Wendy’s sold well over 100 million salads in the U.S. 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,” says 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 30, 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:

 

-Employee's wash and hand-leaf heads of romaine and iceberg, and blend with a leafy spring mix made with nine different types of greens. 

 

-A salad spinner is used in every Wendy’s kitchen to ensure the lettuce is crisp. 

 

-Fresh apples, strawberries, and blueberries are used in season, not frozen. 

 

-The Asiago cheese is all-natural and aged for 60 days. 

 

-Bacon is center-cut, Applewood-smoked.

 

-All-white meat chicken breast, grilled in Wendy’s kitchens, not cold chicken out of a bag. 

 

-Salad dressings are made with natural ingredients and no preservatives.

 

“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 says.

 

“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 says. “No competitor has matched our commitment to quality ingredients and fresh preparation."