If you’re in the mood for a quick meal, then you might make a stop at Wendy’s. The fast food restaurant is known for its higher quality menu items. It also has several healthier options that are unusual for fast food, like a baked potato with toppings or a bowl of chili.
Of course, Wendy’s also has plenty of not-so-healthy choices – like its famous square burgers and fries loaded with cheese and bacon. Its menu also includes a range of breakfast items for early birds. Like most fast food restaurants, Wendy’s allows customers to buy food individually or as a combo meal.
One of the keys to Wendy’s success is its strong marketing campaigns and effective use of its logo. At Budget Branders, we can help your business expand its own advertising efforts with our line of high-quality custom promotional products. We offer everything from custom napkins, to custom plastic cups to custom foil sandwich bags, all of which make it as easy as possible to advertise your business at minimal cost. Reach out to our branding experts today to learn more about our products and pricing.
The History of Wendy’s Fast Food Restaurant
Famously founded by Dave Thomas, the first Wendy’s restaurant was opened in Columbus, Ohio in 1969. Thomas’ idea for the brand was to sell square hamburgers that stuck out of the sides of a circular bun. He grew up eating these hamburgers – and thick malt shakes – at Kewpee Hamburgers in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Wendy’s maintains a focus on hamburgers, with two patties available – a “junior” 1.78-ounce patty and a single 4-ounce patty. To this day, the patties are square. This shape doesn’t just give the appearance of more meat on the bun – it also allows cooks to fit more burgers onto a grill.
Today, Wendy’s has a broader range of menu items, including its popular chicken sandwiches. Wendy’s was also the first fast-food chain restaurant to introduce a value menu in 1988. Originally, all items on the value menu were sold for $0.99, but they now range from $0.99 to $2.00. Some of its more popular items include the baked potato with various toppings, chili, Frosty desserts, and the spicy chicken sandwich.
The first Wendy’s franchise opened in 1972 in Indiana. The restaurant quickly grew, with the 500th outlet opening in Toronto in 1976. In 1978, the 1,000th Wendy’s restaurant opened in Tennessee. Beyond Canada, Wendy’s has opened restaurants in Japan, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Germany, Mexico, India, Italy, Turkey, Indonesia, New Zealand, Turkey, and Guatemala.
The restaurant was named after Thomas’ fourth child, Wendy Thomas. Photos of her appeared in early restaurants. Today, a stylized graphic of these photos – a redheaded girl with two braids – forms a key part of Wendy’s advertising.
Struggling with stagnant sales, the company released a memorable commercial in 1984. In the restaurant ad, an elderly actress used the phrase “Where’s the beef” when referring to a competitor’s burgers. This phrase entered the pop culture lexicon and is still used to this day.
Wendy’s has used a variety of slogans throughout its operations. In addition to “Where’s the beef,” Wendy’s has used the phrase “Quality Is Our Recipe” since 1970. Many of its slogans focus on the higher quality of Wendy’s ingredients, with taglines such as “It’s way better than fast food…It’s Wendy’s.”
Wendy’s restaurant remains incredibly recognizable with its red, white, and blue color scheme – with a focus on the red that coordinates with the little girl logo. These colors and the Wendy’s logo appear on all of its disposable items. When someone sees a bag or a cup with a little redheaded girl on it, they instantly know that it’s from Wendy’s.
Wendy’s Menu and Prices
The Wendy’s menu focuses on classic fast food fare: burgers, chicken sandwiches, chicken nuggets, and fries. Wendy’s offers a few unique options, however – including chili and baked potatoes. The restaurant also has a full breakfast menu, and it offers both cookies and its famed Frosty milkshake for dessert.
As with most chain restaurants, Wendy’s pricing may vary by location due to factors such as increased labor or food costs. While Wendy’s did attempt to introduce surge pricing in early 2024 – where prices would increase based on demand – they quickly abandoned this idea after public outcry.
