# Wendy's going down hill?



## Rusty O'Toole (Feb 1, 2012)

Went for lunch at the local Wendy's and was disappointed in the salad I had. The ingredients have gone down significantly in quality and quantity since the last time I stopped in a couple of months ago. They no longer have a senior's discount either. Has anyone else noticed this? Do I need to avoid all Wendy's in the future or just the one in Cobourg?


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## Eder (Feb 16, 2011)

I don't eat at Wendys but do go to Dairy Queen from time to time for a hamburger. There is a lot of difference in quality between stores (most are shitty lol) but I eat at the DQ in Westbank,BC, Baseline Road in Sherwood Park, and Highway 1 west in Calgary. The one in Canmore was stellar but the Korean family that started it sold and everything tastes recooked now. Am I off topic? I think I'm craving some junk food other than fish tacos.


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

....all junk food places are going to boom come next July 1st (esp. pizza joints)!!!......


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## dubmac (Jan 9, 2011)

FWIW, I will, occasionally, have a friendly (and I do mean friendly, and not antagonistic) word with the local manager/supervisor if I detect change in service or in quality. Often it is the front line servers do not always have a good awareness. By having a conversation, eye to eye with a supervisor, change often does happen. Most will understand that a disappointed customer has consequences.


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## Beaver101 (Nov 14, 2011)

jargey3000 said:


> ....all junk food places are going to boom come next July 1st (esp. pizza joints)!!!......


 ... is this an indication of an oncoming recession?
That ain't gonna to be good for the stock markets.


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## scorpion_ca (Nov 3, 2014)

My brother joined with Wendy's recently. Now I can have internal info.

Most of the stores are operated by franchisee. They supposed to throw yesterday's salad on every morning. However, they select and keep the good one. He said he will never try salad from Wendy's. Franchisee is trying to make more profit without following company's policy.

I am not sure you notice but most of the fist food restaurants prefer to hire foreign worker or immigrant. Why? They keep their mouth shut.


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

Beaver101 said:


> ... is this an indication of an oncoming recession?
> That ain't gonna to be good for the stock markets.


....july 1st?...pot legalized? = everyone gets "the munchies"= junk food boom!


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## new dog (Jun 21, 2016)

I am not to hard on the employees at fast food restaurants and always say thank you because they are working hard for such low pay.

The Starbucks employees are the ones who can empress you though. They often seem intelligent and are very good at multi tasking. I have heard that people will employ people who have Starbucks on their resume, just like they used to when they had McDonald's on their resume. However I like McDonald's coffee much better then Starbucks and it is much cheaper.

On Wendy's my daughter bought a burger the other day and it tasted like salt, it was awful. I used to like Wendy's for their salads and baked potatoes but they are not as good as they used to be.


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## olivaw (Nov 21, 2010)

Harvey's is the only decent fast food burger. Why has nobody mentioned this earlier in this thread? :worked_till_5am:


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

a&w not bad...gotta like the frosty mugs!


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## tygrus (Mar 13, 2012)

Wendys has always been a toss up for food quality especially the burgers. Sometimes you get a burger and wrapper just soaking in grease, next time it looks just moist and appetizing. 

I was always amazed at their drinks though. A small is about the same size as a large anywhere else and a large is on par with a big gulp.


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## Koogie (Dec 15, 2014)

Wendys ?!! 

Square hamburgers are an abomination before the Lord. Or Buddha. Well, probably not Buddha. I bet he'd be a vegan these days. And just never shut up about it. Like the rest of them.


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## milhouse (Nov 16, 2016)

Haven't had a Wendy's burger in a few months but I do like how fresh their burgers taste. I'm guessing their non-frozen beef patties also make a difference. 
I used to like Harvey's but I've had some mixed experiences over the last few years. Their flamed grilling is a plus but I think their beef patties let the burger down overall. 
I like A&W's teen/mozza burger too but they've kind of gotten pricey. 
Haven't had a burger at DQ in ages. Most of the nearby DQ's where I live that serve burgers are kind of dives.


