Wimpy: Iconic fast food chain planning UK comeback

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Fast food fans, rejoice - you may soon have more choice of where to get your burger and fries fix thanks to the UK revival of multinational chain, Wimpy.

Yes, the fast food joint is planning a huge UK expansion in the hope of getting back to their glory days.

In the 70s, there were over 500 Wimpy restaurants across the UK. But then McDonald’s came on to the scene in the 80s and Wimpy’s numbers dwindled to just 80 branches.

But now, Wimpy is going to try and reverse its decline, announcing plans for “expansion and investment.”

“We do have some exciting new plans in terms of continued expansion and an investment programme,” a Wimpy spokeswoman told the Daily Star Online.

Not many details have been revealed, but further plans will be announced around February to May 2018, another spokesperson added.

However, with well-established giants like McDonald’s, Burger King and KFC ruling the high street, not to mention trendier chains like Five Guys and Shake Shack having entered the scene in recent years, it’s going to be a hard market to break into.

What’s more, the British public are a lot more health-conscious than we were 50 years ago, and a lot more emphasis is placed on where food has come from.

That said, the nostalgia factor may help bring in older people - or hipster millennials who’d be all over a potentially retro vibe.

The first Wimpy opened in 1954 at Lyons Corner House in London and soon became known for its burgers and chips.

A few decades later, the chain had dominated cities and towns across the UK.

But as American fast food chains moved in, the British public fell out of love with Wimpy, and after several attempts to revive the restaurant, its success eventually waned.

The company is currently owned by Famous Brands, which is based in South Africa. Whether Wimpy’s comeback will be a winner or not remains to be seen.