Wendy’s has decided to tackle the soggy fry dilemma and has come up with a solution to make it crispier and tastier. The pandemic changed the way food was served and as drive-thru and deliveries flourished, fries sagged. Many consumers missed the crispiness of freshly fried fries. So, the fast food giant has innovated its top selling menu item – the fry and has produced a better version.
The new fries from Wendy’s will look the same but there will be a better flavor. The company had made changes to its fries over a decade ago in November 2010. It had added sea salt and used a different cut called “skin on.” This was the first ever upgrade since it began making fries in 1969.
Wendy’s President Kurt Kane spoke exclusively to CNN Business and said that consumers were going to notice a difference as soon as they tasted a Wendy’s fry and the proof would be in the tasting. He added that the idea of developing an improved fry was to end “disappointing and inconsistent” frying experiences that are served by other places.
Wendy’s mentioned a national taste test that was carried out by the company. The test results proved that participants preferred Wendy’s new fries over McDonald’s fries, twice as much. Kane also said that the fry was on the right track to outperform the company’s older version.
Kane did not comment on the cost to the company but said that Wendy’s was doing a lot to market it. The company had also announced that its expanding breakfast menu ad campaign would get an additional ten million dollars in funds.
During a call with reporters, Wendy’s vice president of culinary innovation John Li said that the “Hot & Crispy” fries have been rolled out at some restaurants. They will be available across the nation by mid-September.
On Thursday, Wendy’s also announced the debut of a new Big Bacon Cheddar Cheeseburger, next week. It will have the following spread on a toasted cheddar bun:
- a topping of Applewood smoked bacon
- a custom bacon sauce
- a tangy cheddar cheese spread
- crispy onions
- American cheese.
