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Wimpy South Africa

Casual dining restaurant brand whose first South African outlet opened in 1967 and which Famous Brands acquired in 2003.

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Exterior of a Wimpy restaurant in Cape Town, South Africa
A Wimpy restaurant in Cape Town, photographed on 6 November 2016. Photo: Discott / Wikimedia Commons · Source · CC BY-SA 4.0, resized and converted to WebP

Wimpy South Africa is a casual dining restaurant brand in the Famous Brands portfolio. [2][3]

History

The first South African Wimpy opened in Durban in 1967. [2]

Famous Brands acquired Wimpy South Africa in 2003. [1][2]

The group acquired the separate Wimpy United Kingdom business in 2007. [1]

Brand and outlet ownership

Famous Brands holds Wimpy South Africa within its restaurant portfolio. [3]

Franchise partners can own and operate restaurants under the group system. [1][3]

Frequently asked questions

When did Wimpy open in South Africa?

The first South African outlet opened in Durban in 1967. [2]

When did Famous Brands acquire Wimpy South Africa?

It acquired the business in 2003. [1]

Is Wimpy South Africa the same as the listed parent?

No. It is a restaurant brand within Famous Brands Limited. [3]

Key milestones

  1. The first South African Wimpy opened in Durban. [2]

  2. Famous Brands acquired Wimpy South Africa. [1][2]

  3. Famous Brands acquired the Wimpy United Kingdom business. [1]

Related people

Related articles

Related institutions

  • Famous Brands — JSE-listed South African restaurant franchisor that grew from the Halamandres family’s Steers business.
  • Steers — South African restaurant brand that developed from George Halamandres’s early Johannesburg steakhouse ventures.
  • Debonairs Pizza — South African pizza brand founded in 1991 and acquired by Steers Holdings in 1997.

Sources

  1. Famous Brands, Our journey to today, 2024-02-29. Original source. Accessed 2026-11-11. ↩
  2. Famous Brands, Group overview, 2025-02-28. Original source. Accessed 2026-11-11. ↩
  3. Famous Brands, Consolidated and Company Financial Statements 2026, 2026-02-28. Original source. Accessed 2026-11-11. ↩