Wendy's was founded in Ohio in 1969 and is now the third-largest fast-food chain behind Burger King and McDonald's. It's known for its bacon-loaded signature burger the Baconator, but some fans swear by Wendy's Frostys with a side of fries for dipping. Whether you've been to Wendy's a million times or it's your first time hearing of it, we've got some weird facts about this great chain.
Wendy's Was Spoofed by Kate Flannery on 'The Jay Leno Show'
She wasn't the original inspiration for the mascot, but The Office's Kate Flannery put a hilarious spin on the classic red-haired figurehead for the chain in this 2009 Q&A parody sketch on The Jay Leno Show.
Founder Dave Thomas Chowing Down
Wendy's was founded by the late businessman Dave Thomas. Since 1989, Thomas appeared in more than 800 advertisements for the chain, more than any other company founder to date. He passed away in 2002.
The Real Wendy Is Dave Thomas' Granddaughter
Wendy Thomas-Morse, also known as Wendy Thomas when a spokesperson for the brand, is the granddaughter of Dave Thomas. Her eight-year-old likeness was used for the now-classic mascot.
She owns several Wendy's restaurants across the U.S. and also began appearing in advertisements for the chain as an adult in the 2010s.
It Was Kerry & Edwards Campaign Stop
Wendy's was the site of a photo op for then-Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry and his prospective VP John Edwards. Kerry had just received the Democratic nomination from the DNC when he went on this lunch, though his bid was unsuccessful in the end.
Can You Spot the Patty Difference?
We've got burgers from McDonald's, Burger King, and Wendy's lined up, and Wendy's has a key difference. Another one of Wendy's signatures is using square patties for burgers, tipping us off that Wendy's offering is on the right in this photo.
The "Where's The Beef?" Lady
Clara Peller was the voice of a hilarious catchphrase from Wendy's ads beginning in 1984, decrying how competitors to Wendy's didn't have enough beef in their burgers. Not only did Peller become famous for this role, but her commercials boosted Wendy's sales by around 30% when they began.
After her campaign ended, Wendy's sales slowed down for two years.
Peller's Background - From Manicurist to TV Star
Peller was born in Imperial Russia in 1902 and emigrated to the United States at an early age, spending much of her life in Chicago. Peller made a living as a manicurist for a beauty salon in Chicago and came into acting at the age of 80.
She was scouted by an agency after being hired as an on-set manicurist for a local commercial. After her smash hit Wendy's campaign ended, she appeared in everything from a Prego ad, to a Wrestlemania event, to Saturday Night Live, in an uncredited cameo.
Dave Thomas Himself Created The Famous Frostys
Everyone, including Eva Longoria, loves a Frosty. The dessert was purportedly designed by Dave Thomas himself as one of the original five items you could buy at the first Wendy's store.
It's a perfect marriage of soft serve and milkshake, and according to Thomas is meant to be eaten by a spoon, though scooping it with some french fries is great too.
More Frosty Facts with Kristen Chenoweth
The Frosty's classic texture is partly thanks to temperature, as locations keep them between 19º and 21º Fahrenheit.
Also, their chocolate Frosty isn't all-chocolate, but actually, more of a mixed twist design with a little bit of chocolate and vanilla mixed together that keeps the dessert from tasting too overpowering.
Wendy's Breakfast Woes
Nowadays, Wendy's boasts pretty solid breakfast offerings for customers on the go, with the standout being their Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit. However, the chain has struggled with their breakfast menu in the past.
They first introduced a breakfast menu in 1985 which included French toast and breakfast sandwiches. The menu option that caused issues, however, was the made-to-order omelet. This led to locations struggling with service times, which is kind of a no-no when working in "fast food." They eventually withdrew the item, but it's cool to know a fast food chain attempted something as fancy as fresh omelets.
Before the Baconator, Wendy's had the Big Classic
The Baconator is the closest thing Wendy's has to a signature sandwich akin to the McDonald's Big Mac. They initially had something like a Big Mac the Big Classic, which was introduced in 1986. The first recipe was a regular beef patty on a kaiser-style roll with pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, ketchup, and mayonnaise with cheese optional.
The Big Classic's Popular Variant
After the Big Classic was introduced, Wendy's later added a variant with three strips of bacon which was called the Big Bacon Classic, but both recipes were eventually phased out in the 2000s. However, lovers of the Big Bacon Classic can rejoice because Wendy's brought it back in 2020, and you can still get it now.
Wendy's Was Early to the Value Menu Game
In 1988, Wendy's was one of the first major fast-food chains to introduce a fixed-value menu. All items on this first value menu were only 99¢, and this was later adjusted in 2007 to be between 99¢ and $2—still a great deal.
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