[[File:Jamaica Av Queens Bl td (2022-04-09) 07 - Wendy's.jpg|thumb|Jamaica_Av_Queens_Bl_td_(2022-04-09)_07_-_Wendy's]]
'''Wendy's''' is an American fast food restaurant chain specializing in burgers, chicken sandwiches, and other fast food items. Founded in 1969 by Dave Thomas in Columbus, Ohio, Wendy's has grown to become one of the largest fast food chains in the world, with over 6,700 locations worldwide as of 2020.
[[File:Jamaica Av Queens Bl td (2022-04-09) 07 - Wendy's.jpg|thumb|Wendy's location in [[Queens]], New York]]
'''Wendy's''' is a major American [[fast food]] restaurant chain best known for its square hamburgers, sea salt fries, and signature [[Frosty]] dessert. Founded by [[Dave Thomas (businessman)|Dave Thomas]] on November 15, 1969, in [[Columbus, Ohio]], Wendy’s has grown into one of the world’s largest quick-service restaurant chains, operating more than 6,700 locations globally as of 2020.
== History ==
== History ==
Wendy’s was established in 1969 by [[Dave Thomas (businessman)|Dave Thomas]], who named the restaurant after his daughter Melinda Lou, nicknamed "Wendy." The first location opened in Columbus, Ohio. Wendy’s quickly became known for its fresh, never frozen beef and its unique square-shaped hamburgers that hang over the bun edges.
Wendy's was founded by Dave Thomas in Columbus, Ohio, on November 15, 1969. Thomas named the restaurant after his daughter, Melinda Lou "Wendy" Thomas. The first Wendy's restaurant featured a distinctive design with a ruffled roof and a square hamburger patty, which set it apart from its competitors.
By the late 1970s, Wendy’s introduced its "old-fashioned" image and popularized its value menu and drive-thru service. The company gained further cultural relevance in 1984 with the viral advertising slogan, "[[Where's the beef?]]"
In the decades since its founding, Wendy's has become one of the largest fast food chains in the world, with over 6,700 locations in 30 countries as of 2020. The company has also expanded its menu to include chicken sandwiches, salads, fries, and breakfast items.
In 2008, Wendy’s merged with Triarc Companies Inc., which also owned Arby’s, to form The Wendy’s/Arby’s Group. The group later sold Arby’s and renamed itself The Wendy’s Company.
== Menu ==
== Menu ==
Wendy’s menu includes:
* [[Hamburger]]s and cheeseburgers (e.g., Dave's Single, Baconator)
Wendy's menu features a variety of fast food items, including burgers, chicken sandwiches, salads, fries, and frosty desserts. One of the chain's most popular menu items is the Baconator, a burger with two quarter-pound beef patties, six strips of bacon, and cheese.
Wendy’s is known for customizing its menu based on regional preferences and seasonal items.
In recent years, Wendy's has also expanded its menu to include breakfast items, such as the Breakfast Baconator, a breakfast sandwich with a sausage patty, bacon, egg, and cheese.
== Sustainability ==
Wendy's has made several commitments to sustainability, including a goal to source all of its beef from sustainable sources by 2025. The company has also committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions and improving animal welfare in its supply chain.
In 2021, Wendy's announced a partnership with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, a farmworker advocacy group, to improve working conditions and wages for tomato pickers in Florida.
== Advertising ==
Wendy's is known for its advertising campaigns, which have included the iconic "Where's the Beef?" campaign in the 1980s and the more recent "Fresh, Never Frozen" campaign. The company has also gained attention for its social media presence, with its Twitter account known for its witty and irreverent responses to customers and competitors.
== Menu offerings ==
Wendy's menu offers a variety of options, including burgers, chicken sandwiches, salads, sides, and desserts. Some of the most popular menu items include:
=== Burgers ===
Dave's Single: a quarter-pound beef patty topped with cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, ketchup, and mayo on a toasted bun.
Baconator: two quarter-pound beef patties topped with six strips of bacon, two slices of cheese, ketchup, and mayo on a toasted bun.
Son of Baconator: a smaller version of the Baconator, with one quarter-pound beef patty and four strips of bacon.
=== Chicken sandwiches ===
Spicy Chicken Sandwich: a breaded and fried chicken breast topped with lettuce, tomato, and mayo on a toasted bun.
Homestyle Chicken Sandwich: a breaded and fried chicken breast topped with lettuce, tomato, and mayo on a toasted bun.
Asiago Ranch Chicken Club: a breaded and fried chicken breast topped with Asiago cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and ranch dressing on a toasted bun.
