McDonald's sits at the top of the fast-food burger chain heap and any problems that could shake it loose from that spot will probably be self-inflicted. Wendy's (WEN), which has passed Restaurant Brands International's (QSR) Burger King to become the United States' number two burger chain, has used careful menu changes to manage its rise to the near top.
Wendy's does not change its menu as often as Burger King and it avoids gimmicky stunt products designed more for media and/or social media attention. So, you won't see a Baconator with a black bun or a Halloween sandwich with an orange one. Instead, Wendy's has developed a fan-favorite group of flavors it applies to both its sandwiches and fries that it rotates on and off its menu.
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Some of these are as predictable as every coffee chain bringing out pumpkin spice products in the fall. Wendy's fans know, for example, that its Strawberry Chicken Salad will make an appearance every summer.
In other cases, the chain keeps people guessing. Popular burgers may disappear for years or return more than once in a year. Now, the chain is phasing out a burger and an associated take on french fries that it brought back in February.
Image source: Katherine Frey/The The Washington Post via Getty
Say Goodbye (For Now) to Wendy's Bourbon Bacon Cheeseburger
When Wendy's (not to mention Burger King or McDonald's) add a limited-time offer to their menus, they often don't tell fans when it will go away. In some cases, they say "until supplies run out" or some similar line.
Internally that usually means that each location can place orders for the new items for a certain period of time. A little bit before the promotion ends, they will no longer be able to order and stores will slowly discontinue the item. That's why one Starbucks (SBUX) might have the Pumpkin Spice Latte on the menu into the early winter while another might run out while it's still late fall.
In this case, Wendy's locations have been running out the Bourbon Bacon Cheeseburger line, which includes a variety of burgers as well as Garlic Fries, which were both added to its menu in late February. The chain's website describes the burger as follows:
"A quarter-pound of fresh, never-frozen beef topped with Applewood smoked bacon, American cheese, crispy onions, and a sweet, smoky bourbon bacon sauce that is, essentially, a sauce made with real bourbon and real bacon."
The Bourbon Bacon Cheeseburger, which was sold as a single, double, or even a triple, along with Garlic Fries are expected to be fully gone by early May.
What Is the Wendy's Menu Adding?
While the chain has not confirmed these changes, a variety of social media sources believe that Wendy's will bring back its Ghost Pepper Chicken and Ghost Pepper Fries. First introduced in 2015, the ghost pepper line contained two items, the Jalapeño Fresco Spicy Chicken Sandwich and Ghost Pepper Fries.
"The Jalapeño Fresco Spicy Chicken Sandwich is made with a white meat chicken breast that's cooked with Wendy's spicy blend. It's topped with diced jalapeños and a ghost pepper sauce served between two red(ish) jalapeño buns. The Ghost Pepper Fries are drenched in a cheese sauce and topped with jalapeño chunks, shredded cheddar cheese, and a ghost pepper sauce" Foodbeast reported.
Wendy's has not set a timetable for these introductions nor has it publicly shared that these changes are happening. The Bourbon Bacon Cheeseburger has been removed from the chain's app and website in some markets.
