Wendy’s Becomes Next ‘Meme Stock’ as Price Jumps Thanks to Reddit Users

Yesterday, Foodmarket.com covered Wendy’s announcement of the return of its Summer Strawberry Chicken Salad for a limited time. While some Wendy’s fans may be excited about the salad’s return, a significant jump in stock price on June 8 was quite unexpected for many analysts.

Wendy’s stock climbed by 25.85% at closing, reaching the $28.87 per share mark and up from $22.94 at closing on June 7. following the announcement and help from the ‘meme stock’ community on Reddit.

A few months ago, Reddit users were famously...

Wendy's Brings Back Seasonal Summer Strawberry Chicken Salad
Wendy's is bringing back its Summer Strawberry Chicken Salad nationwide. The salad is created with ingredients like hand-picked strawberries, crisp Applewood smoked bacon, Tuscan cheese blend topped with a Champagne Vinaigrette–all on top of a bed of freshly chopped lettuce and spring mix.

"From our Jalapeño Popper Chicken Salad to our Southwest Avocado Salad and now, our new Summer Strawberry Chicken Salad, we consistently lean into on-trend ingredients to give our customers flavorful salad options they can't find anywhere else," said Carl Loredo, Wendy's U.S. Chief Marketing Officer. "Others have chosen to...

Wendy’s Opens Its Doors In the United Kingdom

Wendy’s has arrived in the United Kingdom. After much anticipation, Wendy’s opens its doors in Reading, offering signature US menu items that fans know and love, including the Baconator®, Dave’s Single™, the Spicy Chicken Sandwich and of course the Frosty® dessert. These favorites will be joined by an exclusive range of items only available in the UK, including the Veggie Stack, Veggie Bites, and Avocado Veggie Salad.

Wendy’s selected Reading as it is a great community with a strong employee base and is near a major transportation hub, offering the right amount of foot traffic across dayparts. The Company will continue to...

Wendy's Reports First Quarter 2021 Results

The Wendy's Company reported unaudited results for the first quarter ended April 4, 2021.

"We are increasing our 2021 financial outlook meaningfully across all key financial metrics, driven by an outstanding first quarter that underscores our continued momentum and the overall strength of our business," President and Chief Executive Officer Todd Penegor said. "The robust growth in our business continued in the first quarter of 2021 as sales significantly exceeded our expectations and fueled our restaurant economic model, leading to...

Wendy's Launches New Bourbon Bacon Cheeseburger for National Hamburger Month

Wendy's is kicking off National Hamburger Month with the introduction of the Bourbon Bacon Cheeseburger – a new addition to the Made to Crave sandwich lineup.

"Wendy's is the home of the number one bacon cheeseburger* for a reason: our beef is always fresh, never frozen and our Applewood smoked bacon is cooked in an oven daily to bring the Wendy's signature quality and flavor that we feel is a cut above the competition," said John Li, Vice President of Culinary Innovation for The Wendy's Company. "For our Bourbon Bacon Cheeseburger, our culinary innovation team created...

Wendy's Bacon Double Stack is Back in the Biggie Bag

Wendy's is giving consumers a chance to #SecureTheBag with the return of the Bacon Double Stack in one of its best deals - the $5 Biggie Bag. The Bacon Double Stack – featuring two beef patties, Applewood smoked bacon, cheese, ketchup, mustard, pickle and onion – is back in this ultimate meal deal. With the Bacon Double Stack, customers will get 4-piece chicken nuggets (Spicy or Crispy), small fries and a small drink for just $5.

The $5 Biggie Bag is available now at participating Wendy's restaurants nationwide. Wendy's is always customer-first when it comes to value. From introducing...

Wendy's Celebrates Return of NCAA Tournament as Official Breakfast of March Madness

The biggest stage in college basketball is back. As the Official Breakfast of March Madness®, Wendy's is celebrating its one-year breakfast "Wendy-versary" by fueling athletes and fans across the nation with deals.

In honor of the return of March Madness, Wendy's is giving fans the chance to experience its top-seed breakfast with a free Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit during breakfast hours beginning Thursday, March 18 through Saturday, March 20. Fans can pick up their new favorite breakfast sandwich in-restaurant or via drive-thru at participating locations nationwide and no purchase is necessary. Wendy's is also running point on...

