Named after J. Wellington Wimpy in Elzie Segar's Popeye's comic strip, the Wimpy hamburger operation was one of Lyons' first venture into fast food. Until 1950 J. Lyons & Co felt they did not want to soil their reputation by going into fast food.
That was an American phenomenon which they felt the British public were not yet prepared to adopt. Eddie Gold, however, an American, had other ideas and continually pestered the management to at least give it a try.
To the directors surprise the experiment proved to be a resounding success and they pressed ahead with expanding the experience.
The Corner Houses soon had Wimpy bars installed and some teashops were converted to exploit the demand from the public. Served in a toasted bun with a smattering of lettuce and French fries (the word chips seemed to disappear from the consumers vocabulary) the meal could be taken away or eaten on the premises. In the large majority of cases it was eaten on the premises; the public were not yet accustomed to eating food while walking down the road!
The operation became so successful that a company was formed to develop the idea both in the UK and then into Europe. Soon it became international with over 1,000 restaurants serving the ubiquitous hamburger overseas and over 450 in the UK. Lyons' own bakery and meat company were able to provide the raw ingredients in order to expand the business as demand dictated.
It was one of the most successful post war ideas adopted by Lyons. Hamburgers, accompanied by the milk-shake Whippsy, was a modern, welcome experience from the staid restaurants. As a consequence many young people in post war Britain embraced the Wimpy and for a time it became a topic of conversation. The service was fast, reasonably inexpensive and the food tasted good.
A Bender in a Bun is an unconventional burger. Originally a frankfurter sausage, it has been carefully sliced to within an inch of its edges, curled into a circle, and deep fried.
Add some chopped onion, a thick slice of tomato, a thin slice of cheese and throw between the eponymous bun and you have a cornerstone of the Wimpy restaurant menu.
