Wendy’s Fresh, Never Frozen Beef FAQ (2024)

First, a little history: Who invented the hamburger?

There’s no definite answer for who created the original hamburger or where it came from, but most sources agree its origins are somewhere in the United States around the late 1800s or early 1900s. While Dave Thomas didn’t invent the hamburger, he did set a standard in quality. At Wendy’s, we take pride in our square beef, because we know not all hamburgers are created equal. Since day one, we’ve been serving up our hamburgers made with fresh, never frozen beef – no frozen pucks or precooked patties! We can’t say the same for the other places.

Why are Wendy’s burgers square?

Dave Thomas’s vision wasn’t just about building a better hamburger, quality is in everything we do. That’s why at Wendy’s, we don’t cut corners. Wendy’s hamburgers have always been square, and they hang over the bun so our customers can see the quality beef before even taking that first bite. When you see the square, you’ll taste the difference.

What’s makes the Wendy’s square hamburger the best?

Our food vision, Fast Food Done Right, is focused on delivering a quality meal to every customer, every time. Square beef patties make it easy to know you're enjoying the very best hamburger for your buck: fresh, never frozen and made from 100% real beef. Our signature square hamburger patties have no fillers or additives, because we know the beef is what matters when it comes to making the best hamburger in the game.

Are Wendy’s hamburgers really fresh and never frozen?

Yes, Wendy’s uses fresh, never frozen beef on every hamburger, every day.* We go the extra mile to ensure we are sourcing only the highest quality beef, and we transport fresh beef in refrigerated trucks to Wendy’s restaurants thousands of times every week. To keep our patties fresh, we closely monitor temperatures during shipping and work with the most technologically advanced companies in the business. In our restaurants, square patties are prepared fresh on the grill for the hot, juicy hamburger our fans know and love. You won’t find frozen pucks passed as a meal at Wendy’s... unlike what the other guys are serving up.

Who supplies Wendy’s beef?

To ensure the highest quality square hamburgers for our fans, we source 100% of our fresh, never frozen beef from Beef Quality Assurance certified farmers and ranchers. While some fast-food chains source their frozen beef from far away, we stick with the freshest suppliers close to home, so we don’t have to turn to the freezer.

Where did the ‘Where’s The Beef®’ slogan come from?

The original “Where’s The Beef” slogan originated in a Wendy’s commercial in 1984. You can find countless GIFs and memes of the iconic catchphrase when you scroll online, celebrating the nostalgia of this classic 80s slogan. When someone asks, “Where’s the beef?” they know they can find it at Wendy’s. We wanted to take this iconic slogan and make it known that the answer is in the square. If you’re looking for fresh, never frozen beef - “Square’s the beef®” - because square is better than the best.

What are Wendy’s hamburger offerings?

From beloved classics to innovative, trend-forward flavors, Wendy’s is always pushing the boundaries to deliver the most craveable hamburgers for our fans.

You can’t go wrong with a classic Baconator®, dressed up in six-strips of Applewood smoked bacon, or a Dave’s Single®, delivering a quarter pound** of fresh beef – but for those who just can’t get enough fresh, never frozen beef, Wendy’s has you covered with our Dave’s Double® and Dave’s Triple® hamburger options. Make that beef squared... or triple it, we don’t blame you! P.S., we have options for smaller appetites, too. You can always opt for the small, but mighty, Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger or Son of Baconator®.

What is Wendy’s Made to Crave menu?

Wendy’s is the only QSR innovating every aspect of the hamburger, from the bun to the cheese, while others tend to focus solely on sauces and toppings.

Building on our hamburger history, we introduced the Made to Crave menu in 2019 to unlock even more bold flavor innovation – all built upon our fan-favorite, fresh, never frozen beef and chicken sandwiches, featuring fan faves stacked with our iconic beef, chicken and bacon. While our Made to Crave menu is full of limited time menu options, fans can snag a Big Bacon Classic® Cheeseburger off the Made to Crave menu year-round. Chicken lovers, we didn't forget about you! Our Made to Crave menu also features the Ghost Pepper Ranch Chicken Sandwich and Asiago Ranch Chicken Club (Spicy or Classic) made just for you, every day of the year.

Wendy’s culinary team knows the importance of tracking culinary trends when it comes to creating the next best thing in our kitchen. Our team prides themselves on experimenting with flavor profiles, innovating limited-time-only Made to Crave offerings for every season’s craving. Some past fan faves include the game-changing Loaded Nacho Cheeseburger and Loaded Nacho Chicken Sandwich, Italian Mozzarella Chicken Sandwich and Italian Mozzarella Cheeseburger, Big Bacon Cheddar Cheeseburger, Bourbon Bacon Cheeseburger and the Jalapeño Popper Chicken Sandwich.

Our limited-time Pretzel Baconator is a fresh twist on the classic Baconator and is currently available at restaurants nationwide. Complete with fresh never frozen beef patties, melty American cheese, saucy condiments, Applewood Smoked bacon and our irresistible Pretzel Bun – you’re going to want to get your hands on the Pretzel Baconator while you can!

Next time you’re craving a hot, juicy hamburger, look for the square. Check out all of our hamburgers made with fresh, never frozen beef here.

