RM
Richard Mason
Dec 18, 2025
I genuinely hate writing this review, because Wendy’s has always been my favorite fast-food burger. I was literally telling my boys on the way in how Wendy’s used to be my go-to over every other place. That nostalgia ended about five minutes after walking through the door.
First off, no one acknowledged us. Not a “hi,” not a “we’ll be right with you,” nothing. We were forced to use the self-serve kiosk, which in theory is fine—except it’s clunky, unintuitive, and makes simple things like adding sauces unnecessarily difficult. After multiple attempts, I still couldn’t add what I wanted, so I stood at the counter waiting for help.
And waited.
And waited.
Eye contact was clearly being avoided at all costs, because God forbid someone makes eye contact and has to answer a question. Employees walked past, stared at the floor, pretended to be busy—anything to avoid engaging with a customer standing right in front of them.
When the food finally came out, the frustration turned into disbelief. The burgers were clearly finished long before the rest of the order and sat on the counter for a solid 8–10 minutes waiting for fries and chicken strips. By the time everything was finally bagged, the burgers were cold. Not lukewarm—cold. That alone tells you everything you need to know about the lack of care happening behind the counter.
The #1 single I ordered was just bad. The patty was dry, the top bun fell apart two bites in, and the lettuce—let’s talk about that—Wendy’s switching to shredded lettuce was a horrible decision. It’s soggy, messy, and instantly turns the bun into mush. The old leaf lettuce actually had structure and crunch. This feels like cost-cutting at the expense of the product, and it completely ruins the burger.
To top it off, after spending close to $60 on food for my family, I was told I had to pay 50 cents per extra sauce. Fifty cents. Per sauce. And when I asked for chili sauce packets, no one even seemed to know what I was talking about. At Wendy’s.
What really sealed it was watching the exact same thing happen to another customer. A lady came up later trying to get sauce as well—she couldn’t find it anywhere on the menu either and had to ask. She was then told she’d have to run her card again just to pay 50 cents for sauce. At that point, I’d already bought two ranches, so I simply handed her one and said, “It’s easier to just accept this.”
The employee watched me solve the problem for her, save that customer the hassle, and keep the line moving—and said absolutely nothing. No thanks. No acknowledgment. No attempt to help. Just stood there and watched.
That was the moment I looked at my wife and said, “I’m done. I won’t be back.”
This is literally my most favorite fast-food burger chain, which is what makes this so disappointing. It wasn’t just bad food—it was cold food, ignored customers, confusing systems, nickel-and-diming over condiments, and a complete lack of pride or customer care.
Fast food doesn’t have to feel this cold, this careless, or this hostile.
If I’m going to eat a greasy burger, In-N-Out has earned my business. Hot food, friendly employees, free sauce, banana peppers, and people who actually acknowledge you exist. No kiosk frustration. No extra charges for basic condiments. No cold burgers dying on a counter.
Wendy’s lost a lifelong customer today—and that’s not something I ever thought I’d say.