Kuwait is currently oversaturated with burger spots but that wasn’t always the case. Back in 1969, when Wimpy opened in Kuwait, there weren’t any other burger brands.
Wimpy was a US burger franchise that first opened in 1934 with the name inspired by the burger loving character, Wimpy from the Popeye cartoons. In 1957, Wimpy International was created, and in 1969, Kuwait Food Company (Americana) brought the Wimpy franchise to Kuwait.
The first Wimpy location in Kuwait was in Salmiya which I’ve shared the pictures above. The other location I have shared is the Ahmadi Market location below.
Wimpy claim to have served the first ever cheeseburger to Arabia. I know from people who used to go to Hubara Club in Ahmadi in the 60s that they had a burger on their menu. But, that wasn’t really open to the general public. So, it would be safe to say, that Wimpy, at least helped introduce the burger to the mainstream population of Kuwait.
7 replies on “The First Cheeseburger in Kuwait, 1969”
Is this Americana’s first franchise or was it something else? a deep dive into Americana’s catalogue would be a nice research project.
so from my understanding, 1969 Wimpy, 1973 Americana, 1974 Tikka, I believe Hardees and Pizza Hut were 1978-1980, I can find out from the person who helped make the deal happen since he later one on to open Pizza Italia with Mahmoud Alghanim. Americana later lost Pizza Hut to Al Nowair Foodstuff Co. who later became called Al Homaizi FoodStuff Company and then Kout Food Group.
Really random story relating to Wimpy.
I traveled to Ethiopia eight years ago and spent a few nights with a tribe in the middle of the Ethiopian desert between Bahir Dar and Gonder.
The only foreigners with me were an old British couple and a Brazilian girl. The couple asked me where I’m from, I told them Kuwait. They said they went on a business trip to Kuwait in the early 70s and asked me if Wimpy is still around!
I laughed so hard. Here I am talking about Wimpy of all things in the middle of the desert in Ethiopia with an old British couple.
So random. The world isn’t small, it’s miniscule.
Tell us about the Brazilian girl
She’s a nice, nerdy, Jewish Brazilian girl who sadly doesn’t know Wimpy.
There used to be a Wimpy near or opposite the Muthanna complex during the 80s. Still love their taste.
There is a place called Socrat in Khobar which has the title for first burger in Arabia (it’s still around). Wimpy has the title for first burger franchise in Arabia and first cheeseburger in Arabia.