*Fresh beef available in the contiguous U.S., Alaska and Canada.

**Approximate weight before cooking.

Wendy’s Fresh, Never Frozen Beef FAQ (2024)

FAQs

Does Wendy's actually never freeze their meat? ›

Are Wendy's hamburgers really fresh and never frozen? Yes, Wendy's uses fresh, never frozen beef on every hamburger, every day. * We go the extra mile to ensure we are sourcing only the highest quality beef, and we transport fresh beef in refrigerated trucks to Wendy's restaurants thousands of times every week.

What does fresh never frozen mean? ›

This means that the ingredients served in this restaurant are not frozen. Of course it's not spoiled. Think about it, if you want to make sure that the ingredients are okay, but at the same time refuse to freeze them.

Does Five Guys freeze their beef? ›

One of the most notable aspects of its operation is its decision to never freeze its burgers. The reason is straightforward: There are no freezers at the restaurant, only coolers. The primary reason behind Five Guys' choice to never freeze its burger patties is its dedication to delivering a superior dining experience.

Why do Wendy's have square patties? ›

The reason for the outlier four-sided shape can be traced back to Wendy's founder Dave Thomas. In 1969, he opened the first Wendy's in Columbus, Ohio, because he wasn't satisfied with other options. To make it distinctive compared to Wendy's competitors, he used fresh meat formed into a square.

What is the most unhealthy thing on the Wendy's menu? ›

The Wendy's Big Bacon Classic Triple Burger may be the worst thing on the menu, with 1,220 calories in just one sandwich. And don't forget about the 36 grams of saturated fat— or 163% of the recommended daily value (DV) of just 22 grams per day—and 10% of your daily calories.

Why is never frozen meat better? ›

Ice crystals no matter the size can damage the cell walls inside of your protein and ruin its texture as well as destroy natural juices during the thawing process. If it ruins the taste, why would companies freeze the meat? The answer is simple, to extend the shelf life of the product.

Does Wendy's use pink slime? ›

Wendy's decided to post the ads after receiving “many questions from customers and online communities,” spokesman Bob Bertini said in an email. “We felt it was important to set the record straight. We are very proud of our beef, and have never used lean finely textured beef, or 'pink slime.

Is fresh frozen meat good? ›

Initially, fresh meat has a higher nutrient count than frozen. However, fresh meat loses its vitamins and minerals as time passes. So, if you freeze your cuts and thaw them properly, or buy products that have been professionally prepared, you can retain those valuable nutrients as well as the delicious flavour.

Does Burger King use real beef? ›

Burger King has prioritized authenticity and transparency with their burgers from the beginning. According to their website, their patties are 100% beef and have been flame-grilled since they first opened in 1954. Their no-nonsense mentality also includes avoiding additives like fillers and preservatives.

How is Culvers beef never frozen? ›

When it comes to beef, you want fresh beef. Frozen beef loses moisture and when you lose moisture, you lose flavor. And we won't compromise on that. A little bit of pressure seals the beef, keeping moisture in and giving your burger that signature steak taste.

Does Mcdonalds freeze their beef? ›

Our 100% beef is ground, formed into patties, and then flash frozen. Flash freezing is when beef is quickly frozen to seal in fresh flavor. From the day it was formed, it usually takes about two to three weeks until the burger is served.

Does burger King use frozen beef? ›

Another BK employee tasked with maintaining the broilers expanded on this, explaining that burger patties arrive at the franchise location "frozen solid" and are put in a freezer close to the feeding end of an automatic broiler. "As patties run out in the heating units, more burgers are fed in," the user shared.

What did Wendy's remove from menu? ›

The internet's reaction to the Grilled Chicken Sandwich's elimination from menus ranged from disappointment to rage, with many folks taking to social media to share their feelings. “Wendy's got rid of their grilled chicken sandwich?” asked one user on Twitter.

What cut of beef does McDonald's use? ›

Every one of our McDonald's burgers is made with 100% pure beef and cooked and prepared with salt, pepper and nothing else—no fillers, no additives, no preservatives. We use the trimmings of cuts like the chuck, round and sirloin for our burgers, which are ground and formed into our hamburger patties.

What fast food doesn't freeze their meat? ›

Wendy's is possibly the most well-known example of a fast food chain that never uses frozen beef patties. The restaurant's choice to offer fresh beef was driven by Dave Thomas' unwavering commitment to quality when he opened the first Wendy's in 1969.

Does Wendys freeze their fries? ›

Are Wendy's fries frozen? Before frying them up hot and crispy for you, they are frozen. Are Wendy's fries fresh cut? They're are not cut in our restaurants.

Does McDonald's freeze their meat? ›

Our 100% beef is ground, formed into patties, and then flash frozen. Flash freezing is when beef is quickly frozen to seal in fresh flavor. From the day it was formed, it usually takes about two to three weeks until the burger is served.

Does Wendy's use leftover meat for chili? ›

Okay, so we told you that Wendy's uses its leftover hamburger patties to make its chili, but how does that work, exactly? When a Wendy's chef makes a hamburger patty, it will stay fresh for a little while. However, if they make too many and leave them sitting out for too long, the meat will start to dry out.

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