all its restaurants, an operation which commenced on 22 October 2007 with the launch of the new format at the Benfleet, Essex branch. Wimpy features new décor, seating and signage and a return to the original Wimpy colours of red and white. Supporting the new look is an improved menu and a significant marketing campaign.
and Morocco. It was the first international burger restaurant in Egypt and it was Morocco's second. However, both businesses were closed by 1998 in both countries.
In Egypt, there was a network of branches which covered almost all districts in Cairo
and Alexandria
. The Mohandissein branch was owned and managed directly by the agent in Egypt. Wimpy was expanded in Egypt through signing several franchise
contracts with Egyptian investors. Part of those franchise branches are: 'Maryland branch' in Heliopolis
, Pyramids Branch, Shooting Club branch, Hoda Shaarawi
branch, Talaat Harb branch, Nasser City branch, Manshyet El Bakry branch and many others. Maryland
branch in Heliopolis
was found by Raafat Sadek Zahran and his sons Bahaa El Din, Samir and Ahmed Raafat Zahran. Raafat Sadek Zahran was also one of the founders of Saudi Elevator Co. (Schindler Elevators). Raafat Sadek Zahran was also the head of Zahran Family in Mansoura. Ahmed Raafat Zahran is an Egyptian consultant
in the field of Human Resources
Management
and Development
, as well as Organizational Development. Ahmed Raafat Zahran worked on several restructuring
assignments for the benefits of the Egyptian Government: Information and Decision Support Centre, Foreign Trade Training Centre, Capital Market Authority. The branch of Huda Shaarawi in Down Town area and Shooting Club branch in Giza was found by Mostafa El-Shorbagi.
There is only one branch still functioning in Cairo, which is the Nasser City branch.
's post-liberalised economy. With a run of initial success, Wimpy was often touted as the first icon of 'westernization
' in India. A few of the remaining restaurants still in business are in New Delhi
- Connaught Place
In the 2000s, petrol station chain operator Petrogas
took on the master franchise for Ireland, and operated a large number of sites, but they have since ceased to operate these. Most have been replaced by "Grill'n'Fill" own-branded areas selling virtually identical products, or Burger King
which Petrogas are now are franchiser for.
in the 1970s. It is now only in Al-Nuzha
, Kuwait.
including Hamilton
, Paraparaumu and Taupo but have now closed. One store remained in Rotorua
but this was put up for sale in 2008 and has since closed.
in 1967. The business was sold to Bakers SA Ltd in the late 1970s and later to the Famous Brands Limited
.
, Colombia. Branches trading as Wimpy in Germany preceded the U.S. based chains. Other countries with Wimpy restaurants include Guatemala, Norway, Lithuania, Kuwait, Egypt, Cyprus, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kenya, Beirut
Lebanon, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Botswana, and Japan.
It is now owned by Famous Brands that recently completed a takeover of Wimpy within the UK.
and Dudley Moore
comedy film Bedazzled
works as a cook at a Wimpy bar.
features the lyrics Chewing through their Wimpy dreams, they eat without a sound. Digesting England by the pound.
During the 1980s, advertising for the Wimpy chain featured a cartoon character called Mr. Wimpy. He was almost entirely hidden under a large hat, and only a nose and a smile were visible. His physical appearance was a visual pun
, as his costume was the red dress uniform of the Beefeaters at the Tower Of London
, playing on the beef-oriented nature of the chain's menu. In certain branches, a member of staff would dress up in a Mr. Wimpy costume for pre-arranged children's parties.
Mr. Wimpy also appeared in an official computer game by Ocean Software
, released in 1984 on the ZX Spectrum
, Commodore 64
and other formats.
Although the Wimpy chain's name was originally inspired by the Wimpy cartoon character in Popeye
, the chain's own Mr. Wimpy bore no resemblance to Popeye's Wimpy.
Hamburger
A hamburger is a sandwich consisting of a cooked patty of ground meat usually placed inside a sliced bread roll...
restaurants based in the United Kingdom.
History
The Wimpy brand was created in the 1930s. The name was inspired by the character of J. Wellington WimpyJ. Wellington Wimpy
J. Wellington Wimpy, generally referred to as Wimpy, is one of the characters in the long-running comic strip Popeye, created by E. C. Segar and originally called Thimble Theatre, and in the Popeye cartoons based upon the strip...
from the Popeye
Popeye
Popeye the Sailor is a cartoon fictional character created by Elzie Crisler Segar, who has appeared in comic strips and animated cartoons in the cinema as well as on television. He first appeared in the daily King Features comic strip Thimble Theatre on January 17, 1929...
cartoons created by E. C. Segar
E. C. Segar
Elzie Crisler Segar was an American cartoonist, best known as the creator of Popeye, a character who first appeared in 1929 in his comic strip Thimble Theatre. Asked how to say his name, he told The Literary Digest it was "SEE-gar". He commonly signed his work simply Segar or E...
