Fascinating! I did a newspaper archive search based on your article. It appears that the Der Wienerschnitzel outlet in Alexandria was part of a planned DC-area expansion that never took off. From the Washington Daily News, 4/29/1968:
"Der Wienerschnitzel International, a wiener and sausage restaurant chain, plans to open 25 units in the D.C. area within three years. Most or all will be franchised. The first unit will be in Alexandria and construction on it is expected to begin next month. Currently, the company has more than 200 restaurants."
I don't see any evidence that they ever got past that single Alexandria location, however. That planned expansion is apparently so long forgotten that even the company doesn't remember it!
Oh awesome! Do you have a link to that article archive so I could include it as a note or is it like a private link? What archive service/source did you use for that?
Upon further research, I can also prove that the Hampton location was a Der Wienerschnitzel. Here's a 1969 ad in the Newport News Daily Press which they offer discount tickets a horror feature at the local movie house:
After you gave me that link I searched all of Virginia for more on the Hampton Roads stuff! I have not looked at the results but a bunch came back.
A fellow with the Virginia Dept of Historic Resources who I emailed while researching this told me he remembered eating at a Richmond Wienerschnitzel in the early 80s. That may be the case as well then! (It's Richmond and Hampton where they're entering in 2025 - basically just repeating their modestly successful attempt back then without saying it's a repeat!)
Awesome! Yes, if they were in Hampton and Newport News, then it would be plausible for them to be in Richmond too. And since the Hampton location (at least) was still around in 1980, the East Coast push clearly stuck for a while.
Fascinating! I did a newspaper archive search based on your article. It appears that the Der Wienerschnitzel outlet in Alexandria was part of a planned DC-area expansion that never took off. From the Washington Daily News, 4/29/1968:
"Der Wienerschnitzel International, a wiener and sausage restaurant chain, plans to open 25 units in the D.C. area within three years. Most or all will be franchised. The first unit will be in Alexandria and construction on it is expected to begin next month. Currently, the company has more than 200 restaurants."
I don't see any evidence that they ever got past that single Alexandria location, however. That planned expansion is apparently so long forgotten that even the company doesn't remember it!
Oh awesome! Do you have a link to that article archive so I could include it as a note or is it like a private link? What archive service/source did you use for that?
I do! It's from Newspapers.com; here's the link.
https://www.newspapers.com/image/1042213793/?match=1&terms=wienerschnitzel
Thank you so much! Updated it!
You're welcome! Glad I could help! I love these retail-history pieces that you do.
Upon further research, I can also prove that the Hampton location was a Der Wienerschnitzel. Here's a 1969 ad in the Newport News Daily Press which they offer discount tickets a horror feature at the local movie house:
https://www.newspapers.com/image/233380664/?match=1&terms=wienerschnitzel
And here's an article from 1980 in which a reporter taste-tests hot dogs from around the area, including Der Wienerrschnitzel:
https://www.newspapers.com/image/234799087/?match=1&terms=wienerschnitzel
That includes the street address, which matches the current Dog House location. Bingo!
After you gave me that link I searched all of Virginia for more on the Hampton Roads stuff! I have not looked at the results but a bunch came back.
A fellow with the Virginia Dept of Historic Resources who I emailed while researching this told me he remembered eating at a Richmond Wienerschnitzel in the early 80s. That may be the case as well then! (It's Richmond and Hampton where they're entering in 2025 - basically just repeating their modestly successful attempt back then without saying it's a repeat!)
Awesome! Yes, if they were in Hampton and Newport News, then it would be plausible for them to be in Richmond too. And since the Hampton location (at least) was still around in 1980, the East Coast push clearly stuck for a while.
Despite the owner's sketchy history that falafel franchise is delicious, glad we have one
I love this kind of detective work!