May 01, 2013 // Franchising.com // Dublin, Ohio – May is National Salad Month and no other quick service chain has more reason to celebrate salads than Wendy’s®.
Wendy’s sold well over 100 million salads in the US last year, in entrée, half-size and side salads. Wendy’s was also named “Best Salads” in Zagat’s® 2012 Annual Fast-Food survey, beating out Panera®, Chipotle®, and Subway® among others. Regarding overall menu, Technomic, Inc. recently said Wendy’s is preferred by consumers over McDonald’s® and Burger King® when it comes to food quality, taste and flavor*.
“We take great pride in being the quality leader in salads in our industry,” said Craig Bahner, Wendy’s chief marketing officer. “While many chains offer salads as a ‘side item’, we’re serious about them. All salads are not made the same, and the word ‘Fresh’ is often overused. We offer café-quality premium salads at a QSR price.”
Wendy’s offers four premium entrée salads, the popular Apple Pecan Chicken, Spicy Chicken Caesar, BLT Cobb and Baja. They’re also offered in half sizes, giving consumers a choice in portion sizes to meet their needs. Two side salads, a Caesar and Garden, round out the line. Beginning May 30th, Wendy’s will bring back its ever-popular Berry Almond Chicken Salad, in both entrée and half-size, just in time for the peak strawberry growing season.
Made fresh every day in every restaurant, Wendy’s is serious about quality ingredients and fresh preparation:
“Our salads are a cut above the competition in the areas that customers care most about: fresh ingredients, fresh preparation, customization, portion size and price. Customers love their taste, nutritional benefits and the overall value they receive,” Bahner said.
“We have a long history of salad innovation, from introducing the first salad bar in the industry in 1979, to launching a premium line of salads in 2002, followed by fresh additions in 2006 and 2010,” Bahner said. “No competitor has matched our commitment to quality ingredients and fresh preparation. “
Wendy’s launched this week an online scavenger hunt for consumers to scour Wendy’s social media channels to find their salad secrets for a chance to win $25 gift cards. For example, one question asks, “Some places claim the fruit on their salads is ‘fresh’, because that’s what it said on the can.” Searching Wendy’s website, Facebook, Twitter, MyWendy’s App, digital advertising or Instagram will identify the answer: “We use fresh, hand-picked apples, strawberries and blueberries – not canned – on our Apple Pecan Chicken and Berry Almond Chicken Salads”. Visit www.wendys.com/secrets for details and to enter (no purchase necessary).
The Wendy's Company is the world's third largest quick-service hamburger company. The Wendy's system includes more than 6,500 franchise and Company restaurants in the United States and 27 countries and U.S. territories worldwide. For more information, visit www.aboutwendys.com or www.wendys.com.
SOURCE The Wendy's Company
Denny Lynch
614-764-3553
denny.lynch@wendys.com
Christyne Muller
404-879-9031
christyne.muller@ketchum.com
*Source: Technomic Consumer Brand Metrics research, released in April 2013. More information available upon request.