Why Wendy’s Is One of the the Few Fast-Food Chains with Baked Potatoes (2024)

FAQs

Why does Wendys have baked potatoes? ›

"Originally, we launched the baked potato in 1983 along with our salad bar, to provide a healthy option to sell alongside our hamburgers" says Lori Estrada, Wendy's VP of culinary innovation for over 16 years.

Wendy's has been rocking the baked potato since 1983

Wendy's opened in 1969, but it wasn't until 1983 that the baked potato made its debut. In 1985, it joined a special reduced-calorie menu alongside a tuna-stuffed tomato and a cottage cheese and pineapple salad. Only the warm, fluffy baked potato has endured.

In fact, Wendy's baked potatoes aren't just available with a la carte additions, but, according to the website, are sold in five standard varieties as of 2022. Aside from the classic plain baked potato, the standard menu options include cheese, sour cream and chives, chili and cheese, and bacon and cheese.

Cheddar Cheese Sauce

Water, Cheddar Cheese (MILK) (25%), Butter (MILK), MILK Solids, Modified Starch, Emulsifying Salt (E339), MILK Protein, Natural Cheese Flavouring (MILK), Salt, Stabiliser (E412), Garlic Powder, Colours (E160c, E160b), Onion Powder.

The recent reports of slavery in agricultural supply chains have definitely increased the urgency of farmworkers' calls for Wendy's to join its peers in the Fair Food Program. We know that the Fair Food Program is the answer to reducing the risk of human rights abuses like this.

Wendy's has also highlighted that it uses "100% Russet potatoes", but John Keeling of the National Potato Council says that this is not a selling point. "Virtually all processed French fries are Russets," he said in an email.

NOW SERVING! Baked potatoes, "Super Food" salad, and a brand new Limited-Time-Flavor sandwich!

Burger King side order: Baked Potato with chives Nutrition Facts & Calories.

As part of this massive marketing campaign, Wendy's has labeled these fries natural cut, in part to entice customers to their taste and to push the supposed benefits of choosing fries that still have the skin, are cut from “100% Russet potatoes” and are seasoned with sea salt.

Take a fluffy baked potato and load it with shredded Cheddar Cheese, chopped bacon, Cheddar Cheese sauce, chives, sour cream and butter. Calling it deluxe is putting it lightly.

Which fast food restaurants use real potatoes? ›

LambWeston Meijer, which supplies potatoes to several international Wendy's markets, received an honorable mention award for the company's sustainability strategy to advance food safety, quality, nutrition and health.

The batter system is when the fries are dunked in oil. Kane said the fries are improved because restaurants are using new fry baskets that are shorter, helping the fries be fully submerged in oil. "What those new fry baskets do is enable us to make sure that we fry the fries correctly each and every time," he added.

Yes, Wendy's still serves baked potatoes! They currently have five different types of potatoes on their menu with varying prices—but more on that in a little bit.

What makes Wendy's Hot & Crispy Fries different? So here's the deal: Wendy's recently switched up how these fries are cut, with one side built for heat retention and the other for crispiness. The chain even introduced a new battering system, with new fry baskets that Wendy's claims help maintain crispiness.

Cooked In Vegetable Oil (Soybean Oil, Vegetable Oil [May Contain One Or More Of The Following: Canola, Corn, Or Cottonseed], Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Dimethylpolysiloxane [Anti-Foaming Agent]). Seasoned With Sea Salt. COOKED IN THE SAME OIL AS MENU ITEMS THAT CONTAIN WHEAT, MILK, AND FISH.

Wendy's decided to post the ads after receiving “many questions from customers and online communities,” spokesman Bob Bertini said in an email. “We felt it was important to set the record straight. We are very proud of our beef, and have never used lean finely textured beef, or 'pink slime. '”

Hot and fluffy potato topped with Wendy's signature meaty, flavourful chili, creamy cheese sauce and shredded cheese.

Wendy's has seasoned potatoes – which we think are better than any hash browns, home fries, or any other taters you're gonna find ANYWHERE. Hot, crispy, and perfectly seasoned, these are the perfect side to one of our delicious breakfast sandwiches, like the Breakfast Baconator^™.

Wendy's restaurants associated with E. coli outbreak that sickened 84 people in 4 states, CDC says. Wendy's restaurants have been associated with an E. coli outbreak reported in four states, with 84 people infected and 38 hospitalized, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday.

What is making people sick at Wendy's? ›

Federal officials have declared that an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections related to romaine lettuce on Wendy's sandwiches has ended. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting that the total number of confirmed patients is 109, up from the 97 reported in its most recent update on Sept. 1.

Wendy's competitors include Chick-fil-A, KFC, Good Times Restaurants, Luby's and Burger King. Wendy's ranks 2nd in Gender Score on Comparably vs its competitors.

The palm oil sourced for Wendy's U.S. and Canadian restaurants, as well as certain international markets like New Zealand, Indonesia and the Philippines, contributes to the production of sustainable palm oil.

Baked Potato topped with shredded Colby Cheese, bacon pieces, whipped butter, Sour Cream and chopped green onions.

Only three states don't have a Chick-fil-A restaurant. Chick-fil-A has made its way into nearly every U.S. state. There are locations in 47 states, plus Washington D.C. The only states it has yet to set up in are Alaska, Hawaii and Vermont.

Frito-Lay's line of BAKED snacks are baked, not fried, to give you the great taste you've come to love with Frito-Lay snacks. On top of that, BAKED snacks offer less fat than regular potato chips¹, cheese-flavored snacks², and tortilla chips³.

Available in 130g or 100g portions these potatoes are nicely V-shaped, crispy and baked right in our stores. As a single portion on in the whole menu.