Hamburgers
| Item | Price |
| Pretzel Baconator | $8.59 |
| Dave’s Single | $5.39 |
| Dave’s Double | $6.59 |
| Dave’s Triple | $7.79 |
| Baconator | $7.59 |
| Son of Baconator | $5.69 |
| Big Bacon Classic | $6.79 |
| Big Bacon Classic Double | $7.79 |
| Big Bacon Classic Triple | $8.79 |
| Bacon Double Stack | $3.49 |
| Junior Bacon Cheeseburger | $2.69 |
| Junior Cheeseburger Deluxe | $2.29 |
| Junior Cheeseburger | $1.89 |
| Double Stack | $2.89 |
| Junior Hamburger | $1.59 |
Chicken, Nuggets, and More
| Item | Price |
| Ghost Pepper Ranch Chicken Sandwich | $6.79 |
| Spicy Chicken Sandwich | $5.99 |
| Classic Chicken Sandwich | $5.99 |
| Grilled Chicken Wrap | $5.99 |
| Asiago Ranch Classic Chicken Club | $6.79 |
| Spicy Asiago Ranch Club | $6.79 |
| Crispy Chicken BLT | $2.59 |
| Crispy Chicken Sandwich | $1.79 |
| 10-piece Spicy Chicken Nuggets | $4.99 |
| 6-piece Spicy Chicken Nuggets | $2.79 |
| 4-piece Spicy Chicken Nuggets | $1.99 |
| 10-piece Chicken Nuggets | $4.99 |
| 6-piece Chicken Nuggets | $2.79 |
| 4-piece Chicken Nuggets | $1.99 |
| Nuggs Party Pack | $15.99 |
Saucy Nuggs
| Item | Price |
| 20-Piece Saucy Chicken Nuggs | $10.99 |
| 10-piece Saucy Chicken Nuggs | $5.99 |
| 6-piece Saucy Chicken Nuggs | $3.99 |
| 4-piece Saucy Chicken Nuggs | $2.99 |
Salads
| Item | Price |
| Parmesan Caesar Salad | $8.19 |
| Cobb Salad | $8.19 |
| Apple Pecan Salad | $8.19 |
| Taco Salad | $8.19 |
Fries and Sides
| Item | Price |
| French Fries | $1.39 for junior, $2.19 for small, $2.89 for medium, and $3.39 for large |
| Baconator Fries | $3.49 |
| Chili Cheese Fries | $3.89 |
| Cheese Fries | $2.99 |
| Chili | $3.29 for a small, $3.89 for a large |
| Family Chili | $15.99 |
| Plain Baked Potato | $2.59 |
| Sour Cream and Chive Baked Potato | $2.79 |
| Bacon Cheese Baked Potato | $4.29 |
| Chili and Cheese Baked Potato | $4.29 |
| Cheese Baked Potato | $3.49 |
Combo Meals
| Item | Price |
| 10-piece Saucy Nuggs Combo with Fries and a Drink | $10.39 |
| 20-piece Saucy Nuggs Combo with Fries and a Drink | $15.39 |
| Pretzel Baconator Combo with Fries and a Drink | $12.99 |
| Dave’s Combo with Fries and a Drink | $9.79 |
| Baconator Combo with Fries and a Drink | $11.99 |
| 10-piece Chicken Nugget Combo with Fries and a Drink | $9.39 |
| Classic Chicken Sandwich Combo with Fries and a Drink | $10.39 |
| Grilled Chicken Wrap Combo with Fries and a Drink | $10.39 |
| Spicy Chicken Sandwich Combo with Fries and a Drink | $10.39 |
| Big Bacon Classic Combo with Fries and a Drink | $11.19 |
| Ghost Pepper Ranch Chicken Sandwich Combo with Fries and a Drink | $11.19 |
| Asiago Ranch Chicken Club Combo with Fries and a Drink | $11.19 |
Kids’ Meals
| Item | Price |
| Kids’ 4-piece Nugget Meal with Fries or Apples and a Drink | $3.99 |
| Kids’ 4-Piece Spicy Nugget Meal with Fries or Apples and a Drink | $3.99 |
| Kids’ Hamburger Meal with Fries or Apples and a Drink | $3.79 |
| Kids’ Cheeseburger Meal with Fries or Apples and a Drink | $4.19 |
Beverages
| Item | Price |
| Fountain Beverages (Coke products) | $1.99 for a small, $2.39 for a medium, $2.69 for a large |
| Lemonade | $2.69 for a small, $3.29 for a medium, $3.69 for a large |
| Coffee | $1.19 for a small, $1.59 for a medium, $1.79 for a large |
| Frosty Cream Cold Brew (Chocolate, Vanilla, or Caramel) | $1.99 for a small, $2.79 for a medium, $3.49 for a large |
| Cold Brew | $1.79 for a small, $2.39 for a medium, $3.09 for a large |
