• Cajun Crunch Sandwich: Seasoned chicken, Pepper Jack cheese, crispy onions, pickles, lettuce, and spicy mustard.
• Tangerine Twist Lemonade: A bold mix of tangerine and tropical flavors that will instantly send you into “do not disturb” mode.

The Cajun Crunch Sandwich and Tangerine Twist Lemonade were added to Wendy’s menu on April 16. So far, the company hasn’t announced how long they’ll be available — so if you want to try them, don’t wait too long!

Wendy’s History

Driven by his passion for hamburgers, Dave visited every burger stand he could find. When a friend mentioned how hard it was to find a good place for lunch in downtown Columbus, Dave saw an opportunity. On November 15, 1969, Dave Thomas opened the first Wendy’s Old-Fashioned Hamburgers restaurant in Columbus, Ohio, fulfilling his childhood dream.

After considering the names of his five children for the restaurant, Dave chose the nickname of his daughter Melinda: Wendy. The name came from the fact that her brothers couldn’t pronounce her name properly, so they started calling her Wenda, which eventually became Wendy. Dave thought that a logo featuring a smiling little girl with the name “Wendy’s Old-Fashioned Hamburgers” would symbolize a place where people could enjoy traditional hamburgers made with fresh meat.

The initial menu included tasty, juicy burgers, delicious and hearty chili, fries, sodas, and the famous Frosty dessert. From the beginning, Dave was determined that Wendy’s would be a place where quality food was served, freshly made, and accompanied by friendly service, without compromising excellence.

Wendy’s became known for its square hamburgers, which stuck out of the bun and were made with ingredients chosen by the customer. In 1970, at the first independent restaurant, the idea for the drive-thru window was born. Although it wasn’t a new concept, no one had successfully made it work.

Initially, the drive-thru was meant to be an addition to generate extra income, but it turned out to be the key factor that helped Wendy’s grow from a chain with only four stores in Columbus to a phenomenon in the restaurant industry.

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Wendy’s quickly gained popularity, prompting Dave to open more locations with the help of people who shared his passion for quality. In 1973, he began franchising the Wendy’s concept. His strategy of selling franchises for entire cities and regions, rather than just individual units, was an innovation that allowed Wendy’s to open over 1,000 restaurants in its first 100 months of existence.

Under Dave’s leadership, Wendy’s became a leader in innovation within the sector. In 1979, it became the first national chain to offer salad bars, and in 1983, Wendy’s added baked potatoes to the menu. These and other innovations were praised by the restaurant industry and the business community, solidifying Dave’s success and vision.

Wendy’s Menu

The menu offers a wide variety of items such as chicken sandwiches, burgers, nuggets, drinks, fries, fresh salads, and English muffins, whether for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

The restaurant offers two main menus:

• Breakfast: Bacon, egg, and cheese biscuits, butter and honey biscuits, croissants, and English muffins, served from 6:30 to 10:30.
• Lunch and Dinner: Nuggets, spicy chicken sandwiches, burgers, salads, fresh fruit, coffee, and bread.