The Forgotten New York Burger Chain That Lost The Fast-Food Wars - Tasting Table

"Founded by brothers Herbert and Errol Wetanson when they were only 21 and 18, the first Wetson's restaurant opened in Levittown, New York, in 1959. Herbert had been inspired by a visit to McDonald's, which had not yet reached New York, and its influence can be seen in everything from Wetson's menu to their mascot (two clowns named Wetty and Sonny)."

"During the post-war years, most Americans got their burgers from the kind of drive-ins McDonald's started out as. This kind of restaurant was rare in New York, where burgers were more typically diner fare, and Wetson's exploited this gap in the market."

"At its height, Wetson's had seventy locations throughout New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. In August 1970, the grand opening of a new Wetson's in West Brighton was such an affair that it saw an estimated 10,000 burgers given away for free."

Wetson's was a burger franchise founded by brothers Herbert and Errol Wetanson in Levittown, New York, in 1959, capitalizing on a gap in the New York market where burgers were primarily diner fare rather than drive-in fare. Inspired by McDonald's, Wetson's replicated the fast food model with affordable menu items including fifteen-cent hamburgers and ten-cent fries, along with a similar marketing approach featuring mascots Wetty and Sonny. The chain expanded to seventy locations across New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, achieving significant success, including a grand opening in 1970 that distributed 10,000 free burgers. However, McDonald's eventual arrival in New York marked the beginning of Wetson's decline, as the larger national chain competed away the regional advantage Wetson's had previously enjoyed.

Read at Tasting Table