In mid-1968, Christian Guignard opened his first grill restaurant near the Champs-Élysées in Paris. The restaurant served prime rib on a thick wooden board with matchstick fries. Changes such as vegetarian dishes, Braille menus, and sides of green beans were later added. Guignard is regarded as the man who created the first steak and burger chain in France.

In February 1992, Group Flo led by Jean-Paul Bucher bought the assets of Hippopotamus.

6 Avenue Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the original site of the first Hippopotamus restaurant is now a steak house called Le Franklin.

Christian Guignard died in 2015 at the age of 68. He is remembered by his peers as a giant, generous and charismatic man of the French restaurant world, a visionary and a pioneer.