Is Wendy’s winding down?
Wendy’s said that it will upgrade its Spicy Chicken Sandwich after a spate of customer complaints about the decline in quality.
“Truly breaks my heart into pieces to see my favorite of the basic fast food places fall from grace so hard,” one fan recently lamented.
The reimagined Spicy Chicken features a new, juicier marinade, sweet potato bun and a crispy panko-style breading infused with nine distinctive spices.
Wendy’s has also made the same upgrades to their Classic Chicken Sandwich for those who don’t want the heat.
Both sandwiches are now served on a new and slightly sweet potato bun, layered with a homestyle mayo inspired by classic Southern recipes. The spicy sandwich also now comes with pickles for extra crunch.
“The Wendy’s Spicy Chicken Sandwich is iconic, and we saw an opportunity to make the best spicy chicken sandwich in the category even better,” Lindsay Radkoski, US Chief Marketing Officer, The Wendy’s Company, said in a statement.
“After more than a year of testing and listening to consumer feedback, one thing was clear: guests wanted everything they already love, just elevated. This refresh honors the sandwich’s legacy while delivering the bold, modern flavor our fans crave.”
Wendy’s new Spicy Chicken Sandwich is available in all US restaurants as of Monday, March 30.
The revamp comes after fans have taken to social media to express their disappointment with the once-beloved menu item.
Initial reviews of the new recipe weren’t so favorable — perhaps, in part, because the update was as yet incomplete. In a recent Reddit post, fans were dubious of the seemingly new bun and chicken-fry on their favorite old sandwich.
“Went in to get a spicy chicken sandwich today and I got this McDonald’s dupe monstrosity instead,” one user quipped on Reddit. “Did they change the recipe? The chicken tastes different and I’m pretty sure the bun is off too.”
“They reduced the quality of the chicken, bun and type of lettuce put on the sandwich. That used to be my go-to order at Wendy’s when I was growing up,” another noted.
“It was my go-to order for the last 25+ years,” another cried. “The first time I tried the new one it was so disappointing I haven’t had Wendy’s since and will not be going back.”
“It looks like defeat,” mocked a distraught fan. It won’t be long until we are referring to Wendy’s as past tense.”
But now that the rollout is complete across all US stores, customers are eating it up — with one even saying the quality was “shockingly phenomenal.”
“The new chicken patty is a big improvement in size and a noticeable improvement in texture and flavor. It was crispier and the spice was good, but not overpowering,” one review on Reddit said.
“Went and tried it today, huge improvement. The place was packed, employees were thorough, it was really nice to see,” another user added.
“I had it for lunch. Incredible. Best chicken sandwich on the market,” a fan shared.
“Glad they finally took the time to restructure the sandwhich. Will have to give it a shot,” someone commented.
“I had the new crispy chicken yesterday…it was f–king delicious. Thank god because the one I had a couple months ago was so disappointing I was considering going to Popeyes or Dave’s,” another chimed in.
The upgraded sandwich is inspired by those fans, the chain said, noting that each element from ingredient selection to cooking techniques was done based on what customers have said they wanted most.
Wendy’s went through dozens of samples, extensive consumer focus groups and meticulous in-restaurant testing to put consumers at the center of the upgraded sandwich.
Customers will see upgrades, such as the soft potato bun, across the entire premium sandwich line-up.
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