. Eddie Gold was running 12 restaurants by the early 1950s, when the concept of fast food came to the attention of the directors of J. Lyons and Co. Lyons licensed the brand for use in the United Kingdom and in 1954 the first "Wimpy Bar" Lyons was established at the Lyons Corner House in Coventry Street, London. Originally the bar was a special fast-food section within the more traditional Corner House restaurants, but the success soon led to the establishment of separate Wimpy restaurants serving only hamburger based meals. By 1970 the business had expanded to over a thousand restaurants in 23 countries.
In 1977, the business was acquired by United Biscuits
United Biscuits
__FORCETOC__United Biscuits is a British multinational food manufacturer, makers of the BN biscuits, McVitie's biscuits, KP Nuts, Hula Hoops, The Real McCoy's crisps, Phileas Fogg snacks, Jacob's Cream Crackers, and Twiglets...
. By the late 1980s, Wimpy was beginning to lose ground to McDonald’s
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
, who had opened their first UK restaurant 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. In 1989, the business was sold to Grand Metropolitan
Grand Metropolitan
Grand Metropolitan plc is a former United Kingdom-based company operating hotels, holiday centres, entertainment centres, public houses and casinos...
(now Diageo
Diageo
Diageo plc is a global alcoholic beverages company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest producer of spirits and a major producer of beer and wine....
). Grand Metropolitan had acquired Burger King
Burger King
Burger King, often abbreviated as BK, is a global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The company began in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida-based restaurant chain...
the previous year and they began to convert the “counter service” restaurants to Burger King restaurants. In 1990, the remaining 220 “table service” restaurants were purchased by a management buy-out backed by 3i
3i
3i Group plc is a multinational private equity and venture capital company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It has offices in 13 countries across Asia, Europe and the Americas and had total assets under management of £12.7 billion as at 31 March 2011...
. A second management buy-out occurred in 2002.
Although Wimpy has decreased in numbers in the United Kingdom, it is still found in some towns and cities and at the Dundee Megabowl
Megabowl
Megabowl is a trading name of Tenpin Ltd, a subsidiary of Essenden PLC .The "Megabowl" brand has gradually been replaced by the new "Tenpin" brand, with only a handful of Megabowl branded sites remaining....
and Namco Funscape Newcastle (XS Super Bowl) bowling alleys. The branches at the Roadchef and bowling alley locations typically have an 'express' counter service as opposed to a table service format.
Wimpy is the only major fast food chain that offers Quorn
Quorn
Quorn is the leading brand of mycoprotein food product in the UK and Ireland. The mycoprotein used to produce Quorn is extracted from a fungus, Fusarium venenatum, which is grown in large vats....
burgers on the menu.
On 27 February 2007, Famous Brands, which owns the Wimpy franchise in South Africa, announced that it had acquired Wimpy UK. Having acquired the brand, Famous Brands has re-branded Wimpy in the UK to bring it in line with Wimpy South Africa. The "new" logo is actually one used by Wimpy UK from the 1960s until the 1980s.
Wimpy is currently re-branding and refreshing all its restaurants, an operation which commenced on 22 October 2007 with the launch of the new format at the Benfleet, Essex branch. Wimpy features new décor, seating and signage and a return to the original Wimpy colours of red and white. Supporting the new look is an improved menu and a significant marketing campaign.
Egypt and Morocco
Wimpy used to have many branches in EgyptEgypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and Morocco. It was the first international burger restaurant in Egypt and it was Morocco's second. However, both businesses were closed by 1998 in both countries.
In Egypt, there was a network of branches which covered almost all districts in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
and Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
. The Mohandissein branch was owned and managed directly by the agent in Egypt. Wimpy was expanded in Egypt through signing several franchise
Franchising
Franchising is the practice of using another firm's successful business model. The word 'franchise' is of anglo-French derivation - from franc- meaning free, and is used both as a noun and as a verb....
contracts with Egyptian investors. Part of those franchise branches are: 'Maryland branch' in Heliopolis
Heliopolis (Cairo Suburb)
Modern Heliopolis is a district in Cairo, Egypt. The city was established in 1905 by the Heliopolis Oasis Company, headed by the Belgian industrialist Édouard Louis Joseph, Baron Empain, as well as Boghos Nubar, son of the Egyptian Prime Minister Nubar Pasha.-History:The Baron Empain, a well known...