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## Userkare (Nov 17, 2014)

I think it depends on the particular franchise. We generally try to avoid all the fast-food burger places, but sometimes when travelling, it can be marginally more appealing than some greasy-spoon place.

To me, it seems like the ones that are co-located with Tim Horton's are the worst. So many people pass through that it's hard to find a table, even less one that's clean. It seems that the staff can't be bothered to even try. OTOH, I've found most of the stand-alone Wendy's O.K. It's one of the few places that you can get a decent baked potato and a small bowl of chili for cheap; and it tastes O.K. or at least we haven't gotten sick eating there.


+1 on the A&W mozza-burger and the root beer in the chilled glass.


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## ian (Jun 18, 2016)

If we go for fast food it will probably be A&W. Never go in Tim Hortons any more. Coffee is so variable, service very slow. On the road we only get one item from MacDonalds. Coffee and sometimes a muffin. We do not like their food.

Been a very long time for Wendys We are more likely to give it a miss.


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## Just a Guy (Mar 27, 2012)

I always find this interesting. People usually always complain about fast food, yet continue to go to them, especially when travelling.

Everyone talks about "shop local" or "farmer's markets", but most avoid local, small scale restaurants like they sell the plague. Too many people seek "comfort" from the routine in daily life, even if it means putting garbage into your body. I remember, a few years back when I walked into one of my now favourite restaurants. It's a Somali restaurant, vet the years I've noticed a few things, one it's a dump (the building is old, the plates don't match, etc.). Two, unlike most North American restaurants, most of the customers come in the back door. The owner knows almost everyone who eats there, especially me (though I tend to stand out in the crowd of regulars for some strange reason). 

Finally though the food is incredible. Always fresh ingredients, always good, always huge portions and very inexpensive. Unlimited soup (vegetable), salad, unlimited drinks (juice), a side plate (full sized plate) of pasta or rice, a plate of the main dish (the chicken and goat are amazing) and a banana for about $10-14. 

Whenever I travel, we seek out local bakeries for breakfast, local small shops for lunch and dinner. The world is full of options if you open your eyes, but people want the "comfort" of familiarity.


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## Eder (Feb 16, 2011)

Either that or a good DQ or A&W burger is delicious, especially on a road trip...not sure goat on a bun will do the job.


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## Beaver101 (Nov 14, 2011)

jargey3000 said:


> ....july 1st?...pot legalized? = everyone gets "the munchies"= junk food boom!


 ... yeah, just substitute oregano for dried grass spices on the pizza. :surprise:

In my part of town, Hero Burger is the best. Must admit A&W root beer (fountain dispensed, not can) is best as they use real cane sugar.


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## Userkare (Nov 17, 2014)

Just a Guy said:


> Everyone talks about "shop local" or "farmer's markets", but most avoid local, small scale restaurants like they sell the plague. .... but people want the "comfort" of familiarity.


I want the "comfort" of not having projectile diarrhea in the car about an hour or so after eating in some unknown restaurant while traveling. With the national chains you have at least some expectation of a minimum standard of quality. Of course, there are plenty of excellent one-of restaurants in out-of-the-way places. You would have to plan exactly where you're going to stop to eat, and do some on-line research rather than an ad-hoc "I'm hungry, let's find a place to eat".


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## Just a Guy (Mar 27, 2012)

Exactly how many places do you think remain open which regularly give their clientele food poisoning? I can't think of the last time I've even heard of someone getting "projectile diarrhea" from a restaurant in Canada.

Typical irrational rational used to justify behaviour. With the advent of smart phones and google maps it's easier than ever to find unique places. In the past you usually had to ask a local, say when you were filling up with gas, for a recommendation, but now it can be all done without human interaction. 

As for travelling food, the Somali place I found has many "off menu" items like a chicken wrap which is easy to take with you (basically their chicken dish wrapped up in their version of flatbread. That being said, there are plenty of homemade burger joints across the country, not to mention mom and pop pizza places, little bakeries, coffee shops (some roast their own beans on site), etc.