=== Salads ===
Southwest Avocado Chicken Salad: a mix of lettuce, grilled chicken, bacon, diced tomatoes, shredded pepper jack cheese, and avocado ranch dressing.
Apple Pecan Chicken Salad: a mix of lettuce, grilled chicken, apples, dried cranberries, blue cheese crumbles, roasted pecans, and pomegranate vinaigrette.
=== Sides ===
French Fries: classic french fries.
Baconator Fries: french fries topped with cheese sauce, shredded cheddar cheese, and six strips of bacon.
Chili: beef chili with beans, topped with shredded cheddar cheese and diced onions.
=== Desserts ===
Frosty: a soft-serve ice cream in chocolate or vanilla flavors.
Chocolate Chunk Cookie: a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie.
== Marketing and promotions ==
Wendy's has used various marketing campaigns to promote its brand and products. One of the most successful campaigns was the "Where's the Beef?" campaign, which aired in 1984 and featured an elderly woman examining a hamburger bun with a comically small beef patty, while asking, "Where's the beef?" The campaign became a pop culture phenomenon and helped increase Wendy's sales.
In recent years, Wendy's has used social media to engage with customers and promote its products. In 2017, the company gained attention for its Twitter account, which frequently engages with users and has been praised for its witty responses to customers and competitors.
Wendy's also offers various promotions and limited-time menu items to drive sales. In 2019, the company launched a "BaconFest" promotion, featuring menu items such as the Baconator, Baconator Fries, and Bacon Jalapeño Cheeseburger.
'''Wendy's''' is an international [[Chain store|chain]] of [[fast food]] [[restaurant]]s founded by [[Dave Thomas]] on November 15, 1969 in [[Columbus, Ohio]].
Wendy's is an American international fast food restaurant chain founded by Dave Thomas on November 15, 1969, in Columbus, Ohio. The company moved its headquarters to Dublin, Ohio, on January 29, 2006.
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==Menu==
Wendy's menu is mostly [[hamburgers]], [[chicken]] [[sandwich]]es, [[French fries]] and beverages. For dessert, they serve Frostys, which are similar to [[Dairy Queen]]'s "Blizzards".
== Key Dates ==
* 1969: Wendy's founded <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.answers.com/McDonald%27s?cat=biz-fin |title=McDonald's |author=Hoovers.com |publisher=answers.com |accessdate=2007-08-23}}</ref>
* 1970: Opens first commercial [[Drive-through#Drive-through restaurants|drive-thru]]
* 1979: Introduces [[salad bar]]
* 1984: ''[[Where's the Beef?]]'' slogan debuts
* 1986: Near failure of 1/5 of Wendy's stores
* 1989: Super Value Menu debuts
* 1995: Acquires [[Tim Hortons]]
* 2002: Dave Thomas dies
* 2006: Wendy's divested itself of Tim Hortons
* 2007: Original Wendy's Restaurant closes
* 2008: Announces merger with [[Triarc]]
== Slogans ==
=== US - Canada ===
* 1970 - present: ''Quality Is Our Recipe'' (This Slogan is still shown on the Wendy's logo today.)
* 1978 - 1979: ''Juicy hamburgers''
* 1979 - 1980: ''Hot-N-Juicy''
* 1980 - 1981: ''Wendy's Has the Taste You Crave''
* 1981 - 1982: ''Ain't No Reason to Go Anyplace Else''
* 1982 - 1983: ''You're Wendy's Kind of People''
* 1983 - 1984: ''Parts is parts''
* 1984 - 1986: ''[[Where's the beef?]]''
* 1986 - 1987: ''Choose Fresh, choose Wendy's''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A0DE1DA1230F935A15755C0A960948260 |title=Wendy's Spot Created By Lockhardt & Pettus |author=Philip H. Dougherty |publisher=[[the New York Times]] |date=[[1986-06-26]] |accessdate=2007-12-29 |quote=The group has a song ''Fresh'' that fits in well with the Wendy's theme, ''Choose fresh. Choose Wendy's.''}}</ref>
* 1987 - 1993: ''[[Give a little nibble]]''
* 1989 - 1998: ''The best burgers and a whole lot more'' (also was printed inside the hamburger wrappers during the 1990s)
* 1997 - Present: ''You can eat great, even late''
* 2001 - 2005: ''It's hamburger bliss.''
