Can Project Gold Hamburger Save Wendy’s?

Published on Wednesday, September 21, 2011, by James Norton / Edit Post

Can Wendy's become relevant again? The company, squeezed from the bottom by big-volume competitor McDonald's and from the top by the explosion of better burger chains such as Smashburger, Five Guys, and In-N-Out, is betting its future on a new burger called Dave's Hot 'N Juicy, named after (now deceased) restaurant founder Dave Thomas.

Breathless coverage at USA Today details the company's two-and-a-half-year (!) secret project to build a better burger, known within the company as Project Gold Hamburger (sounds like one of Ian Fleming's lesser titles):

"The burger—with extra cheese, a thicker beef patty, a buttered bun, and hold the mustard, among other changes—will be served in restaurants starting Monday. ... In the end, Wendy's changed everything but the ketchup. They switched to whole-fat mayonnaise, cut out the mustard, and cut down on the pickles and onions, all to emphasize the flavor of the beef. They also started storing the cheese at higher temperatures so it would melt better, a change that required federal approval."

Project Gold Hamburger schemers considered changing the lettuce, but decided to keep iceberg for its crunch. Thicker tomato slices were tested, but since that would require franchisees to invest in new slicing equipment, that was ultimately scrapped.

Whether the burger can stand shoulder to shoulder with a Five Guys burger or a Double-Double remains to be seen. But if there's a missed opportunity in this campaign, it's that Wendy's is spurning the extreme, self-flagellating, attention-getting, and ultimately rip-roaringly successful style of Domino's brand reinvention, instead going with a much more modest statement about the reason for the overhaul:

"'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.'"

The Domino's theory was that if you're going to win people over, you've gotta be frank. The Wendy's theory seems to be that an incremental change to the menu will do the trick. There may be room in this wide world for both theories to be correct, and the next couple rounds of quarterlies will tell us for sure if that's the case.

Image source: Flickr member El Gran Dee under Creative Commons

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  • Wendy's doen't offer plain hamburgers anymore. I have to make a special order, no cheese, (and no butter topping) and then I don't feel I get a good value because I'm paying for the cheese (and butter). It just doesn't make sense that a sensible company up until this point has suddenly gone so wrong. A menu of all cheeseburgers. It is a shame. The sign should be changed to no longer read 'Wendy's...+READ

    Wendy's doen't offer plain hamburgers anymore. I have to make a special order, no cheese, (and no butter topping) and then I don't feel I get a good value because I'm paying for the cheese (and butter). It just doesn't make sense that a sensible company up until this point has suddenly gone so wrong. A menu of all cheeseburgers. It is a shame. The sign should be changed to no longer read 'Wendy's Hamburgers' but should read 'Wendy's Cheeseburgers'. (and it's not even real cheese to boot - it's that high fat, high sodium processed orange stuff)-COLLAPSE

  • I cannot eat their fries now that they use sea salt. I have a seafood allergen and the salt has microscopic shellfish on it. I looked it up after having a reaction to the stuff... So sadly, the fries I used to love there are gone. Seafood/shellfish allergies aren't that uncommon, they should really think about this when making changes like that. Sea salt doesn't even have the allergen warning on...+READ

    I cannot eat their fries now that they use sea salt. I have a seafood allergen and the salt has microscopic shellfish on it. I looked it up after having a reaction to the stuff... So sadly, the fries I used to love there are gone. Seafood/shellfish allergies aren't that uncommon, they should really think about this when making changes like that. Sea salt doesn't even have the allergen warning on it, nor do products containing them so it can be dangerous for those who don't know better. Just a head's up!

    What I want to know is this: We heard that Wendy's would be switching to lab grown beef soon ala Better Off Ted episode #2 ("It tastes like despair"). With this new burger & more meat, I have to wonder if that's the real secret ingredient. Not sure I'd want to eat there until I was sure it was naturally grown beef. (Ha ha) Especially with Project Gold Chicken underway for their new chicken sandwiches. One more thing they didn't address, do they still have the original burgers & value menu or has that been done away with, too?

    I've seen a lot of people complain about customer service there and I tend to agree with them. It is frustrating to get the "Press 1 for English" feeling at the speaker when ordering, only to have them mess up your order several times. I love In-N-Out for this very reason. You normally have a person taking the order before you even reach the speaker, they all speak clear English and even better they've never messed up my order. I've eaten there since I was a little kid, so that's impressive! :) The menu is simple there & the prices are around $6 per meal (fries, drink, burger), but it works for them. They offer burgers, cheeseburgers & double-double burgers as a main course. They ask if you want onions or not and if you're on Atkins you can ask for it wrapped in lettuce rather than a bun. Their special sauce is awesome & I don't even like mayo, it's their version of Thousand Island dressing. The fries are fresh cut, lightly salted (they give you extra) in normal salt and I never use ketchup as they are perfect as is. Ha ha... I know where I would rather eat. But, Wendy's was closer to home, my hubby & the kids liked the chicken nuggets (spicy or regular) and cheap double-stacks, as did I.-COLLAPSE

  • Wendy's lost me. I guess they don't care. I liked the old fries and the old burger. I stopped going as much when they switched fries. I tried the burger the other day, just awful. I won't be going back. I guess they don't care about losing the people who liked the food the way it was. The only good news is...I am not sad that there is no wendy's close by anymore.

  • If you are going upscale, you shot yourself in the foot 3 ways already: those thin cut fast food tomato slices are AWFUL! As for lettuce, we know iceburg has zero flavor and less nutrition, let alone visual appeal. And mayonnaise? C'mon!