, Pyramids Branch, Shooting Club branch, Hoda Shaarawi
Hoda Shaarawi
Hoda Shaarawi , also sometimes transliterated as Huda Shaarawi or Hoda Sha'rawi, was a pioneer Egyptian feminist leader and nationalist.- Biography :...
branch, Talaat Harb branch, Nasser City branch, Manshyet El Bakry branch and many others. Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
branch in Heliopolis
Heliopolis (Cairo Suburb)
Modern Heliopolis is a district in Cairo, Egypt. The city was established in 1905 by the Heliopolis Oasis Company, headed by the Belgian industrialist Édouard Louis Joseph, Baron Empain, as well as Boghos Nubar, son of the Egyptian Prime Minister Nubar Pasha.-History:The Baron Empain, a well known...
was found by Raafat Sadek Zahran and his sons Bahaa El Din, Samir and Ahmed Raafat Zahran. Raafat Sadek Zahran was also one of the founders of Saudi Elevator Co. (Schindler Elevators). Raafat Sadek Zahran was also the head of Zahran Family in Mansoura. Ahmed Raafat Zahran is an Egyptian consultant
Consultant
A consultant is a professional who provides professional or expert advice in a particular area such as management, accountancy, the environment, entertainment, technology, law , human resources, marketing, emergency management, food production, medicine, finance, life management, economics, public...
in the field of Human Resources
Human resources
Human resources is a term used to describe the individuals who make up the workforce of an organization, although it is also applied in labor economics to, for example, business sectors or even whole nations...
Management
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
and Development
Training and development
In the field of human resource management, training and development is the field which is concerned with organizational activity aimed at bettering the performance of individuals and groups in organizational settings...
, as well as Organizational Development. Ahmed Raafat Zahran worked on several restructuring
Restructuring
Restructuring is the corporate management term for the act of reorganizing the legal, ownership, operational, or other structures of a company for the purpose of making it more profitable, or better organized for its present needs...
assignments for the benefits of the Egyptian Government: Information and Decision Support Centre, Foreign Trade Training Centre, Capital Market Authority. The branch of Huda Shaarawi in Down Town area and Shooting Club branch in Giza was found by Mostafa El-Shorbagi.
There is only one branch still functioning in Cairo, which is the Nasser City branch.
India
Wimpy was one of the first fast-food restaurants to open in IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
's post-liberalised economy. With a run of initial success, Wimpy was often touted as the first icon of 'westernization
Westernization
Westernization or Westernisation , also occidentalization or occidentalisation , is a process whereby societies come under or adopt Western culture in such matters as industry, technology, law, politics, economics, lifestyle, diet, language, alphabet,...
' in India. A few of the remaining restaurants still in business are in New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
- Connaught Place
Connaught Place, New Delhi
Connaught Place Connaught Place Connaught Place (Hindi: कनॉट प्लेस, (officially Rajiv Chowk) is one of the largest financial, commercial and business centers in Delhi. It is often abbreviated as CP and houses the headquarters of several Indian firms. Its surroundings occupy a place of pride...
Ireland
Wimpy has been in Ireland on two occasions, in the 1960s and more recently in the early 2000s.In the 2000s, petrol station chain operator Petrogas
Petrogas
Petrogas Limited is an Irish company that operates number of petrol stations in the Republic of Ireland and United Kingdom.Company operates such brands as Applegreen and Discount Fuels, they also operate few statons under their own brand .Company is based in Park West in Dublin 12....
took on the master franchise for Ireland, and operated a large number of sites, but they have since ceased to operate these. Most have been replaced by "Grill'n'Fill" own-branded areas selling virtually identical products, or Burger King
Burger King
Burger King, often abbreviated as BK, is a global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The company began in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida-based restaurant chain...
which Petrogas are now are franchiser for.
Japan
Wimpy was the first overseas fast-food chain to open in Japan; the first branch opened in 1970 in Shinsaibashi, Osaka. In 1992 Wimpy formed a business partnership with Russell's Restaurant Inc. to open a new Russell's chain of hamburger restaurants, but the company withdrew from Japan in 1998.Kuwait
Wimpy opened in Al-duiya in KuwaitKuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
in the 1970s. It is now only in Al-Nuzha
Nuzha
' is a suburb of Kuwait City; it is located in Al Asimah Governorate in Kuwait. Its population in 2008 was 13, 804.- Embassies in Nuzha:...
