Life Before the Golden Arches

[Tony Lockhart]

Weren’t we so lucky to experience this little selection



Not a lot of choice for veggies and vegans!

 

[Tony Lockhart]

And then this happened

 

[LecsonQuad]

There is still a Wimpy trading on Streatham High Road.It seems to do OK.

 

[Martin J]

Wow, those prices!

I think a basic McBurger was 49p when they first came to my home town.

 

[cutting42]

Weren’t we so lucky to experience this little selection



Not a lot of choice for veggies and vegans!

That really takes me back. We didn’t really do eating out when I was growing up, mum cooked everything and the occasional take away. However on very special occasions - birthdays and such, we were taken to Wimpy. I don’t remember what I chose for main food but I do I remember it was all about the Brown Derby for afters.

 

[Barrymagrec]

There`s a Wimpy in Coulsdon, been there as long as I remember - never been in it, we never did that sort thing as kids, it would have been madly extravagant in the sixties.

 

[Seeker_UK]

Ahhh, the 'bender". Cue much sniggering from a load of teenage boys.

I was in a Wimpy in London back in 83/84 and there was a woman walking around with a face like thunder, 'wacky' braces and a handful of balloons. "Hullo" she said in a dead monotone, "I am your Wimpy fun lady". Which I felt summed the franchise up, nicely.

 

[canonman]

New ones popping up all over, like this
https://www.bracknellnews.co.uk/news/20055304.wimpy-bracknell-signs-go-advertising-new-vacancies/

 

[Tony Lockhart]

New ones popping up all over, like this
https://www.bracknellnews.co.uk/news/20055304.wimpy-bracknell-signs-go-advertising-new-vacancies/

Blimey. I might give it a go next time I clear more crap out of my parents’ place. If they’ve managed to recruit enough staff, that is.

 

[Bob McC]

That menu is at least from 1971.

 

[Joe Hutch]

As the mighty John Cooper Clarke put it:

'Or the burger bar around the bend
Where the meals, thank Christ, are skimpy
For you that's how the world could end
Not with a bang, but a Wimpy'

 

[Sue Pertwee-Tyr]

I used to love Wimpys as a kid. A properly toasted bun, and browned, properly caramelised fried onions. Not the soggy, sauce-smothered pap you get from McD.

 

[Joe Hutch]

Never had a meal at either Wimpy's or McDonald's. The latter is good if you want a reasonably cheap coffee, quickly.

 

[gintonic]

we didnt much like the Wimpy burgers when we were kids. The milk shakes were nice IIRC. I love a MacD. These days pref BK, but Honest Burger and 5-Guys are way better.

 

[Seeker_UK]

ISTR that most Wimpys were table service. Except the one in Cambridge near the bus station (St Andrew's Street) which was more like a Maccy D's (it ended up as one ISTR) with service at the counter. Were there others like that, as I never saw another?

 

[Seeker_UK]

Honest Burger and 5-Guys are way better.

So they should be, at the prices they charge.

 

[gintonic]

So they should be, at the prices they charge.

there are plenty of places that charge alot and are not that good.....https://www.beerandburgerstore.com/ (beer is great, burgers are not)

 

[cutting42]

ISTR that most Wimpys were table service. Except the one in Cambridge near the bus station (St Andrew's Street) which was more like a Maccy D's (it ended up as one ISTR) with service at the counter. Were there others like that, as I never saw another?

Yup, they were. No concept of fast food then, the burgers were cooked to order old style, more like a cafe/diner. I remember the transformation McD made to the concept of getting food so fast, I went with a friend into London to see a stage show and he wanted to take the Big Mac challenge where you say the ingredients list in under 4 seconds to get a free burger - he did not manage it. I can't remember if I bought anything then, if I did it was not memorable.

 

[Nero]

What sort of biscuits did you get for 3p?

 

[Barrymagrec]

What sort of biscuits did you get for 3p?

Half a sixpenny one.