At Wendy’s, you know when it’s real ... and when it’s unhealthy

Founded in 1969 by Dave Thomas in Columbus, Ohio, Wendy’s has always prided itself on being “better” than its fast-food counterparts (think McDonald’s and Burger King) and it seems that its marketing campaigns have succeeded at luring innocent customers into believing that Wendy's is a healthy choice. Positive slogans like “Quality is our recipe” and "You know when it's real” give consumers confidence when choosing Wendy’s, but they are misleading.

Since 1985, Wendy's commercials have been telling North Americans that if they stop by their restaurants they'll be "choosing fresh," but has this all been lies? (Gasp!)



Okay, Wendy's burgers are made fresh, but like James Bond, they've got a license to kill. Only in a much more serious, uncool way. Unlike the wonderfully depicted burger in the above commercial, below you will find out the truth about the five worst burger offenders, as well as about the three unhealthiest side orders.

Disclaimer: The following information may cause you to ponder over your next meal at Wendy’s twice, or maybe even thrice. And one more time after that.

We begin by taking a look at the calories behind each of the five worst burgers, and compare them to Health Canada's recommended daily intake for an average male, aged 19-30. The graph (scarily) speaks for itself. [Note: Scroll down to find graphic representations of Fat, Sodium, and Trans Fat, and discover how our chosen menu items stack up in comparison to Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA).]



Now, to dissect each of the five burgers individually (in order of worst to "best".)

(1) Baconator Triple

Wendy’s is beckoning you to climb Mount Bacon. Best not to. Like the Schwarzenegger film it’s riffing, the Triple Baconator will terminate your appetite. It’s the taste experience streamlined: three beef patties, three slices of cheese, and nine pieces of bacon. No vegetables needed. Consumption’s common side effects include an upset stomach and your life flashing before your eyes. The worst of the worst, the Triple Baconator tops the charts for nearly every measure of unhealthiness. The burger itself comes out to 176% of the daily recommended intake of sodium, 57% of your daily calories (and that’s before the side orders), and a gut-busting 211% of daily recommended fat. Calorie-wise, eating one of these is equivalent to devouring two 1 lb. meatloaves. When it comes to fat, it’s equivalent to 13 and a half veggie burgers. As great as it may taste, it’s probably not worth the displeasure it rapidly brings to your body.



(2) Bacon Deluxe Triple

The Bacon Deluxe Triple is a (cue sarcasm) heavenly dose of meat, using three beef patties, four strips of bacon, and more calories than you’d care to know about. Still curious? The Triple comes in at 1,160 calories and 74 grams of fat, and if you think ordering the Single will put you in the green zone, think again, as you consume 660 calories. Based on an “average” 1,500 calorie diet for women, you’re only leaving 340 calories for the rest of your day. That translates into you only eating a bowl of Kellogg’s Bran (ew, bran!) Flakes for the rest of the day. What’s more, the recommended daily intake of fat is 65 grams, and this burgers exceeds that by about 13%. If all this hasn’t sold you on the downsides of this unholy sandwich then think that, at a moderate speed, it would take over two hours to burn off your lunch on a treadmill. Yes, over 120 minutes of miserable, boring exercise. Still hungry for a Bacon Deluxe?



(3) 3/4 lb. Triple with Cheese

The 3/4 lb. Triple refers to three 1/4 lb. beef patties with processed cheese and soggy, discolored vegetables. Jam-packed with fat and calories, it is nearly impossible to even think of food after eating it, which in a funny way may end up helping your waistline. What will cross your mind though, is the two hours of feverish treadmill running to burn off the 1,040 empty calories. The caloric equivalent is eating four Kit-Kat packages, one after the other. For smaller, more petite girls on a 1,500 calorie diet, I regret to inform you that you have surpassed your sodium and fat intake for the day. This burger is a silent killer. There is an overwhelming presence of trans-fat, a.k.a. “bad fat,” which when consumed in large, concentrated quantities can rapidly lead to obesity and heart-disease. Both are a leading cause of preventable death in North America, comparable to smoking. The nausea, lethargy, and churning stomach sensations will soon pass, but the long-term health implications of this grease-dripping culprit will persist.