When I do road trips, I often take some of the secondary highways and travel through small towns. Some pretty good places to eat in towns not big enough to support the big chains.

Of course, you're free to live your life by FUD if you choose to, not sure you should be complaining when you don't like something but refuse to change though.

As a side note, anyone else notice that it's the same excuses people use for reasons they don't invest and make money? Too risky, too much work, I don't want to get hurt...


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## OnlyMyOpinion (Sep 1, 2013)

I prefer to think that each investor - or traveler - has different experiences, requirements and priorities. 
I haven't had the opportunity yet for many leisurely road trips, so if we are talking about traveling food, I'm on the 'main strip' entering and exiting a city/town and driven by convenience. On the burger subject, I like a Harveys original (double pickles) or an A&W Teenburger.


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## Eder (Feb 16, 2011)

On my garmin gps I use in the motor home I have downloaded a point of interest list of every joint in North America that Guy Fietti has shown on his Diners Drive Ins and Dives show...most of the places I have tried are above average with a couple of gems. Highly recommend for anyone on a road trip and wants something other than a chain restaurant.


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## olivaw (Nov 21, 2010)

Restaurant meals aren't usually healthy. If they are low in fat, they are high in sodium. If they are low in sodium they are high in processed sugars. 

During our last road trip, my wife and I experimented with something new. 

For breakfast, we ate the free hotel breakfast. 
We purchased groceries to make a picnic lunch. 
We froze her homemade soups and thawed/heated them in hotel microwaves. We'd pick up a locally baked bread to eat with it. Very healthy and delicious. 

It worked out better than I had expected. I missed my unhealthy restaurant/pub meals but health is more important than the pleasure of beer battered fish and chips that has been deep fried to heart attack inducing levels.


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## Userkare (Nov 17, 2014)

Just a Guy said:


> Exactly how many places do you think remain open which regularly give their clientele food poisoning? I can't think of the last time I've even heard of someone getting "projectile diarrhea" from a restaurant in Canada.


Happened to us in Wash D.C. after eating at an Ethiopian restaurant. Luckily, we weren't too far to go to the hotel, and managed to get to the room just in time. Sometimes a mild case of food poisoning is mistaken for a 24 hour "bug", or your system just isn't used to the different type of food. My wife gets dizzy and a headache if the Chinese food has too much M.S.G. for example.

In Johannesburg, I got a bad case of the 'trots', but it was quickly cured by Imodium, and we were able to go to the "Carnivours" restaurant that served all kinds of exotic game meats ( nothing endangered though ).



> With the advent of smart phones and google maps it's easier than ever to find unique places. In the past you usually had to ask a local, say when you were filling up with gas, for a recommendation, but now it can be all done without human interaction..... When I do road trips, I often take some of the secondary highways and travel through small towns. Some pretty good places to eat in towns not big enough to support the big chains.


Yes, it would be wonderful if there were so many interesting and unique places to eat everywhere. For the most part, all I see are the same-old, same-old BBQ chicken, ribs, and steak houses. Most of our car travel is between Toronto and Ottawa; sometimes we take the 'back way' along Hwy 7. It's a long enough trip that all we want to do is get something to eat and be on our way, not sit down for a four course gourmet dinner, or travel very far out of our way. Google or not, the choices are limited. Even then, if you read reviews like... "The steak smelled like poo", "terrible service", "the water tasted weird - had to run to the bathroom to vomit" I might want to avoid that one.

On the other hand, this summer, on a trip to Lake George, N.Y we went through a small town called Tupper Lake, and found a restaurant called Little Italy just by driving around; the food was great. While in Lk George, the ladies wanted to go to the outlet mall stores, and Google showed a sandwich place called Sammy D's in the same building. The reviews were mostly excellent, and we found it very good as well.



