Wendy's to test surge pricing

[Smugpugmug]

How about spending the money on improving their food?

I ate at Wendy's for the first time in years and the burger was so insanely bland and flavorless. I'm imagining that burger costing $10 without fries and a drink during a dinner rush and I'm laughing so hard that I almost busted a rib.

 

[barkley]

i don't think it's a wise bsns. move esp. when other fast food places near us (national and local chains) still heavily promote last night value menus (maybe b/c we have so many colleges=bar hoppers?).

Is there a limit on french fries - shipments are constantly coming to fill the freezer?

Exactly - it's one thing when you are talking about something with finite space and potentially more demand than supply

i get this and agree but wendy's is unique as far as their supply chain so far as their meat goes which could play into it. wendy's always promotes how their ground meat is never frozen and how they will only buy it from providers who meet certain animal treatment criteria. fresh meat transportation timelines are more limited than frozen so wendy's has a set mileage criteria between individual suppliers and individual restaurants. we have 5 wendy's in our region but they are all within somewhat close proximity of each other. the outlying areas have no wendys b/c they are just outside their maximum transport tolerance level. despite tremendous housing developments (and tax advantages for bsns) and very vocal demands by residents for wendy's to establish in those areas the corporation has repeatedly said that unless they can find a more local provider to meet their travel tolerance they will not go in (so there's a TON of other fast foods there but people pass them by to go to the closest wendy's b/c there are very devoted wendys customers).

 

[soccerdad72]

I'm somewhat intrigued by this from a consumer standpoint. If I'm in the mood for Wendy's, when I get there, if I find that my go to order of a $5 Biggie Bag is $6 or $7 (or more), will I just leave and say no thanks? I'm not sure, to be honest. And is there a breaking point? I assume everyone will have one.

 

[Genie+]

I ate at Wendy's for the first time in years and the burger was so insanely bland and flavorless. I'm imagining that burger costing $10 without fries and a drink during a dinner rush and I'm laughing so hard that I almost busted a McRib

 

[Magical2017]

One more reason to avoid greasy, overpriced food and cook at home. Unless grocery stores start surge pricing, too. Hate the idea.

 

[TippyThomas]

I predict this will go down in colossal failure.

I know, right?

 

[mom2rtk]

I'm somewhat intrigued by this from a consumer standpoint. If I'm in the mood for Wendy's, when I get there, if I find that my go to order of a $5 Biggie Bag is $6 or $7 (or more), will I just leave and say no thanks? I'm not sure, to be honest. And is there a breaking point? I assume everyone will have one.

More than likely I just won't ever go back now that I know that's a possibility.

 

[Moliphino]

I ate at Wendy's for the first time in years and the burger was so insanely bland and flavorless. I'm imagining that burger costing $10 without fries and a drink during a dinner rush and I'm laughing so hard that I almost busted a rib.

The last junior bacon cheeseburger I got had more mayo than beef. The frosty and nuggets were still good, though.

 

[slo]

Another reason to add to the other reasons on why be barely ever get fast food.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

I really think those types of student loans are predatory & something needs to be done about them. Lenders take advantage of young people who end up paying them the majority of their lives & can never get out from under. There is no other lender in the country who can get away with that. It’s just wrong & terrifying what is happening to people just trying to get an education.

Post pandemic we just don't eat fast food. The prices have gotten outrageous and the quality is worse than ever. I agree this will ensure we never eat there again.

We don't eat fast food often. I agree, prices are ridiculous. Coming home late night, three of us wanted a little snack/treat so we stopped at Chick Fil A. Ordered small vanilla shake, mac&cheese and medium waffle fry. $16.04. My husband is still talking about it.

 

[fla4fun]

Playing Devil’s Advocate for a moment . . . While I understand the possibility of abuse, the way I read that particular article it sounded like they were trying to spread out the crowds by offering lower prices during less busy times and regular prices when it’s busier. If (and that’s a big if) that is how they implement it, it would not be as big a deal. I only eat fast food when I am on vacation, and rarely Wendy’s, so I will wait to see how they use their new system before I get too upset.

