Wendy's

I hadn’t even sat down yet before my name was called. That’s how a restaurant puts the ‘fast’ in fast food.

So many restaurants claim they provide fast food, but, unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. Some claim they’ve got fast food and it takes thirty minutes to receive a hamburger and some fries. Some get their food out in five minutes but screw it up every time so whenever you go, it’s always going to be a longer wait than expected. Some even forget about your order and make you just want to leave!

Wendy’s was not like that. They gave me fast when I wanted fast food. They were like a cheetah in a race with other restaurants as turtles. And this was the point when I realized that if I want something extremely quick and tasty for lunch or dinner, Wendy’s is the place I’ll go.

The employees weren’t just fast. They were nice and also provided great food and a clean, friendly restaurant.

I’d walked into Wendy’s that day just like anybody else trying to grab some lunch at a fast food restaurant. There was a line of about 2-3 people. However, the man at the front of the line had quite a few complications to his order. He was like a lion trying to order something vegan and nothing worked out. He first wanted a $5 Biggie Bag. Then a 4 for $4. Then just a regular burger. Then back to the Biggie Bag to ask what was included in it.

I’m glad to say the employee at the register handling it exceedingly well and was able to answer the man’s questions and complete his order relatively quickly without any major drama. With fast food restaurants, you never know if other customers are going to be quick or act like hoarders at a buy one get five free sale and it’s great when employees can handle any kind of customer.

After a brief pause where the cashier went to help the employees in the back make previous orders’ food, he came back to take the next customer’s order.

I don’t usually eat at fast food restaurants. They are all pretty much the same. Hamburgers, french fries, chicken nuggets. McDonalds, Burger King, Checkers. Wendy’s may be included in the category when talking about the types of food; however, it must be placed on a whole different level when comparing food quality.

They had such juicy hamburger patties that they made up for the rest of the burger that was lacking. They were square as Wendy’s claims they never cut corners. The tiny piece of lettuce and maybe two tomato slices, if you get lucky, couldn’t keep the burgers from getting a positive overall report. It reminded me of an amusement park where some of the side attractions aren’t the best, but there’s that one ride you just love and can’t stop yourself from going on so many times you lose count.

I just kept wanting to go back to that tidal wave of flavor that erupts into your mouth from that juicy, mouthwatering beef. Because of the speed of their kitchen, if I wanted another, I could just hop back in line and get one in less than five minutes.

The french fries were like little sticks from heaven. There were maybe one or two that weren’t the most crisp, but finding a soggy fry was as hard as telling whether a zebra is white and black or black and white. The nuggets weren’t the highest quality, but at least I could taste chicken. If you dip them into a sauce of your choice, which Wendy’s has almost all of, they can pass as acceptable.

There’s nothing extraordinary about their drink service, but also nothing that can really be complained about, except maybe if they run out. They’ve got those huge Coca-Cola machines with large touchscreens that contain almost any non-alcoholic drink imaginable. Trying to pick one drink out of the machine is like trying to pick only one of your best friends to bring on a trip to the Bahamas when you want to take all of them.

And of course, it’s impossible to forget about their signature Frosty. They come in chocolate, vanilla, and for a limited time, birthday cake. Eating one (or drinking it depending on you) brings the familiarity of ice cream, but with a milkshake twist. Milkshake and ice cream are like yin and yang in the Wendy’s Frosty.

Wendy’s makes most of their food on a made-to-order system. My food isn’t made until my order is finished. Other restaurants cook their burgers and leave them in a heating tray until a customer orders. This reduces the flavor and freshness of your food. Also, if Wendy’s has to spend the time cooking my burger before they send it out, and they’re still able to get me my food faster than those other restaurants, I know which restaurant can claim that they’re fast food. And the only way to have fast food is to have fast workers.

From the cooks in the back to those manning the drive-through and registers, employees at Wendy’s are like honey bees, efficient and full of teamwork. If one lags behind, the others support it until it catches back up.

The employee working the register for me had a problem removing something I hadn’t wanted, so a manager came over and fixed the problem in a matter of seconds before going back to making someone else’s food. After that, the cashier was quick to help me complete my order and start making my food.

While there may not have been as many employees as other places, they worked well together and were able to put out food faster than most other places with more employees. Watching them was like watching a perfectly oiled machine do its work. It was beautiful. There was no overlap on any station or any conflicts, only small communication. All I heard from them was “who has order 331?” or “I’ve got the fries for this one, how’s the burger looking?”

Later, when I got my order but needed some sauces for my chicken nuggets, all I had to do was go up to the register and ask one of the employees. He then asked which I wanted, and when I said sweet and sour and barbecue, he just said “of course,” and handed them to me.

When a man began making a scene and acting like a child who didn’t get the toy in their kids’ meal, I watched as two of the employees controlled the situation with ease. They made it seem like it was nothing as they first got the man to settle down. Then, once he was calm, he was able to explain how he didn’t get his drink cup and was missing one of his orders of fries.

The employees asked for the man’s receipt, and when he complied, they were able to quietly talk with the man about his order and get things right.

Their ability to work well together translated into me being able to receive my food right after I’d filled my drink and was deciding where to sit.

The employees were outgoing, ready to take care of their customers, and friendly, and this translated into the atmosphere and cleanliness of the restaurant.

When I first walked in, I was immediately hit by some kind of friendly feeling in the air. All of the tables were cleared and cleaned. Trying to find a dirty table at Wendy’s is like trying to find a needle in a twenty-foot deep lake, it’s nearly impossible.

The lady attending to the concessions and making sure the drink machine was full was very friendly and willing to have a conversation. She made me want to eat at Wendy’s because she made me feel welcome. Even only being able to talk to two employees that were friendly just added to the ambiance that makes people want to stay and eat.

Not everybody may want to start a conversation with an employee at some random place where they just want to eat. If so, that’s ok and the employees can tell and will leave you alone. Their understanding adds a level of sophistication to their already professional personalities.

Some may say the food tastes the same as any other fast food place. But when comparing fresh food to frozen food there is truly no comparison. Comparing food that comes out hot and fast with food that’s been sitting there and still takes forever to come out shouldn’t be allowed.

Others might think the employees aren’t the real deal or I just got lucky I went on the right day. Well, those working that served me were very professional and knew what to do. I might’ve gotten lucky with my employees, but they passed my high levels of expectation.

If some say their food took forever to come out, maybe something happened in the kitchen. I watched multiple people order before and after me, and everybody, myself included, was able to get their food quickly and easily.

It’s possible that tables could be dirty at some point, as there isn’t somebody that stays out of the kitchen the entire time to clean tables. However, if you ask, an employee will gladly come out and help you as soon as they possibly can.

Wendy’s tells the truth, as they truly don’t cut corners.