Baked potato, BBQ style. Topped with your choice of Georgia Chopped Pork, BBQ Pulled Chicken or Texas Beef Brisket, with shredded cheddar cheese, bacon, sour cream and whipped butter. Served with choice of 1 side and a Corn Bread Muffin.

One ring to rule them all

There's more to sides than fries. Just ask fans of our famous Onion Rings, bursting with refreshing onion goodness inside! Perfect snack on its own or with a meal.

Are Taco Bell fries real potatoes? ›

The answer is yes, they are. Taco Bell's fries are made with real potatoes and are fried in vegetable oil. Topped with creamy cheese sauce and served with seasoned Mexican spices, the Taco Bell Nacho Fries are a delicious treat.

What are Burger King fries made of ? Burger King fries are typically made from potatoes, canola and/or sunflower oil, and a blend of salt, sugar, and other ingredients like monosodium glutamate, dextrose, sodium acid pyrophosphate, natural flavorings and preservatives.

"Where does Wendy's get their fresh beef from?" We get it from cattle ranches right here in North America. While some other fast food chains source their beef from as far away as Australia, we stick close to home, so we can ship it fresh to our restaurants.

According to The Takeout, the fast-food chain is discontinuing its iconic Potato Cakes. The website reported that Arby's decided to stop selling Potato Cakes after the release of its new Crinkle Fries as a permanent menu item, alongside its famous Curly Fries.

There are 380 calories in 1 potato of Texas Roadhouse Baked Potato. * The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet.

Bill Gates uses farmland as investment vehicle, owning 269,000 acres of land. They own the soil where the potatoes in McDonald's french fries grow, the carrots from the world's largest producer and the onions that Americans sauté every night for dinner.

100 Circle Farms: A McDonald's Potato Supplier | McDonald's.

Bushman's Inc. has been a Wal-Mart partner since the opening of the local Wal-Mart Supercenter nearly 20 years ago and supplies more than 45 million pounds of potatoes each year to Wal-Mart. “The Bushman family has been growing potatoes in Wisconsin for 100 years,” said Mitch Bushman, President of Bushman's Inc.

By late 2014, a few years after the program was up and running, Wendy's had ceased buying winter tomatoes from Florida and was importing most of that supply from Mexican farms, where forced labor and physical abuse are common. Wendy's said the change was unrelated to the Fair Food Program.

The state with the most number of Wendys locations in the US is Florida, with 524 stores, which is about 9% of all Wendys stores in the US.

Where does Chick Fil A get their potatoes? ›

For nearly 40 years, Eagle, Idaho-based potato company Lamb Weston has provided Waffle Potato Fries™ and Hash Browns to Chick-fil-A^® restaurants.

Total revenues increased by 6.2% to $488.6m and adjusted EBITDA fell by 11.6% to $106.9m. American fast-food chain Wendy's has posted a net income of $37.4m for the first quarter of 2022, down 9.6% from $41.4m a year ago.

The Wendy's mascot, long-known for her ginger pigtails, now has gray hair on Canadian social media sites. Wendy's new look was posted to support longtime Canadian journalist Lisa LaFlamme.

That is going to be a very location specific answer. The most typical reason to run out if potatoes is poor planning. At most locations they take about an hour to cook, so if you loose track or you're not paying attention, you will run out.

After a website questioned whether the company was trying to relay a subliminal message to customers, Wendy's said that the word "Mom" is embedded in its logo, but it's unintentional.

The new recipe retains more heat and keeps fries crispier longer than its predecessor. The fries were revamped to improve the experience for customers who are shifting their ordering preferences to drive-thrus and delivery because of the pandemic.

It was the head of the Northern Pacific Railway who started serving baked Idaho potatoes to diners in 1908, with a selection of fillings and topping to make them more interesting, more exciting.

Homestyle Potatoes: Unlike Wendy's French fries, their homestyle potatoes aren't fried, so they don't have as high of risk of cross-contamination with gluten ingredients.

The Wendy's brand has always revolved around home-cooking, and the logo itself is inspired by the founder's daughter. Fans believe that Wendy's collar spells out 'Mom' in a nod to the company's humble home-cooked roots.

Melinda Lou "Wendy" Thomas-Morse (born September 14, 1961) is a daughter of American businessman Dave Thomas, the founder of the fast food brand Wendy's. Morse is the namesake and mascot of the brand. She uses the name Wendy Thomas in her role as a spokesperson for Wendy's.

What state is known for funeral potatoes? ›

California

Mormons cook up funeral potatoes. This casserole-like dish hits all the marks of classic comfort food: shredded or cubed potatoes, cream of chicken (or mushroom) soup, sour cream, butter, and grated cheddar cheese, all topped with a crunchy layer of corn flakes.

The baked potato has been popular in the UK for many years. In the mid-19th century, jacket potatoes were sold on the streets by hawkers during the autumn and winter months. In London, it was estimated that some 10 tons of baked potatoes were sold each day by this method.

Potatoes (82%), Coating (9%) [Modified potato starch (E1412), Rice flour, Maize starch, Salt, Modified tapioca starch, Spices (Black pepper), Sugar, Garlic powder, Onion powder, Dextrose, Thickener (E415), Colouring (E160b(ii)), Raising agents (E450, E500)], sunflower oil (9%).

I liked Wendy's Seasoned Home-Style Potatoes very much. They're not buttery as actual home potatoes, but the fried batter gives them a thin, satisfyingly-crunchy shell, and that crunch persisted even after the potatoes were no longer warm. They're lightly seasoned with moist tasty potato inside, but a little salty.