Summer Snacking: The Wendy’s Way

Memorial Day is around the corner, which means sweet, sweet summertime is almost here. As we head into summer and the temperature starts heating up, it seems our busy schedules do too. Whether it’s on the way to soccer practice, a well-deserved vacation for some R&R or simply trying to get from point A to B (sometimes the struggle is real, hey traffic!), it’s always nice to have a few quick, easy and deliciously different on the go foods that can be enjoyed along the way. As they say, it’s not about where you’re going but who you’re with – and in this case our fresh never frozen hamburgers, juicy nuggets and other beloved items are the perfect company for any summer activity.

For a sneak peek at what some of our senior leadership team is snacking on this summer, check out their favorite on the go menu items and memories that go with them!

Todd Penegor, President & CEO

1. Your favorite grab n’ go menu item(s):  Usually a number 1 Combo w/ no onion and a Coke Zero for me. Fresh salads and chili for the girls, plus a few orders of chicken tenders for good measure!

2. Where/how do you and your family enjoy it?: Unfortunately, too many times in the car on the way to soccer matches.

3. Favorite memory associated with these menu items: Stopping in restaurants while traveling to our place in Colorado or South Carolina.  The kids love to rate the service experience…good or bad.

Liliana Esposito, Wendy’s Chief Communications Officer

1. Your favorite grab n’ go menu item(s):  Our go-to order is one Kids Meal with nuggets, fries and milk and one Kids Meal with a cheeseburger (ketchup only), apple bites and milk. If the kids are together, they share the fries and apples.

2. Where/how do you and your family enjoy it?: Perhaps I over-scheduled us this summer, but for the next few weeks my two children are involved with five (yes, five) sports – softball, baseball, lacrosse, flag football and soccer. That means every day, except Friday, we have at least one practice or game and usually with a Wendy’s meal either before or after.

3. Favorite memory associated with these menu items: I’m very proud to say that a Wendy’s Hamburger was the first hamburger my daughter ever ate. She was 4 years old and we had just moved to Columbus. She’s been a Wendy’s Hamburger (with cheese) lover ever since!

Bob Wright, Wendy's Chief Operations Officer

1. Your favorite grab n’ go menu item(s):  The Wright family order usually goes something like this:

• Grilled chicken wrap 4 for $4 for my daughter with a sweet tea

• Double Cheese Combo with Fruit Tea for my youngest son

• Single Cheese Combo with Sprite for my oldest son

• Baked potato and grilled chicken with a water for my wife

• Spicy chicken with cheese and a Coke Zero for me

2. Where/how do you/your family enjoy it?: As our family gets older and larger (we have a wedding this summer!) many of us are going in different directions at the same time. The good news is we share a common passion to get away together as much as possible. We’ll often meet around everyone’s commitments to summer activities at the pool, summer jobs or chores around the house and neighborhood. 

3. Favorite memory associated with these menu items: One of my favorite things to do is send a family group text asking what everyone wants from Wendy’s. My wife or I will pick it up and meet everyone under the deck at home. That text always gets a response from everyone!

Leigh Burnside, Wendy’s Chief Accounting Officer

1. Your favorite grab n’ go menu item(s):  My oldest son loves two crispy chicken sandwiches with extra pickles and mayo, while my younger son favors the four-piece chicken tenders with extra S’Awesome sauce and extra BBQ sauce. We also occasionally pick up a junior vanilla Frosty for our lab, Piper because sometimes she feels left out! ?

2. Where/how do you and your family enjoy it?: With two very busy boys, we are often making a run through the Wendy’s drive through on the way home from soccer practice or prior to the next round of golf. 

Coley O’Brien, Wendy’s Chief People Officer

1. Your favorite grab n’ go menu item(s):  My kids love hamburgers AND bacon, so we’re ordering a lot of Baconators® and Dave's Singles® with ketchup and pickles. Coke Freestyle is always a favorite, with so many options for the kids to choose from.

2. Where/how do you and your family enjoy it?: Our family is always “on the go” between work, baseball tournaments, taekwondo events, piano recitals and other family gatherings. Whether we’re in town or across the country, our family loves to stop at the nearest Wendy’s.

3. Favorite memory associated with these menu items: It has to be the Frosty. Growing up, that was my grandparent’s favorite dessert and I always looked forward to going to Wendy’s with them. Then when I became a Dad for the first time, I remember pulling my son in his wagon to the Wendy’s down the street from our house and introducing him to his first Frosty (which he loved, despite as much of it getting on his clothes as into his mouth).