40 years of McDonald's U.K.

[EM2]

Slightly OT, but in 1969, Oxford Street alone boasted NINE Wimpy Bars.

 

[Butts]

Yes, one at Huddersfield

Does it use crockery rather than polystyrene ?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Slightly OT, but in 1969, Oxford Street alone boasted NINE Wimpy Bars.

Are there any left ?

 

[Strathclyder]

If I'm feeling peckish, I go to McDonalds for their fries (way better than Burger King's, if you ask me) and a Tropicana Smooth Orange.

Personally I miss the "sit down" Wimpey's that preceded Macdonalds.

Food was served on China and not that bad

Are there any left ?

There are 93 branches of Wimpy in operation across the country, with 6 in Scotland. Their locations are:

• M&Ds Theme Park, Motherwell
• Figgate Bank, Edinburgh
• Esplanade, Aberdeen
• Marischal Street, Peterhead
• Hanover St, Fraserburgh
• High St, Dingwall

There was a branch in Johnstone, but that has been closed for lord knows how long.
There's this in Kilmarnock, but I'm not sure if it would count as an official branch of Wimpy.

 

[RichmondCommu]

As a parent McDonald's were a pain in the backside when the children were younger. Nowadays they make their own decisions when it comes to nutrition!

 

[yorksrob]

Does it use crockery rather than polystyrene ?

Yes, it's the real deal !

 

[Busaholic]

Slightly OT, but in 1969, Oxford Street alone boasted NINE Wimpy Bars.

A tragedy occurred in one of those Wimpy Bars in the mid 1970s - it was one on the north side of the street midway between Oxford Circus and Tottenham Court Road. The IRA had planted a bomb there and had given a warning which was not specific to the location - as you say, there were many Wimpy Bars in Oxford Street, and a bomb disposal officer got killed (thankfully, a rare occasion on mainland Britain). I was on a number 73 bus and we were all turfed off, of course (this was before the explosion) but the driver refused to leave his cab, initially at least. He was an older guy and said he'd been through World War Two. I didn't hear or see that bomb explosion but I did hear two others during those years. Hard to explain what they sound like when you're not in the immediate vicinity but unlike any sound I'd ever heard before, and instinctively the first time I knew what it was, so the second time, although I was a few miles away, I was certain. I can even now never go by that part of Oxford Street without casting my mind back to that sad occasion, and I don't like being on a 73 there, stupid tho I know that is.

 

[Johnuk123]

A tragedy occurred in one of those Wimpy Bars in the mid 1970s - it was one on the north side of the street midway between Oxford Circus and Tottenham Court Road. The IRA had planted a bomb there and had given a warning which was not specific to the location - as you say, there were many Wimpy Bars in Oxford Street, and a bomb disposal officer got killed (thankfully, a rare occasion on mainland Britain). I was on a number 73 bus and we were all turfed off, of course (this was before the explosion) but the driver refused to leave his cab, initially at least. He was an older guy and said he'd been through World War Two. I didn't hear or see that bomb explosion but I did hear two others during those years. Hard to explain what they sound like when you're not in the immediate vicinity but unlike any sound I'd ever heard before, and instinctively the first time I knew what it was, so the second time, although I was a few miles away, I was certain. I can even now never go by that part of Oxford Street without casting my mind back to that sad occasion, and I don't like being on a 73 there, stupid tho I know that is.

That IRA bomb you refer to was actually on the 21st October 1981, the Met explosives officer killed was Ken Howorth.

There was a Met explosives officer killed in 1975 but that was a bomb in Church Street Kensington outside a shop.

I knew Kavanagh and Quigley the 2 Wimpy bombers very well, both got life x 5 with a 35 yr minimum but thanks to Tony Blair both are now walking the streets after serving 14 years.
I will always remember handing over Kavanagh to a very high up Irish politician on the tarmac at Stanstead. Kavanagh was kissed on both cheeks and warmly welcomed back into the fold, he's now a Londonderry school governor and special adviser to Martin McGuinness.