> Of course, you're free to live your life by FUD if you choose to, not sure you should be complaining when you don't like something but refuse to change though.


We love trying different foods around town in Ottawa. Recently we've been getting goat roti's from a nearby Caribbean restaurant. The last time, it gave both my wife and son an upset stomach that kept them awake most of the night; it didn't affect me, or my son's wife though. It can be hit and miss if something is going to affect your digestive system in a bad way, no matter what or where you eat. Just that when travelling in the car with a long way to go before you arrive at your destination it can be particularly distressful, so I err on the side of caution then.... In much the same way I would never have given Bernie Madoff any of my money.


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## Just a Guy (Mar 27, 2012)

So, your comparing food to chemically enhanced byproducts? Anyone who eats MSG willingly and then complains about getting sick shouldn't be surprised. With the price of meat, and the low margins of restaurants, I'm not surprised you can't find a steak. 

Most restaurants now offer "top sirloin" as their best steak. That's the meat I usually cut up for stew. 

I suppose you can only find what you look for though. As someone else posted there are entire TV shows divoted to finding these places you claim don't exist.


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## Eder (Feb 16, 2011)

olivaw said:


> health is more important than the pleasure of beer battered fish and chips that has been deep fried to heart attack inducing levels.


Lol I just caught a nice wahoo an hour ago...we'll be having french fries & beer battered wahoo at sun down and you had to bring up heart attacks.


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## Userkare (Nov 17, 2014)

Just a Guy said:


> So, your comparing food to chemically enhanced byproducts? Anyone who eats MSG willingly and then complains about getting sick shouldn't be surprised. With the price of meat, and the low margins of restaurants, I'm not surprised you can't find a steak.
> 
> Most restaurants now offer "top sirloin" as their best steak. That's the meat I usually cut up for stew.
> 
> I suppose you can only find what you look for though. As someone else posted there are entire TV shows divoted to finding these places you claim don't exist.


Yes, the restaurant always warn you beforehand that your meal is full of MSG.

I'll be sure not to miss Anthony Bordain's next special as he samples the culinary delights of Norwood, Havelock, Marmora, and Madoc.


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## nathan79 (Feb 21, 2011)

I've always found Wendy's around here to be pretty consistently edible. However, they did change their hamburgers and fries a couple of years ago. The fries have stayed the same since the change, but the burgers seem to change a little now and then. Still better than McDonalds, BK... A&W is good, but expensive (coupons bring them in line with the prices of the other three). If I'm going to spend more than $10 or $11, I'd rather just go to Fatburger or Five Guys and get actual quality.


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## Just a Guy (Mar 27, 2012)

Userkare said:


> Yes, the restaurant always warn you beforehand that your meal is full of MSG.
> 
> I'll be sure not to miss Anthony Bordain's next special as he samples the culinary delights of Norwood, Havelock, Marmora, and Madoc.


For a guy who lives in Ottawa and travels to Toronto to try and claim that chains, and fast food ones at that, are the only option for places to eat shows me that you've got no idea of where to find food, or even what real food is. 

Let me guess, if you ever went to Paris, you'd be stopping by the Golden Arches because there really isn't any other "safe" option. Remember, it's a "royal with cheese".

By the way a glossy sheen on some unnaturally coloured sauce is usually a dead giveaway that it contains msg.


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## Chica (Jan 19, 2016)

The only reason I went to the Golden Arches in Paris- or more precisely Versailles - and I'm a vegetarian so I don't normally go there, is because you have to pay to use most toilets in France and I was betting that McD's didn't charge. And I was right. Oh and we watched 2 Japanese men get served in English by a staff member so that's the line we got in. I don't remember what I ordered. Fries and a milkshake is my guess.

Getting back to Wendy's, where I only got about once every 2 or 3 years if I'm thinking a Frosty would hit the spot, who remembers when they had a salad bar back in the 80s and a hostess dressed up like Wendy who was in charge of keeping it stocked up. Bring that back and I'll go in more often!


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