| Iced Tea | $1.99 for a small, $2.39 for a medium, $2.69 for a large |
| Bottled Water | $1.89 |
| Milk or Chocolate Milk | $1.49 |
| Fruit Punch | $0.99 |
| Orange Juice | $2.79 |
Desserts
| Item | Price |
| Frosty (Chocolate or Triple Berry) | $1.29 for junior, $2.19 for small, $2.59 for medium, and $2.99 for large |
| Chocolate Chunk or Sugar Cookie | $1.99 |
Breakfast
| Item | Price |
| Maple Bacon Chicken Croissant | $4.49 |
| Sausage, Egg and Swiss Croissant | $3.99 |
| Bacon, Egg and Swiss Croissant | $3.99 |
| Sausage, Egg and Cheese English Muffin | $3.99 |
| Bacon, Egg and Cheese Muffin | $3.99 |
| Sausage, Egg and Cheese Biscuit | $3.79 |
| Bacon, Egg and Cheese Biscuit | $3.79 |
| Egg and Cheese Biscuit | $2.79 |
| Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit | $3.79 |
| Honey Butter Biscuit | $1.29 |
| Sausage Biscuit | $1.99 |
| Breakfast Baconator | $4.69 |
| Homestyle French Toast Sticks (4 pieces) | $2.99 |
| Homestyle French Toast Sticks (6 pieces) | $3.99 |
| Bacon Breakfast Burrito | $4.69 |
| Sausage Breakfast Burrito | $4.69 |
| Maple Bacon Chicken Croissant Combo with hash browns and a drink | $6.69 |
| Sausage, Egg and Swiss Croissant Combo with hash browns and a drink | $6.19 |
| Bacon, Egg and Swiss Croissant Combo with hash browns and a drink | $6.19 |
| Breakfast Burrito Combo with hash browns and a drink | $6.89 |
| Sausage Breakfast Burrito Combo with hash browns and a drink | $6.89 |
| Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit Combo with hash browns and a drink | $5.99 |
| Sausage, Egg and Cheese Biscuit Combo with hash browns and a drink | $5.99 |
| Bacon, Egg and Cheese Biscuit Combo with hash browns and a drink | $5.99 |
| Egg and Cheese Biscuit Combo with hash browns and a drink | $4.79 |
| Breakfast Baconator Combo with hash browns and a drink | $6.89 |
| Sausage, Egg and Cheese English Muffin Combo with hash browns and a drink | $6.19 |
| Bacon, Egg and Cheese English Muffin Combo with hash browns and a drink | $6.19 |
| Homestyle French Toast Sticks 6 piece Combo with hash browns and a drink | $6.19 |
| Cinnabon Pull-Apart | $3.69 |
| Seasoned Potatoes | $1.69 for a small, $2.19 for a medium, or $2.49 for a large |
| Oatmeal bar | $1.69 |
| Apple bites | $0.99 |
At Wendy’s, breakfast is available until 10:25 a.m. The lunch and dinner menu is then served from 10:30 a.m. until close.
Want to Grow Your Business? Reach Out to Budget Branders.
One of the foundations of Wendy’s success is its higher-quality food. The company has effectively marketed itself as a better alternative to fast food restaurants like McDonald’s with smart choices that put the focus on its ingredients. It has also used branding strategies such as custom-printed disposable products to ensure that customers remember its name and logo.
Budget Branders works with small to medium-sized restaurants to help them get the same promotional products that the big franchises use at prices and in quantities that are fair. We sell custom disposable products that can be printed with your business name and logo, including custom paper bags, custom napkins, and custom plastic cups. All of our products are sold in smaller quantities to make it possible for independently-owned businesses to not only purchase but store them.
To learn more or to ask a question about our products, fill out our online contact form, or hit the “live chat” button.