Wendy's Names Dr. Beverly Stallings-Johnson Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer

The Wendy's Company announced the appointment of Dr. Beverly Stallings-Johnson to the newly created position of Vice President, Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer effective March 15, 2021. Beverly will lead the Company's efforts to advance and promote diversity, equity and inclusion across the Wendy's global system, including with employees, franchisees and suppliers.

Prior to joining Wendy's, Beverly served as Chief Diversity Officer for the City of Columbus, leading the City's Office of Diversity and Inclusion. In partnership with Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther, she helped to advance the Equity Agenda to impact disparities across the nearly million residents of the City. She has been a resident of central Ohio for 15 years and brings to Wendy's a deep connection to...

Wendy's Reports Fourth Quarter And Full Year 2020 Results

The Wendy's Company reported results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended January 3, 2021.

"I could not be more proud of our results and the work that was done by the Wendy's® System across the globe in 2020 with all the challenges we faced and overcame during the year. I am confident that we have emerged as a stronger, more unified brand that is poised to deliver outsized growth" President and Chief Executive Officer Todd Penegor said. "We accomplished a lot in 2020, including securing our position as the #2 QSR hamburger restaurant chain* in the U.S., achieving our two highest quarterly Global same restaurant sales results in over...

Wendy's New Jalapeño Popper Chicken Sandwich Heats Up the Chicken Wars

Wendy's unveiled two new bold menu items, the Wendy's Jalapeño Popper Chicken Sandwich and Salad, to its already-stacked chicken lineup.

"Inspired by classic jalapeño poppers fans know and love, my culinary team took the familiar flavors of the beloved appetizer and gave it a unique Wendy's twist only we can deliver," said John Li, Vice President of Culinary Innovation for The Wendy's Company. "The new Jalapeño Popper Chicken Sandwich and Salad brings Wendy's fans a bold, innovative flavor they can't get anywhere else. Each bite is graced by the perfect balance of...

Foodservice and Retail Get Creative for an Unprecedented Valentine’s Day 

While the pandemic has caused disruptions to gatherings and going out, there remains a special significance around Valentine’s Day. Consumers are committed to celebrating the holiday, even if traditional celebrations must be altered. According to the National Retail Federation, about 52% of adults plan to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year, spending a total of $21.8 billon.

Nearly three-quarters of consumers celebrating the holiday this year feel it is important to do so given the current state of the pandemic. The virus is still a focus, with 74% indicating it will directly impact their plans for the holiday. About 24% of consumers plan to gift their loved one with an evening out, the lowest in...

American Egg Board Partners with Wendy's to Drive Breakfast Menu Trial

The American Egg Board (AEB) recently joined forces with Wendy's to help further the brand's successful expansion into the breakfast daypart, partnering on a custom social media influencer program that leveraged consumer affinity for eggs to drive off-premise breakfast consumption in key markets.

"Wendy's was built on fresh, real ingredients — and our recently launched breakfast menu is no exception," said John Li, vice president of culinary innovation at Wendy's. "Our partnership through the AEB's new program helped us expand on consumer demand for a high-quality breakfast by highlighting...

McDonald's to Launch Three New Chicken Sandwiches Next Month

McDonald's is launching three chicken sandwiches beginning February 24, joining long-time sandwich favorites like the Big Mac, Quarter Pounder, Egg McMuffin, and Filet-O-Fish. The new options include a Crispy Chicken Sandwich, Spicy Chicken Sandwich, and the Deluxe Chicken Sandwich.

McDonald's began testing the Crispy Chicken Sandwich in Houston and Knoxville, Tennessee, last year. The sandwich is made of a fried chicken filet served on a potato roll, topped with butter and pickles. The spicy option comes with a spicy pepper sauce, and the deluxe sandwich comes with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, and mayo.

In November, Joe Erlinger, President of McDonald's USA, said a new crispy chicken sandwich would...

Wendy’s, Rebel Foods, and Sierra Nevada Restaurants Announce Strategic Partnership in India

The Wendy’s Company, Rebel Foods and Sierra Nevada Restaurants today announced a strategic partnership to expand Wendy’s presence in India over the next decade. As part of the expansion plans, Rebel Foods will partner with Sierra Nevada Restaurants to develop and operate approximately 250 Wendy’s cloud kitchens across India, and Sierra Nevada will develop 150 traditional Wendy’s restaurants.