 

[Antman]

As a parent McDonald's were a pain in the backside when the children were younger. Nowadays they make their own decisions when it comes to nutrition!

When mine were younger McDonalds was an occasional treat, I've not been into one now for at least five years.

 

[richw]

It's been a long time since I was in either, but I'm sure Penzance had one, as did a town on the IoW (most likely Ryde).

Penzance closed 3-4 years ago and is now a dominos pizza

 

[Tom B]

As with any chain they're useful if you find yourself in a town/city you don't know and need to eat - McDonalds/Burger King/Costa Coffee/Wetherspoons are the sort of place where you know what they do, at a known level of quality.

 

[Antman]

As with any chain they're useful if you find yourself in a town/city you don't know and need to eat - McDonalds/Burger King/Costa Coffee/Wetherspoons are the sort of place where you know what they do, at a known level of quality.

Personally I prefer Subway

 

[ChiefPlanner]

The very first MaccieD's (cringe) were Woolwich and Charing Cross - they initially used proper American imported chips and burgers (no UK suppliers then) - the first Pizza Hut was in Kilburn - circa 1980 - and I recall a special trip to try this new "that be London" emporium. ....

Pizza and Italian food generally was "exotic" in the 1970's !!

 

[Butts]

Yes, it's the real deal !

Brown Derby and all.....? I must add Huddersfield to my list of Northern Towns to visit.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

If I'm feeling peckish, I go to McDonalds for their fries (way better than Burger King's, if you ask me) and a Tropicana Smooth Orange.


There are 93 branches of Wimpy in operation across the country, with 6 in Scotland. Their locations are:

• M&Ds Theme Park, Motherwell
• Figgate Bank, Edinburgh
• Esplanade, Aberdeen
• Marischal Street, Peterhead
• Hanover St, Fraserburgh
• High St, Dingwall

There was a branch in Johnstone, but that has been closed for lord knows how long.
There's this in Kilmarnock, but I'm not sure if it would count as an official branch of Wimpy.

Thanks for that - I didn't realise there were so many left !!

I hope they are "crockery jobs" and not McD's style "Polystyrene Palaces "

 

[EM2]

As with any chain they're useful if you find yourself in a town/city you don't know and need to eat - McDonalds/Burger King/Costa Coffee/Wetherspoons are the sort of place where you know what they do, at a known level of quality.

For those with an interest in film and/or aircraft, this may remind you of the film 'Memphis Belle', that features a character that intended to open such a chain after WW2.
Wikipedia fills in the blanks:

Staff Sgt. (T/3) Virgil "Virge" or "Virgin" Hoogesteger, top turret gunner and flight engineer: Hoogesteger worked for his family's restaurant and plans to open a chain of identical restaurants after the war despite his crew-mate's warnings that such an unheard of enterprise could never succeed.

I seem to remember that this uniformity was the whole point, that if you found yourself somewhere unfamiliar, you'd see his restaurant and know exactly what you could get.

 

[SS4]

As with any chain they're useful if you find yourself in a town/city you don't know and need to eat - McDonalds/Burger King/Costa Coffee/Wetherspoons are the sort of place where you know what they do, at a known level of quality.

Or even a strange country for that matter. McD's was the best place to get a cup of proper tea when I was in Germany

 

[richw]

Or even a strange country for that matter. McD's was the best place to get a cup of proper tea when I was in Germany

When they first got their fancy coffee machines they were probably one of the best places for a coffee. But a change in coffee bean supplier, and I don't like the coffee anymore!

 

[W-on-Sea]

I can confirm that the Wimpy Bars with which I am acquainted (not many: all in the south of England; but presume the same applies elsewhere) use crockery and cutlery, and have table service.

 

[91104]

They've got a Wimpy in my local High Street (Wickford,Essex) went in there last Sunday for a Bender in a bun and it was cooked to order and served on a China plate.
Am I right in thinking the bigger Wimpys became Burger Kings as that was certainly the case with the big one I remember in Ilford High Road.

