World News: Wendy’s Believes Reinvention Is Critical
When Wendy’s decided to remake its 42-year-old hamburger, the chain agonized over every single detail. “Our food was already good,” said Denny Lynch, a Wendy’s spokesman. “We wanted it to be better. Isn’t that what long-term brands do? They reinvent themselves.”
For Wendy’s Co., based in Dublin, Ohio, reinvention is critical. That’s why executives at the 6,600-restaurant chain spent the past two and a half years going over burger minutiae during an undertaking they call Project Gold Hamburger. That included deciding whether to switch from white onions on its burgers to red (they did), to change the fat/lean ratio of the meat (they didn’t), or to go with plain or crinkled pickles (they picked crinkled.)
For its part, Wendy’s is hoping the burger will be one of many successful changes at the chain. Wendy’s, which just got a new CEO last week, wants to expand overseas and on the West Coast, relaunch a breakfast line that’s easier for on-the-go eating, and sell more high-margin snacks and beverages.
And early next year, it will introduce new chicken sandwiches.
