It has been a stalwart of the high street for 60 years, but as Wimpy celebrates its diamond jubilee in Britain the closure of one of its last surviving diners suggests burger-buyers have lost their appetite for the once-mighty brand.
The demise of the Peterhead branch means only four Scottish restaurants are still serving the famous “bender-in-a-bun”- a length of frankfurter wrapped into a classic cheeseburger shape.
Inspired by Popeye character J. Wellington Wimpy, the burger brand was founded by American Eddie Gold back in 1934.
Twenty years later Mr Gold sold the licence to a British firm and the UK’s first Wimpy opened its doors in London’s bustling Coventry Street.
At its peak, the empire proudly sported 500 outlets across the UK. The brand sold merchandise, Mr Wimpy was available for appearances at children’s parties and there was even an official video game.
However, the closure of Peterhead’s Marischall Street branch leaves just 88 outlets in Britain, including the four in Inverness, Aberdeen, Fraserburgh and Glasgow.
By comparison, both McDonald’s and Burger King now boast more than 1,300 restaurants across the UK.
Chicken chain KFC is not far behind and the opening of the firm’s latest flagship drive-thru in Peterhead coincided with the closure of Wimpy.
News of the four decade-old diner’s demise sparked sadness in the north-east, with residents taking to social media to share their memories.
One said: “As if we didn’t have enough to cope with when Woolies went. Now this, how much more heartache can we take?”
Another added: “So sad, used to hae to queue to get in on a Saturday when I was a kid.”
There had been high hopes for a turnaround in Wimpy’s fortunes when South African firm Famous Brands bought out the company in 2007.
The chains were re-branded with a new logo, harking back to the signs used in its 1960s-1980s heyday, however, the revamp appears to have failed to stem the decline.
Wimpy, now based in South Africa, was unavailable for comment last night.