 

[Butts]

They've got a Wimpy in my local High Street (Wickford,Essex) went in there last Sunday for a Bender in a bun and it was cooked to order and served on a China plate.
Am I right in thinking the bigger Wimpys became Burger Kings as that was certainly the case with the big one I remember in Ilford High Road.

The mind boggles....you would probably have got a knuckle sandwich if you'd asked for one of those 30 years ago

What precisely is a "bender in a bun" ?

 

[EM2]

They've got a Wimpy in my local High Street (Wickford,Essex) went in there last Sunday for a Bender in a bun and it was cooked to order and served on a China plate.
Am I right in thinking the bigger Wimpys became Burger Kings as that was certainly the case with the big one I remember in Ilford High Road.

Ilford also had the (now sadly departed) 'American Beefburger Bar', when the idea of an American Beefburger was thought to be incredibly exciting and exotic!

 

[Daz28]

The mind boggles....you would probably have got a knuckle sandwich if you'd asked for one of those 30 years ago

What precisely is a "bender in a bun" ?

Take a long Frankfurter (Hot Dog) sausage, score it horizontally down one side and deep fry it.

The sausage will curl up to the size of a burger, at which point you can put it in a burger bun.

Voila, A Bender in a Bun.

 

[Busaholic]

That IRA bomb you refer to was actually on the 21st October 1981, the Met explosives officer killed was Ken Howorth.

There was a Met explosives officer killed in 1975 but that was a bomb in Church Street Kensington outside a shop.

I knew Kavanagh and Quigley the 2 Wimpy bombers very well, both got life x 5 with a 35 yr minimum but thanks to Tony Blair both are now walking the streets after serving 14 years.
I will always remember handing over Kavanagh to a very high up Irish politician on the tarmac at Stanstead. Kavanagh was kissed on both cheeks and warmly welcomed back into the fold, he's now a Londonderry school governor and special adviser to Martin McGuinness.

Apologies for getting my dates mixed up, relying on obviously faulty memory, but it was certainly the Oxford Street one I remember.
It must have been galling to you to hand that bomber over : I suppose the justification must be in the comparative lack of sectarian violence these days in Northern Ireland and, thankfully, the absence of a threat from these quarters in London and other major English cities.

 

[GearJammer]

Is anyone else getting hungry?

 

[yorksrob]

The mind boggles....you would probably have got a knuckle sandwich if you'd asked for one of those 30 years ago

What precisely is a "bender in a bun" ?

I can assure you, the bender in a bun was a fixture of the Wimpy menu thirty years ago.

 

[Johnuk123]

Apologies for getting my dates mixed up, relying on obviously faulty memory, but it was certainly the Oxford Street one I remember.
It must have been galling to you to hand that bomber over : I suppose the justification must be in the comparative lack of sectarian violence these days in Northern Ireland and, thankfully, the absence of a threat from these quarters in London and other major English cities.

No need for an apology, yes in the big scheme of things I understand what the Good Friday agreement was all about.
But seeing convicted mass murderers patting babies on the head and being hailed as martyrs in Ireland is hard to take.

 

[AM9]

Ilford also had the (now sadly departed) 'American Beefburger Bar', when the idea of an American Beefburger was thought to be incredibly exciting and exotic!

I remember the Wimpy on the Broadway. It always looked plush to my teen eyes, with the (then) fashionable glass fibre lampshades hanging over each table.
In more recent time, I recall the 'Casey Jones' chain, particularly at Waterloo and Liverpool Street. Their 'Don't Burger' was a pleasant change from basic beef flavoured gristleburgers.

 

[Butts]

I can assure you, the bender in a bun was a fixture of the Wimpy menu thirty years ago.

I remember them having Brown Buns when that was the height of exotica

 

[AM9]

I remember them having Brown Buns when that was the height of exotica

ITYM 'erotica'.

 

[Butts]

ITYM 'erotica'.

Can you still get "beanburgers" or whatever they were called - my one tilt to the then embryonic "tree hugger" brigade.

Anyone guess what I also used to enjoy in a Wimpey with a coffee