Wendy's® Rekindles Pretzel Passion with a Comeback of its Premium Pretzel Bun

DUBLIN, Ohio, June 18, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Pretzel Lovers: your heartache ends now.

Today, Wendy's announces it is reuniting customers with the beloved pretzel bun to fill their hearts' desires with the return of both its Pretzel Bacon Cheeseburger and Pretzel Pub Chicken sandwiches beginning in early July.

"When we removed the pretzel bun from restaurants last year, we made way for other premium bread carriers, but consumers made it clear we couldn't say goodbye to pretzel forever," said Craig Bahner, Chief Marketing Officer. "The pretzel bun was a cornerstone of our menu innovation last year, and we are bringing it back to delight consumers who love this special taste from Wendy's."

BurgerBusiness.com named 2013 the "Year of the Bun^*," and Wendy's pretzel bun was the star of the show. Pretzel fans across North America consumed more than 50 million pretzel sandwiches from Wendy's last year. In addition, sales of these sandwiches drove more than a three percent increase in same-restaurant sales at Wendy's North America in both the third and fourth quarters of last year.

The Pretzel Bacon Cheeseburger and Pretzel Pub Chicken both feature an artisan-style pretzel bun, made using the same authentic process of traditional soft pretzels, giving them a rich flavor and a chewy crust.

The Pretzel Bacon Cheeseburger features a warm cheddar cheese sauce, center-cut Applewood Smoked Bacon and smoky honey mustard. The fresh, never frozen juicy beef^** hamburger patty is garnished with a slice of cheddar cheese, sliced red onions and hand-cut tomato and fresh, spring mix made with nine different greens.

Chicken fans can also enjoy the return of the Wendy's pretzel bun with the Pretzel Pub Chicken sandwich. This chicken sandwich is a far cry from the bland flavors you might expect from quick service restaurant chicken sandwiches, with upscale flavors and ingredients, such as a slice of rich, buttery Muenster cheese, sweet and savory honey mustard and a warm cheddar cheese sauce. The Pretzel Pub Chicken sandwich showcases a lightly breaded all-white meat chicken breast topped with hand-sliced tomatoes and fresh spring mix.

"Our premium sandwiches featuring the pretzel bun deliver fast casual experience at fast food prices," said Bahner. "They are excellent examples of our menu innovation and an important part of Wendy's brand transformation that also includes the re-imaging of Wendy's restaurants with a bold, contemporary look; an updated logo; new crew uniforms and consumer-preferred menuboards and packaging."

The Pretzel Bacon Cheeseburger and Pretzel Pub Chicken sandwiches are both returning to restaurants by the weekend of July 4, and will be available to have, to hold and to cherish all summer long for a recommended price of $4.99 and $5.09***, respectively.

About Wendy's
The Wendy's Company is the world's third largest quick-service hamburger company. The Wendy's system includes more than 6,500 franchise and Company restaurants in the United States and 29 countries and U.S. territories worldwide. For more information, visit www.wendys.com or www.aboutwendys.com. 

*Source: BurgerBusiness.com "Year of the Bun: A Retrospective," released on November 18, 2013. More information available upon request.

**Fresh ground beef served in the contiguous U.S. and Canada.

***Suggested pricing. Price and participation may vary.

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SOURCE The Wendy's Company