Rebel Foods is an operator of online restaurants with over 300 cloud kitchens across India, UAE, South East Asia and the United Kingdom. Sierra Nevada Restaurants launched Wendy’s in India in 2015 and

Wendy's Reports Third Quarter Results

The Wendy's Company reported unaudited results for the third quarter ended September 27, 2020.

"In the third quarter we posted our highest Global same-restaurant sales growth performance in over 15 years on top of outsized growth in the prior year." President and Chief Executive Officer Todd Penegor said. "In addition to these very strong sales, our restaurant economic model continues to strengthen, with Company-operated restaurant margin expansion compared to the prior year, despite significant commodity headwinds. We remain focused on our goal of delivering efficient, accelerated growth behind...

Wendy's Rolls Out New Chicken Sandwich

Wendy's is introducing a brand-new chicken sandwich that's crispier, juicier and packed with flavor.

"We can't wait for our fans to get their hands on the New Classic Chicken Sandwich which has the perfect crunch from breading and pickles paired with the juiciness and flavor of the fillet," said Carl Loredo, Chief Marketing Officer for The Wendy's Company. "The Classic joins what customers have already come to know and love in spice and taste from Wendy's via our Spicy Chicken and Pretzel Bacon Pub Chicken Sandwiches."

The new Classic Chicken Sandwich features...

Technomic Analyzes Wendy's Breakfast Performance 

In a recent analysis, Technomic used its Ignite Consumer tool to look at how Wendy's breakfast performed amid several challenges. Wendy's has had a long experience with testing breakfast menu items, dating back to the 1980s. From adding and removing breakfast items at different locations and trying out omelets on the menu, this daypart has represented an ongoing battle for the quick service chain.

In March 2020, Wendy's launched a new campaign focused on breakfast and started to spread the word with a Twitter war. The breakfast battle started with a tweet calling out McDonald's, who did not respond. Wendy's then followed up...

Wendy's Adds Pretzel Bacon Pub Cheeseburger to Menu 

Wendy's is introducing the Pretzel Bacon Pub Cheeseburger. After a few years out of the pretzel-bun game and some self-reflection, the new and improved Pretzel Bacon Pub Cheeseburger is back. In between the soft pretzel bun lies a quarter pound of fresh, never frozen beef topped with Muenster cheese, three strips of Applewood smoked bacon, smoky honey mustard, warm beer cheese sauce, crispy fried onions, and pickles.

"We love working with our Culinary Innovation team to deliver on emerging food trends and flavors that customers can't get enough of," said Carl Loredo Chief Marketing Officer for The Wendy's Company. "Like we did with Spicy Nuggets, we've been watching and listening as customers have been...

Wendy's Adds Spicy Chicken Sandwich to 4 for $4 Meal Deal

Wendy's is introducing its Spicy Crispy Chicken Sandwich to Wendy's 4 for $4. The latest addition brings the heat with a spicy all-white meat crispy patty, crisp lettuce, mayonnaise, and a warm bakery bun.

The restaurant will also be offering a Postmates code offering free 4 for $4 Meal Deals with any $10 minimum purchase for a limited time. The sandwich will be available nationwide at participating Wendy's restaurants.

The 4 for $4 Meal Deal was first introduced...

Wendy's Reports Second Quarter 2020 Results

The Wendy's Company reported unaudited results for the second quarter ended June 28, 2020 and provided an update on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company's business.

"I continue to be extremely proud of, and humbled by, the tireless efforts and dedication from our employees, franchisees and supplier partners across the globe as we successfully manage through COVID-19," President and Chief Executive Officer Todd Penegor said. "Our business and restaurant economic model continue to show incredible resilience as we build momentum with U.S. same-restaurant sales accelerating to high-single digit growth in July, driven by...

Wendy's Launches 'Wendy's Rewards' Across the U.S.

Wendy's announced the national launch of 'Wendy's Rewards' loyalty program, allowing customers the opportunity to earn points to unlock rewards for their favorite menu items. To kick off Wendy's Rewards, fans can get double points on their first order for a limited time.

Scoring free Wendy's is easy with Wendy's Rewards. Simply make a purchase at Wendy's to earn points and keep track of them in Wendy's mobile app. Customers can earn points on nearly every way they get Wendy's, whether its placed via mobile order or by scanning their app at the pick-up window.

"Wendy's has some of the most loyal customers around, and we're thrilled to launch a program that rewards them for their excellent taste in craveable, high-quality food," said...