  • I guess I haven't been following what's going on at Wendy's very closely. However, I am aware of one new change they recently made. I went to pick up lunch for me and my wife and saw them bagging it up. Their burgers are now only half wrapped sitting in this little half box. Whats that all about? When I asked the counter gal about it I was told its their new format. With the burger open like it...+READ

    I guess I haven't been following what's going on at Wendy's very closely. However, I am aware of one new change they recently made. I went to pick up lunch for me and my wife and saw them bagging it up. Their burgers are now only half wrapped sitting in this little half box. Whats that all about? When I asked the counter gal about it I was told its their new format. With the burger open like it is, it gets colder quicker. At least the old way, the burger was fully wrapped up to help hot in any warmth until you got it home. We certainly won't be getting any more orders to go.-COLLAPSE

  • @mtnbikchic you were expecting a good author?

  • Shouldn't a good author let the reader decide what burger they like? Don't tell me Five Guys is better-that is not a fact, only his opinion..

  • What they need is better and more consistant employees. I have had good meals at Wendy's and then at a different location or a different day I have gotten food that was not fit to eat, cold food and mixed up orders. A new burger is not going to fix that.

  • Big and juicy burger is small, tough and dry....Back to Five Guys for a good burger!

  • Wendy's is one of those restaurants that have such a heart for people and teh community, that you cant help but pull for them! I hope they are able to turn it around! I will try the new burger! Wendy's used to be my favorite fast food burger place (chili to die for). Five Guys hasnt hurt Wendy's --poor service, dirtier restaurants and inconsistency is hurting Wendy's. I agree with Traveleryvette...+READ

    Wendy's is one of those restaurants that have such a heart for people and teh community, that you cant help but pull for them! I hope they are able to turn it around! I will try the new burger! Wendy's used to be my favorite fast food burger place (chili to die for). Five Guys hasnt hurt Wendy's --poor service, dirtier restaurants and inconsistency is hurting Wendy's. I agree with Traveleryvette that Dave's death was about the time that I saw the chain begin a descent into mediocrity! I am pulling for Wendy's and the new burger may help, but there are more problems that need addressing!-COLLAPSE

  • I really like the Chicken Cobb salad at Wendy's. While the chicken is a little odd, the rest of the salad is far better than anything I would expect from fast food. I agree that what they really need is better advertising and updated restaurants. I would try the new burger if it had the Cobb salad's blue cheese!

  • Mar35- I so agree Wendy's was the best but the qualityand care died with Dave its founder.

  • I would gladly go back to Wendy's if they started serving cheeseburgers like they had when they first opened years ago (yes, I remember when). They were absolutely delish, but then things changed and they were hardly fit to eat. Where's Dave's original recipe??

  • I don't mind Wendys as it is... but as a non-beef-lover, I don't WANT my burger to be 'beefier' - the only real excuse for eating a burger is the (hopefully) delicious combination of extras that they put on it.

  • Wendy had and I hope has good fast food. The real truth is when DAVE the founder died, no one stepped up to bat at Wendy's to take his place. Let's hope Wendy's will now go forward or another part of Americana dies When my husband retired from Marriott he got 3 Roy Rogers fast food rest. and they were sold to Hardees that was the end of the good Roy Rogers and that's the way it goes.

  • I have long thought that Weny's had the best all around menu and food (now that they've fixed the fries). They are also the only chain that offers a real alternative to fries in their combo meals. However, I think the focus needs to be on their restaurants. Not one of them have been updated in the last 20 years. They just scream -- we're in decline.....doors to be closing soon. That's not the...+READ

    I have long thought that Weny's had the best all around menu and food (now that they've fixed the fries). They are also the only chain that offers a real alternative to fries in their combo meals. However, I think the focus needs to be on their restaurants. Not one of them have been updated in the last 20 years. They just scream -- we're in decline.....doors to be closing soon. That's not the kind of place I want to eat at.-COLLAPSE

  • With no In-N-Out for at least a thousand miles, and Kidd Valley a pale shadow of their pre-Ivar's glory, Wendy's is the best of the fast-food burgers I encounter. When I'm next up north to Oak Harbor or on the mainland (Everett) I'll definitely try the new burger.

    Not that Wendy's has any reason to care about someone who might eat at one of their stores four times a year, of course.

  • Their food it's terrible. When I was an intern, it was the only choice in the hospital. Memories of choking down horse meat seasoned with half a pound of salt and the french fries were a crime against humanity; somehow bland and too salty.

  • No mustard? Fewer pickles? It still has mayo? Still has iceberg? Bleh. Not that I've even had a burger in maybe 6 months....but...I don't think this would be the one. Not when there's a Sonic just a mile further down the road. ;)

    ...they have mustard. And onion rings.

  • I love Wendy's they are my favorite behind IN n Out.

  • I like the new burger better than the old burger. I guess sometimes focus groups work.

    Here's my endless report with photos on the Chowhound boards.
    http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/808125#6835581

    The veggies are better than other fast food burgers and it is a more filling burger than the competition.

    I didn't like the old burger at all. I like the new one. If I'm going for a fast food...+READ

    I like the new burger better than the old burger. I guess sometimes focus groups work.

    Here's my endless report with photos on the Chowhound boards.
    http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/808125#6835581

    The veggies are better than other fast food burgers and it is a more filling burger than the competition.

    I didn't like the old burger at all. I like the new one. If I'm going for a fast food meal, I'm more likely to go to Wendy's now. This is not just for the burger, but because the combo comes with an option for the sides ... a salad, chili, baked potato and a few other items in addition to fries. I like that.

    I've been really impressed with Wendy's lately and I think they need better advertising. They have the best and most creative salads of any fast food place.

    Their summer berry promotion was great. The drinks used real sugar and not HVCS. The fresh berry iced tea was great and the fresh berry parfait was good too.

    The only failure, IMO, has been the new fries which are limp and tasteless. They need to rethink those.

    They need to make more noise that they are the quality leader currently.-COLLAPSE