LapLap

At Piccadilly Circus there's a Boots, to the left there's a Burger King, then a pub, then a Dunkin Donuts. Most definitely so. (EDIT - I'm wrong, see below)

TIMP

Wimpy's are apparently the last remaining vestigates of the Lyons Corner Houses....
Useless trivia mode off

bseller

IIRC, there was one very near St. Giles Circus in the late 70's. According to the Wimpy's website, the Grand Met sale began the conversion to BK of the counter service stores.

Best, Dave

GalleyGal

LapLap, oh the memories of that Taco Bell in Earls Court..... I ate there so often 'back in the day' they knew what I wanted when I walked up to the counter. Do you remember the 'knock off' KFC there- Tennessee fried Chicken?? Now that area is getting more gentrified,even the Australian pub there is bright and clean.

Polk

IIRC it is no longer a Dunkin Donuts. It is called something like Donuts & Co.

LapLap

You're absolutely right
http://www.allinlondon.co.uk/directory/1150/23953.php
Amazing how persistence of vision works for some things. It definitely used to be a Dunkin Donuts and the makeover just hasn't been radical enough for me to register the change in ownership/management. Especially with all those bright lights around as a distraction. Magicians and con artists use misdirection techniques similar to this

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MrLapLap, who hasn't seen this thread, brought me back a beard papa cream puff last night. I commented on it being a good one and he confirmed the Japanese lady had been there (he won't buy one if she isn't after several disappointments). He also said there were signs that she might be fed up with her job...
Once she goes, I don't think this store has much of a future. I'll have to go all the way to Richmond for my patisserie needs.

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GalleyGal - Earls Court has never been local to me. I'd go there especially to eat at Taco Bell. I'm afraid I don't remember any chicken places (only Nandos because it replaced the Tacos). Sorry.

DYKWIA

I must live in the only town that hasn't yet got a Subway... there nearest one is a 10 minute drive.

However, there are 4 (that I know of) within a 5 minute walk of my office in Leeds.

Cheers,
Rick

knifeandfork

Recently, I drove my father from SW19 to supper in EC1. He lived sarf of the river when he was a medical student at Guys in the 1860s, or 1960s, I forget which. What is now the big Halifax on Tooting High Street, opposite Tooting Broadway Tube was, according to him, the original Wimpy and was regarded (back in the day) as a sophisticated dining option.

LapLap

When Brown Windsor Soup was the alternative, I'm not surprised.

When MacDonalds became a serious threat and the Wimpys started installing take away counters and consoldating their menus in order to compete, what I remember most is Wimpys discontinuing their freshly fried onions and adding finely diced raw stuff from a bucket full of brine.

It was never the same afterwards and many of the once proud Wimpys became Starburgers - don't see (m?)any of those anymore.

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Does anyone remember a failed franchise that set up on a corner along Shaftesbury Avenue? It was on the East side of Shaftesbury Avenue, the other side to where Wendy's was, somewhere between there and Wardour Street.

I'm not sure if it was from America or not, but there was a lot of fanfare when they opened (mid 90's) and they offered hot sandwiches that were round. I bought one once, they were pretty expensive, and immediately went to the manager to complain as I couldn't believe how small and meager it was, the photos made them look really big.

Apparantly I was the only one who'd ever complained and all the other customers thought the size of the sandwiches was very generous, I was told that many would exclaim that they couldn't finish it... I don't know how he managed to keep a straight face during this exchange. Needless, to say the place didn't last long. People may not have complained about what a lousy deal they were being offered, but they weren't going back and the shop looked emptier and emptier every time I passed it. This was before Subways exploded, I haven't got many good things to say about Subways, but they don't leave their customers hungry.

jedikiah

Wendys had two goes at the UK. The fate of most of them in the second attempt are described in this article. I say most because I know that there was one at the Meridian Leisure Park in Leicester which isn't mentioned. Maybe that was a franchise that closed later.

Dan Dare

That was Arby's IIRC- they also opened in Glasgow and a friend of mine looked at taking the Franchise for Manchester. They are still going strong in the US - click here for Arby's website

LapLap

YES!!!

This has been driving me nuts! Thanks for this! So the rambling in my last post does belong in this thread after all.

LapLap

Here's a very old article that mentions Popeyes and Arby's (I'm pretty sure it isn't factually correct about Arby's though; it wasn't Haymarket and I'm very certain it didn't last 2 years, if it had, I bet more people would remember it). I don't buy into franchises not adapting to the Japanese market - Mitsubishi made KFC into a success and their linking it to Christmas and other holidays was masterful marketing, MacDonalds is barely recognisable when compared to the American counterparts, and BK failed entirely, they are starting a second shot at Japan now as did the Mrs Fields cookie franchise (twice I believe).

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The site on Haymarket the article might be referring to I recall better as being a Quick Burger. Oh, how I used to love these in my meat eating days (and they do fish burgers so a trip to Belgium is always a good excuse for another visit to Quick). I'm not entirely sure it was Haymarket, just around there, and it lasted a couple of years at least. Quality did take a downward turn before the end, portion sizes remained consistent but food would be prepared poorly (dry burgers, horrid fries etc...)

Anyone else remember Quick?