* 2002 - 2005: ''It's better here''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/2002/04/09/0409wendys.html |title=Wendy's Salad Days |author=Davide Dukcevich |publisher=[[Forbes Magazine]] |date=[[2002-04-09]] |accessdate=2007-12-29 |quote=Earlier this month, Wendy's released a new advertising tagline, "It's Better Here," as part of a campaign that purports to showcase Dublin, Ohio, where it has its headquarters.}}</ref>
* 2003 - 2007: ''It's Always Great, Even Late.'' (Canada)
* 2005 - 2007: ''Do what tastes right.'' (primary slogan)
* 2005 - Present: ''It's good to be square.''
* January 2007 - October 2007: ''That's right.''
* January 2007 - October 2007: ''Uh Huh.''
* 2007 - 2008: ''Hot Juicy Burgers''
* February 2008: ''It's waaay better than fast food... It's Wendy's.'' (US)
* February 2008: ''It's waaaaaaaaaay delicious. It's Wendy's.'' (Canada)
* Present: ''You know when it's real''
=== International ===
* 1983: ''It's the best time for...Wendy's'' ([[Philippines]])
* 2000 (approx) - Present: ''Wendy's cuadra contigo'' (Wendy's fits with you). The word ''cuadra'' (fit) is a reference to the word ''cuadro'' that means ''square'' ([[Venezuela]])
* 2001 (approx) - Present: ''El Sabor de lo Recien Hecho'' (The Flavor of the Freshly Made) ([[Honduras]])
* 2007 (approx) - Present: ''Wendy's es Sensacional'' (Wendy's is Sensational) ([[El Salvador]])
* 2008 - Present: ''It's not just fast food; it's fresh food, made fast'' [http://www.hot-screensaver.com/2008/10/02/wendys-fast-food-restaurant/] ([[Malaysia]])
Wendy's operates in multiple countries across [[North America]], [[Asia]], [[Europe]], [[Oceania]], and the [[Caribbean]]. International expansion continues through franchising efforts, although growth has faced challenges in some markets.
*[https://www.wendys.com/ Official website]
{{Fast food restaurants}}
== Corporate affairs ==
{{US-stub}}
The Wendy’s Company is headquartered in [[Dublin, Ohio]]. It is publicly traded on the [[New York Stock Exchange]] under the ticker symbol '''WEN'''. Todd Penegor serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer.
[[Category:1969 establishments in the United States]]
== Branding and advertising ==
[[Category:American fast food restaurants]]
Wendy’s branding features a red-haired girl inspired by Dave Thomas’s daughter. Its advertising has focused on freshness, quality ingredients, and humor. Campaigns such as "Where’s the beef?" and Wendy’s snarky Twitter presence have reinforced the brand’s cultural appeal.
[[Category:Columbus, Ohio]]
[[Category:1960s establishments in Ohio]]
{{stb}}
== See also ==
== References ==
* [[Fast food]]
* [[Dave Thomas (businessman)]]
{{Reflist}}
* [[Frosty]]
* [[List of hamburger restaurants]]
* [[Burger King]]
* [[McDonald's]]
* [[Arby's]]
== External links ==
== External links ==
* [https://www.wendys.com Official website]
[https://www.wendys.com/ Wendy's official website]
Wendy's is a major American fast food restaurant chain best known for its square hamburgers, sea salt fries, and signature Frosty dessert. Founded by Dave Thomas on November 15, 1969, in Columbus, Ohio, Wendy’s has grown into one of the world’s largest quick-service restaurant chains, operating more than 6,700 locations globally as of 2020.
Wendy’s was established in 1969 by Dave Thomas, who named the restaurant after his daughter Melinda Lou, nicknamed "Wendy." The first location opened in Columbus, Ohio. Wendy’s quickly became known for its fresh, never frozen beef and its unique square-shaped hamburgers that hang over the bun edges.
By the late 1970s, Wendy’s introduced its "old-fashioned" image and popularized its value menu and drive-thru service. The company gained further cultural relevance in 1984 with the viral advertising slogan, "Where's the beef?"
In 2008, Wendy’s merged with Triarc Companies Inc., which also owned Arby’s, to form The Wendy’s/Arby’s Group. The group later sold Arby’s and renamed itself The Wendy’s Company.
Wendy's operates in multiple countries across North America, Asia, Europe, Oceania, and the Caribbean. International expansion continues through franchising efforts, although growth has faced challenges in some markets.
The Wendy’s Company is headquartered in Dublin, Ohio. It is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol WEN. Todd Penegor serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer.
Wendy’s branding features a red-haired girl inspired by Dave Thomas’s daughter. Its advertising has focused on freshness, quality ingredients, and humor. Campaigns such as "Where’s the beef?" and Wendy’s snarky Twitter presence have reinforced the brand’s cultural appeal.
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