By Mike Thayer
My original mission in going to Wendy’s for lunch today was to take advantage of their “Two for $6” deal. It’s a mix-and-match kind of thing and the options include Dave’s single, the Homestyle Chicken Sandwich, the Spicy Chicken Sandwich or 3-piece Chicken Tenders. Two sandwiches for $6 is a great deal and I was going to go for the Homestyle Chicken Sandwich and the Spicy Chicken Sandwich, but the deal is available only at “participating restaurants” and guess what? My neighborhood Wendy’s isn’t participating. Sigh….
The Baconator from Wendy’s
So I went with the Baconator!
Made for carnivores, the Baconator consists of two 1/4 pound beef patties, six strips of applewood smoked bacon, three slices of cheddar cheese, mayo, ketchup, all served on a toasted, premium bakery style hamburger bun….. And how’s that for marketing? As if Wendy’s gets buns NOT made in a bakery? A Bakery Style Hamburger Bun? We’re styling buns now? I digress….
Simply put, the Baconator satisfies. Ordering via drive-through just before the lunch rush, my burger was served up hot, fresh, and fast. The burger was a bit over-cooked but the bacon was crisp, the cheese was melted just right and simply dressed with ketchup and mayo on the toasted Bakery Style bun – the Baconator hits all the classic notes of a bacon cheeseburger. It’s a darn good burger and the amount of bacon is as advertised.
Meat, cheese, bacon
I enjoyed this burger, but it came at a fairly steep price for a fast food restaurant. The Baconator cost me $6.98 for just the sandwich. And while Wendy’s does a nice job putting together classic bacon cheeseburger flavors with quality ingredients, the sandwich falls short of gourmet, yet you pay a gourmet price and you can’t even get a beer to go with it! When I pay $7 for a burger outside of a review, I better be in a tavern. This is the fatal flaw in attempts by fast food joints to go upscale with their burgers…. Sure consumers are demanding more, but what is the point of going upscale with just the burger if you’re not also going to ramp up the sides and drinks, and by that I mean adult beverage. That’s really what’s behind the consumer demand for more, it’s a desire for the WHOLE upscale meal experience in the convenience of fast food, it’s not just about the sandwich.
This burger while tasty, is not Bachelor on the Cheap friendly. The Frisco Burger from Hardees is a better burger if you want to stick with non-tavern, ‘upscale’ fast food, but for my money – $2 to be exact – the Bacon McDouble remains the best fast food burger in town.
The Baconator from Wendy’s gets 3 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars and while good, it’s not a repeat buy.
Classic bacon cheeseburger taste
Spend Wisely My Friends…..
The Baconator from Wendy's delivers on taste and quality – Bachelor on the Cheap
By Mike Thayer
My original mission in going to Wendy’s for lunch today was to take advantage of their “Two for $6” deal. It’s a mix-and-match kind of thing and the options include Dave’s single, the Homestyle Chicken Sandwich, the Spicy Chicken Sandwich or 3-piece Chicken Tenders. Two sandwiches for $6 is a great deal and I was going to go for the Homestyle Chicken Sandwich and the Spicy Chicken Sandwich, but the deal is available only at “participating restaurants” and guess what? My neighborhood Wendy’s isn’t participating. Sigh….
The Baconator from Wendy’s
So I went with the Baconator!
Made for carnivores, the Baconator consists of two 1/4 pound beef patties, six strips of applewood smoked bacon, three slices of cheddar cheese, mayo, ketchup, all served on a toasted, premium bakery style hamburger bun….. And how’s that for marketing? As if Wendy’s gets buns NOT made in a bakery? A Bakery Style Hamburger Bun? We’re styling buns now? I digress….
Simply put, the Baconator satisfies. Ordering via drive-through just before the lunch rush, my burger was served up hot, fresh, and fast. The burger was a bit over-cooked but the bacon was crisp, the cheese was melted just right and simply dressed with ketchup and mayo on the toasted Bakery Style bun – the Baconator hits all the classic notes of a bacon cheeseburger. It’s a darn good burger and the amount of bacon is as advertised.
Meat, cheese, bacon
I enjoyed this burger, but it came at a fairly steep price for a fast food restaurant. The Baconator cost me $6.98 for just the sandwich. And while Wendy’s does a nice job putting together classic bacon cheeseburger flavors with quality ingredients, the sandwich falls short of gourmet, yet you pay a gourmet price and you can’t even get a beer to go with it! When I pay $7 for a burger outside of a review, I better be in a tavern. This is the fatal flaw in attempts by fast food joints to go upscale with their burgers…. Sure consumers are demanding more, but what is the point of going upscale with just the burger if you’re not also going to ramp up the sides and drinks, and by that I mean adult beverage. That’s really what’s behind the consumer demand for more, it’s a desire for the WHOLE upscale meal experience in the convenience of fast food, it’s not just about the sandwich.
This burger while tasty, is not Bachelor on the Cheap friendly. The Frisco Burger from Hardees is a better burger if you want to stick with non-tavern, ‘upscale’ fast food, but for my money – $2 to be exact – the Bacon McDouble remains the best fast food burger in town.
The Baconator from Wendy’s gets 3 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars and while good, it’s not a repeat buy.
Classic bacon cheeseburger taste
Spend Wisely My Friends…..