Wendy’s has more than 6,500 international locations, making it the third largest hamburger franchise in the world. Founded in 1969, the company is now worth billions of dollars and has become very popular with hamburger and French fry lovers. The story behind the company’s success is fascinating and inspiring and will impress anyone – Wendy’s fan or not. In fact, the story of the famous restaurant chain would even convince anyone to try Dave’s Double.
1. There’s a “secret” menu
Wendy’s special menu is not really a well-kept secret, which is perfect for customers who want to try something out of the ordinary. If you’re tired of chicken nuggets, take a look at some of the delicious offers on the secret menu. There are a one-pound cube meat hamburger and a Barnyard hamburger that contains beef, bacon, and chicken. Many of the secret foods on the menu contain a lot of protein, so for a lighter option, you can try the Valley Crispy Chicken Club sandwich.
2. Maybe you should avoid chili
Wendy’s has a wide selection of delicious foods on the menu, which should make it easy for you to avoid chili. Although a hot bowl can be tempting on a cold day, you may want to reconsider this option when you hear the secret ingredient in this comfort food. Wendy’s chili contains silicon dioxide. The substance is intended to prevent the chili from sticking together while it simmers on the stove.
3. Frosty has been around since the very beginning of Wendy’s
At Wendy’s, you can choose from many classic dishes, such as the proven Frosty. This has existed since Wendy’s was founded in 1969. According to Wendy’s official website, founder Dave Thomas “wanted a dessert on the menu so thick that it had to be eaten with a spoon” and that’s how Frosty was born, “a cross between a milkshake and a milk ice cream”.
4. The restaurant has become much larger than founder Dave Thomas had anticipated
When Wendy’s was launched in 1969, there were only five dishes on the menu. Thomas had no great ambitions for the first restaurant he opened in Columbus, Ohio. He just wanted a small local chain where his children could work in the summer.
Despite his modest expectations, Thomas quickly found himself with a successful company. So he opened a second Wendy’s after one year and, in 1974, sales amounted to nearly $25 million. At the end of 1976, just ten years after the company was founded, there were 500 Wendy’s stores.
5. The real Wendy was teased about being the face of the restaurant
Dave Thomas had four children and knew that one of them would become the face of the restaurant: he chose Melinda, 8, nicknamed Wendy. “Dad wanted a name that was easy to remember,” she told People in 1990. “I had red hair, freckles and rabbit teeth, so I was elected.”
6. The logo has no secrets
Many people seem to think that Wendy’s modern logo, redesigned in 2013, hides a secret message. In the picture, it looks like the word “mom” is hidden in Wendy’s pass. While some thought it was a reference to a homemade meal like Mom would do, it turns out that the “hidden message” was just a coincidence.
7. Dave Thomas was a high school dropout
Wendy’s success is even more impressive when you know Dave Thomas’ story. Having dropped out of high school, Thomas served during the Korean War before becoming a cook. He then worked at Kentucky Fried Chicken, where he came up with the idea of the KFC chicken bucket. After rising through the ranks, Thomas left the company in 1969 and founded Wendy’s. The rest is history.
8. Wendy’s was the first restaurant to launch an economical menu
Today, many fast food restaurants have value-added menus that offer items at a lower price. Wendy’s was the first to use this now popular concept, launching the first value-added menu in 1989, almost a decade before Burger King did in 1998.
9. Here’s why patties are square
Wendy’s is known for the unusual shape of its burger cakes. There is a good reason why the patties should be square instead of round. Thomas came up with the idea for square patties because of a Michigan restaurant called Kewpee Burger that used them in this form. Thomas decided to incorporate these patties so that customers could easily see the freshness of the meat. The corners of the square patties protrude from the circular roll, making it easy to see the juice of the meat.
10. The woman from Wendy’s ad is fired
In the 1980s, Wendy’s launched a series of memorable ads featuring a woman whose motto was “Where’s the beef?” The ads were so successful that Wendy’s became synonymous with the lady “Where’s the beef? The actress, Clara Peller, will only play in 10 commercials despite her popularity. She was fired in 1985 for playing in a spaghetti sauce ad for Campbell Soup. Indeed, she discovered “the beef” there.
