Wendy’s has been heavily promoting its breakfast menu since 2020, with $16 million in advertising in 2022.
I tested out a few sandwiches and sides to see how they compare to other fast food breakfasts.
Wendy’s easily holds its own in the fast food breakfast competition.
Wendy’s introduced a new breakfast menu in March 2020 with a massive advertising push.Ad for breakfast.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
By the end of 2021, the chain spent $25 million promoting breakfast over the year, an increase of $10 million over its original budget, with an additional $16 million in 2022, the chain said in earnings.Breakfast promotion.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
Source: Insider
Breakfast has been growing for Wendy’s since 2015, and is on track to reach $3,000 in average weekly sales for each location, CEO Todd Penegor said in a November earnings call.Breakfast bag.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
I visited the Wendy’s drive-thru to check out the chain’s breakfast for myself and see how it stacks up to the rest of the industry.Wendy’s entrance.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
The parking lot was pretty empty, but that doesn’t seem unusual for 9:30 am on a Sunday.Picking up breakfast.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
I ordered a range of things from the menu to get a good sense of what Wendy’s sells.Wendy’s drive-thru.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
While they don’t sell hash browns, Wendy’s sells seasoned breakfast potatoes, a kind of crispy potato wedge.Potatoes.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
I’m a huge hash brown fan and not sure if these could measure up, but I was pleasantly surprised.Potatoes.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
They were warm, with the right amount of crispy outside to soft, warm, insides. I’d even consider getting them again in place of hash browns.Testing out the potatoes.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
The sides were not bad, but getting to the breakfast sandwiches was what I was really looking forward to.Sandwich wrapped in paper.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
I ordered a few sandwiches to see how they measure up.Unwrapping the sandwich.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
First off, we tried a bacon egg and cheese sandwich on a croissant, a classic in the world of fast food breakfast.Croissant sandwich.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
It was solidly fine. The croissant wasn’t great, and I wouldn’t go out of my way to get it again, but definitely not bad either.Croissant sandwich.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
The maple bacon chicken biscuit was messy but delicious, and the maple taste was very forward.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
The $3 croissant breakfast deal, which includes the breakfast sandwich and a small order of potatoes, has been driving sales and bringing customers in, Penegor said.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
French toast sticks, which I enjoyed but not as much as the sandwiches, are the number one selling breakfast item.
Wendys’
Next, we tried the sausage egg and cheese on a biscuitSausage biscuit.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
This sandwich was great, definitely a match for the classic McDonald’s breakfast.Sausage biscuit sandwich.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
The biscuit was fluffy and not too dry, while the sausage was flavorful.Taking a bite.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
We both agreed we’d order it again.Sausage biscuit.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
The final sandwich, the hot honey butter biscuit, was easily the best of the three.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
The sandwich is simple: a biscuit, honey butter, and a generous piece of crispy chicken.
It had the same great biscuit as the other sandwich, along with juicy chicken and a slight sweetness from the honey. It was one of the best fast-food sandwiches I’ve ever had, and I’d order it again whenever I had the chance.Chicken sandwich.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
Of course, we also had to get coffee.Coffee.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
The coffee was exactly what you’d expect: not any better than what I’d make at home, but good enough alongside a good breakfast sandwich.Medium coffee.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
After testing out the menu, I was really impressed with Wendy’s breakfast menu.Waiting for food.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
Its breakfast offerings aren’t as well known as McDonald’s, but I think as Wendy’s continues promoting it there’s room to grow.Morning drive-thru.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
Wendy’s huge advertising investment is paying off because I’m already craving another hot honey biscuit.Unwrapping the sandwich.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
Do you have a story to share about a retail or restaurant chain? Email this reporter at [email protected].