 

[tasha99]

Surge pricing won't work because it will make people mad. I want to know how much my meal is going to cost when I'm in the planning stage, and I don't want to have to go online to find an ever changing price. They could do something like Taco Bell does--have a happy hour or a lower price time that everyone knows about (taco bell has $1 drinks from 2-5pm, Wendy's could offer a 10% discount at certain times of day).

 

[SandyinMonterey]

Where I used to live, McDonald's was charging a dine in tax.

 

[mom2rtk]

Playing Devil’s Advocate for a moment . . . While I understand the possibility of abuse, the way I read that particular article it sounded like they were trying to spread out the crowds by offering lower prices during less busy times and regular prices when it’s busier. If (and that’s a big if) that is how they implement it, it would not be as big a deal. I only eat fast food when I am on vacation, and rarely Wendy’s, so I will wait to see how they use their new system before I get too upset.

But people can't often switch out when they can eat. By it's nature, fast food is something you grab on your way somewhere. Or on a lunch break at work. And I'm not waiting to have dinner so I can get a lower price on a fast food burger.

 

[Genie+]

Playing Devil’s Advocate for a moment . . . While I understand the possibility of abuse, the way I read that particular article it sounded like they were trying to spread out the crowds by offering lower prices during less busy times and regular prices when it’s busier. If (and that’s a big if) that is how they implement it, it would not be as big a deal. I only eat fast food when I am on vacation, and rarely Wendy’s, so I will wait to see how they use their new system before I get too upset.

That wouldn’t be bad I think. If that’s the case though, they really shouldn’t be using the term surge pricing. Many places have afternoon deals (sonic) or late hour deals (applebees).

 

[fla4fun]

That wouldn’t be bad I think. If that’s the case though, they really shouldn’t be using the term surge pricing. Many places have afternoon deals (sonic) or late hour deals (applebees).

I wonder what the term is for the opposite of surge pricing? Enticement pricing? I have never heard a specific phrase used for the automatic lowering of prices to try to generate business or spread out customer demand.

 

[slo]

This corporate greed may be exactly what the doctor ordered for those that are in a cycle of eating a lot of fast food. If it gets to extremely overpriced, then they’ll stop buying it and hopefully develop healthier eating habits.

Many many many years ago I was in this cycle and I felt like garbage all the time - fast food is so bad for everyone. When I turned away from it, I felt a million times better and my wallet felt better too.

 

[mom2rtk]

This corporate greed may be exactly what the doctor ordered for those that are in a cycle of eating a lot of fast food. If it gets to extremely overpriced, then they’ll stop buying it and hopefully develop healthier eating habits.

Many many many years ago I was in this cycle and I felt like garbage all the time - fast food is so bad for everyone. When I turned away from it, I felt a million times better and my wallet felt better too.

Except their very business is to sell more fast food. They cease to exist if they can't.

 

[BrianL]

i get this and agree but wendy's is unique as far as their supply chain so far as their meat goes which could play into it. wendy's always promotes how their ground meat is never frozen and how they will only buy it from providers who meet certain animal treatment criteria. fresh meat transportation timelines are more limited than frozen so wendy's has a set mileage criteria between individual suppliers and individual restaurants. we have 5 wendy's in our region but they are all within somewhat close proximity of each other. the outlying areas have no wendys b/c they are just outside their maximum transport tolerance level. despite tremendous housing developments (and tax advantages for bsns) and very vocal demands by residents for wendy's to establish in those areas the corporation has repeatedly said that unless they can find a more local provider to meet their travel tolerance they will not go in (so there's a TON of other fast foods there but people pass them by to go to the closest wendy's b/c there are very devoted wendys customers).

Yeah, but there's still no true shortage of their never-frozen beef and certainly no difference in availability between noon and 3 PM.

 

[Smugpugmug]

The last junior bacon cheeseburger I got had more mayo than beef. The frosty and nuggets were still good, though.

A Disney quick service burger had more flavor than whatever I had at Wendy's and that's saying something.

It's difficult to mess up a frosty but I certainly wouldn't pay surge pricing for one.