(4) 1/2 lb. Double with Cheese

This Wendy’s burger is exactly what you’d expect (besides the fact that it’s got a rectangular shape): soft meat patties, crappy processed cheese, one translucent tomato slice, and, of course, the love it’s made with. The way the cook takes all day to prepare the meat and figure out the ingredients, and delicately mixes them to satisfy your palate. Oh! Wait a minute, wrong place. The 1/2 lb. Double is pretty tasty, but it may just be the 1,330 mg of sodium that make your taste buds jolt. Or maybe it's the 43 grams of fat, which is almost like eating two and a half tubs of your favorite Haagen-Dazs ice cream. It's the aftermath however that is the most memorable. According to famous chef Anthony Bourdain, “Context and memory play powerful roles in all the truly great meals in one's life.” They also seem to play a powerful role in the truly awful meals in one’s life. Let’s hope Dave Thomas financed some health and stroke foundations.

(5) Premium Fish Sandwich

At first glance, the Premium Fish Sandwich may strike you as a healthy choice. After all, it is made of “fresh” cod. The sad reality however is that once you factor in the bread crumb crust on your cod and your choice of added toppings, this fish sandwich ends up having more calories and fat than a traditional burger. Really. A Jr. Hamburger Deluxe for example (yes, that's a "healthy" Wendy's choice) has 11 grams of fat. The fish o' death? 24 grams! Would you sit down and eat two entire tablets of chocolate in one go? (Ladies, when you're feeling upset doesn't count.) Probably not.

If the bluntly truthful burger descriptions above still haven't driven home the fact that all is not as it seems at Wendy's, perhaps these images will be of help. Sure, some choices may be "okay," but customers should not blindly focus on the fact that ingredients are "fresh" and therefore, "healthy." Even if they are top quality, the way they are put together makes them, frankly, a health hazard.

Above: The 3/4 lb. Triple with Cheese reveals its true, greasy colors. Right: Mmm, grease-infused beef patties. Yum.

You may now be thinking, "Enough!," but there's more. The side orders at Wendy's are just as likely to clog your arteries and leave you feeling guilty.

(1) Large Fries

Everyone’s favorite side order, the fry, may not be such a delightful treat after all. Especially when you order a Wendy’s large fry and receive a greasy pile of “potatoes” clocking in at 670 calories and 35 grams of fat. Not to call Wendy's competitors better, but that's more than a McDonald's Big Mac, which has 576 calories and 32.5 grams of fat. Wendy's may bash McDonald's as unhealthy, but its fries are unhealthier than McD's burgers! Surprisingly enough, the fries seem to be the only item on the menu that looks the same in press photos and in real life. At least Wendy's isn't totally deceiving us with their golden fried treats.

(2) Large Chocolate Fudge Frosty

What better way to satisfy a sweet tooth than with a large Chocolate Fudge Frosty? It will supply you with 530 calories and 13 grams of fat, and although it goes down easy and delicious, getting rid of it will be a real pain. Would you sit down and eat seven Reese's Peanut Butter Cups to satisfy your sweet tooth? Doubtful. So the real lesson to take away here is to flee Wendy's before dessert time rolls around.

(3) Bacon and Cheese Potato

Saving the, um, best for last: the Bacon and Cheese Potato, which should perhaps be prohibited by law. Choosing to indulge in this baked potato with cheese sauce, bacon, sour cream, butter, and chives will shock your metabolism with an unprecedented 660 calories and 27 grams of fat. Opt for any other kind of baked potato and you'll at least get to "enjoy" two before permanently adding your family doctor onto your speed dial. If you do opt for the Bacon and Cheese Potato however, get set to play competitive football for one hour to burn off those calories. And as if things weren't bad enough, the Bacon and Cheese Potato is definitely Wendy's best staged, most photo-shopped item. Looking at their promo pictures of the potato you would never expect to receive this when you order it ...

Next time you find yourself looking for a fast-food joint to grab a quick snack, you may want to rethink Wendy's or at least your order. Excessive intake of calories, fat, trans fat, and sodium can pose serious harm to your body over time. Sure, a Bacon and Cheese Potato once in a while won't do any harm, other than maybe violating your eyes, but health should always be taken seriously and burgers exceeding 1,000 calories should face some sort of a backlash. So before you head out into the scary world of fast-food, do your research, and don't be a sucker to persuasive marketing ploys.