Tonya Garcia
Burgers and fries are often eaten after they’ve traveled a bit these days, so Wendy’s Co. has designed a French fry that it says was designed with drive-through ordering and delivery in mind.
The new Hot & Crispy Fry is rolling out nationwide in the U.S. now with plans to take it global, starting with Canada, by October. The fries are cut and coated with a “whisper” of batter to hold up to a 15- to 20-minute gap between purchase and consumption.
The fries are coming along with a new Big Bacon Cheddar Cheeseburger, a pub-inspired burger made with crispy onions, cheddar cheese spread and a cheddar bun.
“It’s a new day for fries at Wendy’s,” said John Li, Wendy’s /zigman2/quotes/204070192/composite WEN +0.52% vice president of culinary innovation, on a call with reporters.
Wendy’s reported earnings and revenue that beat expectations earlier this month. The company also announced plans to operate 700 delivery kitchens by 2025 with Reef Kitchens, advertising spending plans for its breakfast menu, and more.
Wendy’s joins a number of restaurant chains that have made announcements recently to generate excitement and sales.
McDonald’s Corp. /zigman2/quotes/203508018/composite MCD +1.35% , Wendy’s top French fry competitor in the quick-serve space, announced its latest Famous Orders collaboration with rapper Saweetie .
Taco Bell, a Yum Brands Inc. /zigman2/quotes/209029767/composite YUM +1.20% chain, has announced the limited-time launch of the Chicken Sandwich Taco.
And coffee purveyors Starbucks Corp. /zigman2/quotes/207508890/composite SBUX +0.64% and Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf have released their pumpkin-infused fall menus.
Wendy’s stock has risen 6.5% in 2021 through Thursday, while the S&P 500 index /zigman2/quotes/210599714/realtime SPX -0.57% has gained 20% for the period.











