Winky's facts for kids

Winky's Hamburgers was a popular chain of fast-food restaurants. It sold tasty hamburgers and other quick meals. Most Winky's restaurants were located in and around Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Two brothers, Harold and Bernard Erenstein, started the company in 1962.

Winky's was known for its low prices. Their signs often advertised "Winky's Hamburger 15¢." Some of their fun slogans were "Fast Food Cheap" and "Winky's Makes You Happy To be Hungry." Besides hamburgers, they also sold hot dogs and special sandwiches like The Big Wink.

Winky's even had memorable TV commercials! One famous ad featured a puppet monster. The monster would read out towns where Winky's restaurants were located. If a town didn't have a Winky's, the monster would get upset and eat the sign!

How Winky's Started

Winky's Hamburgers began as a side project of a meat company. This company was called Jiffy Steak Company. The Erenstein brothers had started Jiffy Steak after World War II. They began in the back of their family's grocery store in Ambridge, Pennsylvania.

By the 1960s, Jiffy Steak was a big success. They sold fresh and frozen meats in 31 states. In 1961, the brothers noticed something interesting. A new hamburger chain in Virginia was buying a lot of hamburger patties. This chain turned out to be a McDonald's restaurant. The Erenstein brothers realized they could open their own hamburger restaurants too.

Growing the Restaurant Chain

The very first Winky's restaurant opened in Bridgeville, Pennsylvania in February 1962. It quickly became popular for its 15-cent hamburgers. Winky's had a special advantage over other fast-food places. They owned their own meat supply company, Jiffy Steak. This meant they always had fresh meat for their burgers.

By 1965, Winky's had grown to 14 locations. Four more restaurants were already being built. Most of these were owned by the company. However, Winky's also started offering franchises. This meant other people could open their own Winky's restaurants.

In just two more years, Winky's had 32 restaurants around Pittsburgh. Nine more were under construction. The company even talked about expanding across the entire country!

The Peak and End of Winky's

Winky's Hamburgers reached its biggest size in 1977. At that time, there were 42 Winky's restaurants. They were located in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio.

However, the local economy faced some tough times. This made it hard for businesses to succeed. In 1982, Winky's Hamburgers had to close down due to financial difficulties.