From a 1961 drive-in to a Canadian-owned chain — the Wimpy's story, built one coffee pot at a time.
Est. 1961
Wimpy's first opened in 1961 as a small drive-in. In 1988, the brand was reimagined and reopened as Wimpy's Diner — full menu, long counter, and that signature 50s-and-60s look that still hangs on the walls today.
The first diner was an instant hit. It's still serving — more than thirty-five years later — with the same recipes and most of the same regulars.
In 1992, just a few kilometres away, a second location opened. Even busier than the first from day one. Same name, same menu, same welcome — that's where the franchise was born.
— The Wimpy's Family
Family Owned
Anyone can heat a burger on a flat-top. We char-grill ours over an open flame, the way diners did when they were the heart of every Main Street. It takes a little longer. It tastes a lot better.
We make food the slow way: brining chicken overnight, whipping hollandaise by hand, slicing peameal in-house. The shortcuts other places take? We've never been in that much of a hurry.
Wimpy's opens its doors as a small drive-in. The name, the burger, and the welcome that would carry forward.
The brand is reimagined as a full diner — long counter, 50s-and-60s memorabilia on the walls, expanded menu. An instant hit. Still serving.
A second location opens just kilometres from the first. Same name, same menu, same philosophy — and an even busier dining room. The franchise concept takes shape.
Officially serving full breakfast — eggs benedict, peameal, the works — open to close. The regulars approve.
Forty-plus locations across Ontario, three generations of regulars, and a kitchen that still believes in the slow way.
50s & 60s Vibes
A modern diner with a 50s-and-60s soul — current and nostalgic memorabilia on the walls, a counter you can lean on, and the smell of bacon hitting the flat-top from the moment you walk in.
Famous all-day breakfast. Famous char-grilled hamburgers. Specialty lunches. Home-style dinners. The motto's simple — exceptional service, quality products, and great value for your dollar — and that's what brings them back.
Hollandaise whipped daily, peameal sliced in-house, batters from scratch.
Burgers cooked over open flame — it's not the same without the flame.
Family-run since 1961. Forty-plus locations, one Ontario family.
Always hot, always topped up. Stay as long as you like.
Find your nearest Wimpy's, grab a stool, and we'll get the coffee on.