Restaurant Profile
Wendy's
“Quality is our recipe.”
About
Dave Thomas opened the first Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers on November 15, 1969, in Columbus, Ohio. Thomas named the restaurant after his fourth daughter, Melinda Lou — nicknamed "Wendy." From day one, Wendy's positioned itself as a cut above the competition: fresh beef (never frozen), made-to-order burgers, and a square patty that famously hangs over the round bun — an intentional symbol that Wendy's doesn't cut corners.
The chain introduced the drive-through window in 1970, popularized the salad bar in 1979, and launched the first national value menu — the "Super Value Menu" — in 1989. Dave Thomas became the brand's unlikely TV spokesperson in 1989, appearing in more than 800 commercials until his death in 2002. His folksy style and genuine passion for the food drove some of the most memorable advertising in the QSR industry.
Wendy's went through a tumultuous ownership history, passing from the Thomas family through Triarc Companies and ultimately merging with Arby's Restaurant Group in 2008. Today the Wendy's Company operates from Dublin, Ohio, and has leaned into social media marketing — most famously through its acerbic Twitter persona — while fighting for its position against Burger King and McDonald's in the classic American burger wars.
Revenue history
| Year | Revenue |
|---|---|
| 2000 | $2.20B |
| 2010 | $2.50B |
| 2015 | $1.60B |
| 2019 | $1.71B |
| 2022 | $1.96B |
| 2023 | $2.17B |
Company revenue. Wendy's system-wide sales (what customers spend) are significantly higher, approaching $14B globally.
Signature Items & Price History
Launch price and year, historical price milestones, and how the item's price growth compares to U.S. CPI inflation over the same period.
Dave's Single
A quarter-pound fresh (never frozen) beef patty, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, ketchup, and mayo.
Historical prices
| Year | Price | vs. Prior |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | $0.55 | — |
| 1980 | $1.25 | +127.27% over 11yrs |
| 1990 | $2.00 | +60.00% over 10yrs |
| 2000 | $2.99 | +49.50% over 10yrs |
| 2010 | $3.79 | +26.76% over 10yrs |
| 2020 | $5.29 | +39.58% over 10yrs |
| 2025 | $6.79 | +28.36% over 5yrs |
Price growth vs. CPI inflation
Launched on opening day in 1969 simply as "The Single." Rebranded as Dave's Single in 2012 as part of a nostalgia-driven menu refresh honoring founder Dave Thomas.
Frosty
Wendy's signature frozen dairy dessert — not quite a milkshake, not quite soft-serve.
Historical prices
| Year | Price | vs. Prior |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | $0.35 | — |
| 1980 | $0.49 | +40.00% over 11yrs |
| 1990 | $0.69 | +40.82% over 10yrs |
| 2000 | $0.89 | +28.99% over 10yrs |
| 2010 | $1.09 | +22.47% over 10yrs |
| 2020 | $1.49 | +36.70% over 10yrs |
| 2025 | $1.99 | +33.56% over 5yrs |
Price growth vs. CPI inflation
On the menu since day one, November 15, 1969. Dave Thomas deliberately kept the Frosty price low as a value anchor. Originally only available in chocolate; strawberry was added in 2006. Of all Wendy's items, the Frosty has come closest to tracking CPI.
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