In 1969, a former army man, Dave Thomas, opened the first Wendy’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers. The Columbus restaurant was the culmination of over 20 years of food business experience. Dave wanted his restaurant to offer high-quality food made from fresh ingredients. At Wendy’s, this meant made-to-order sandwiches and fast service. Due to his experience, Dave knew that to keep customers coming back, everything had to be perfect from the beginning.
That’s why Wendy’s very first menu boasted “Quality is our Recipe.” You’d be surprised by what items made the cut. Here’s what was on Wendy’s first menu.
1. Hamburgers
While the main entree item on Wendy’s first menu was a burger, it wasn’t anything like you might find in the Wendy’s drive-thru today. For starters, the patty was round. Dave later insisted that the patties be square to show the quality of the meat and symbolize that Wendy’s doesn’t cut corners.
Fans of loaded burgers will also be sad to find out that the original didn’t have any fancy toppings, like bacon, special housemade sauces, or any other additional meats.
2. Chili
From the beginning, Wendy’s set themselves apart from other fast food joints with this unique heart-warming menu item. The original was described as rich and meaty, but unfortunately you couldn’t enjoy it on top of a baked potato. Those weren’t introduced to the Wendy’s menu until 1983.
3. French Fries
I suppose that even in 1969, Americans couldn’t enjoy their burgers without fries. Although the original version seems pretty boring when you can now order them bacon queso or baconator style. I wonder if any of Wendy’s original customers tried making their own animal-style fries by pouring the chili on top?
4. Frosty Dairy Dessert
I wonder how long it took from when Wendy’s first opened on November 15 of 1969 until the first person tried dipping fries in their Frosty. The original menu only had the chocolate flavor, which I think is the perfect way to contrast greasy, salty fries.
5. Soft Drinks
I suppose that Americans, even in 1969, needed to wash down their greasy, calorie-ridden fast food meals the only way they’ve ever known how. That’s with soda. Wendy’s first menu offered a variety of flavors from a soda fountain for maximum freshness.
Now that you know what your ordering options would’ve been like when the original Wendy’s first opened, you’re going to need a little info on what the vibe was like. Imagine stepping into that first Wendy’s in Ohio and being surrounded by homey carpeting, Tiffany lamps, newsprint tabletops, and Bentwood chairs.
Although Wendy’s biggest innovation, the square hamburger, came later, I would argue that they began to set themselves apart from their competitors with the innovative decor. Can you imagine ordering off Wendy’s first menu? Or would giving up your baconator, chicken, or baked potato be too much to handle?