, Kuwait.
New Zealand
Wimpy had branches in New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
including Hamilton
Hamilton, New Zealand
Hamilton is the centre of New Zealand's fourth largest urban area, and Hamilton City is the country's fourth largest territorial authority. Hamilton is in the Waikato Region of the North Island, approximately south of Auckland...
, Paraparaumu and Taupo but have now closed. One store remained in Rotorua
Rotorua
Rotorua is a city on the southern shores of the lake of the same name, in the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island of New Zealand. The city is the seat of the Rotorua District, a territorial authority encompassing the city and several other nearby towns...
but this was put up for sale in 2008 and has since closed.
South Africa
Wimpy opened in South Africa in DurbanDurban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
in 1967. The business was sold to Bakers SA Ltd in the late 1970s and later to the Famous Brands Limited
Famous Brands Limited
Famous Brands Limited is a public company listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in South Africa. Its head offices are in Midrand, Johannesburg. The company is Africa's leading quick service and casual dining restaurant franchisor...
.
Other countries
In 1976, Wimpy opened their first restaurant in BogotáBogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
, Colombia. Branches trading as Wimpy in Germany preceded the U.S. based chains. Other countries with Wimpy restaurants include Guatemala, Norway, Lithuania, Kuwait, Egypt, Cyprus, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kenya, Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
Lebanon, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Botswana, and Japan.
It is now owned by Famous Brands that recently completed a takeover of Wimpy within the UK.
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
In the 2011 film adapdation of the novel, some of the characters are seen eating in a Wimpy restaurant.Bedazzled
The main character of the 1967 Peter CookPeter Cook
Peter Edward Cook was an English satirist, writer and comedian. An extremely influential figure in modern British comedy, he is regarded as the leading light of the British satire boom of the 1960s. He has been described by Stephen Fry as "the funniest man who ever drew breath," although Cook's...
and Dudley Moore
Dudley Moore
Dudley Stuart John Moore, CBE was an English actor, comedian, composer and musician.Moore first came to prominence as one of the four writer-performers in the ground-breaking comedy revue Beyond the Fringe in the early 1960s, and then became famous as half of the highly popular television...
comedy film Bedazzled
Bedazzled (1967 film)
Bedazzled is a 1967 British comedy film directed and produced by Stanley Donen. It was written by and stars Peter Cook and Dudley Moore. It is a comic retelling of the Faust legend, set in the Swinging London of the 1960s...
works as a cook at a Wimpy bar.
Genesis
The song 'Dancing with the Moonlit Knight' from the album Selling England by the PoundSelling England by the Pound
- Sound and live performance :The piano introduction to "Firth of Fifth" has not been included in a performance since 1974, in a Drury Lane Theatre concert, when Banks misplayed and Collins covered by starting the song from after the intro...
features the lyrics Chewing through their Wimpy dreams, they eat without a sound. Digesting England by the pound.
Jethro Tull
In the song 'Up to me' on the album Aqualung by Jethro Tull, leave you in a Wimpy bar is part of the lyrics.Mr. Wimpy
Visual pun
A visual pun is a pun involving an image or images .Visual puns in which the image is at odds with the inscription are common in Dutch gable stones as well as in cartoons such as Lost Consonants or The Far Side...
, as his costume was the red dress uniform of the Beefeaters at the Tower Of London
Yeomen Warders
The Yeomen Warders of Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress the Tower of London, and Members of the Sovereign's Body Guard of the Yeoman of the Guard Extraordinary, popularly known as the Beefeaters, are ceremonial guardians of the Tower of London...
, playing on the beef-oriented nature of the chain's menu. In certain branches, a member of staff would dress up in a Mr. Wimpy costume for pre-arranged children's parties.
Mr. Wimpy also appeared in an official computer game by Ocean Software
Ocean Software
The British company Ocean Software was one of the biggest European video game developers/publishers of the 1980s and 90s...
, released in 1984 on the ZX Spectrum
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
, Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
and other formats.
Although the Wimpy chain's name was originally inspired by the Wimpy cartoon character in Popeye
J. Wellington Wimpy
J. Wellington Wimpy, generally referred to as Wimpy, is one of the characters in the long-running comic strip Popeye, created by E. C. Segar and originally called Thimble Theatre, and in the Popeye cartoons based upon the strip...
, the chain's own Mr. Wimpy bore no resemblance to Popeye's Wimpy.