Wendy’s made itself famous thanks to its classic square burger patty, but its menu has grown to include chicken and fish sandwiches, too. As with most fast food chains, warming drawers allow Wendy’s to prep certain products in advance, then quickly put together sandwiches to avoid long wait times. But if you want a sandwich that hasn’t been sitting in a warming drawer, there’s one easy trick: Just ask them to put a new one on the grill.
Wendy’s prides itself on using fresh, never frozen beef, and while each sandwich is prepared to order, this clever language likely means they’re assembled when you order them; elements like beef and chicken are often cooked prior to ordering. Wendy’s beef patties are often sitting on the grill, while the chicken is usually placed in a warming drawer. And you have to specifically ask for the restaurant to put a new one on the grill rather than asking for a “fresh” one. According to Reddit users who have tried this trick, some restaurants might give pushback on the “fresh” terminology because the brand uses fresh, never frozen beef — it’s even the reason its famous chili exists.
Wendy’s doesn’t put every item in a warming drawer
The timing on a fresh Wendy’s sandwich is a little unclear and could vary based on the speed and volume of your specific Wendy’s, but expect to wait at least a few minutes for the chain to prepare you a cooked-to-order sandwich. However, not all Wendy’s items go into warming drawers.
There is little evidence to suggest that Wendy’s puts its beef patties in warming drawers (they’re usually on the grill instead). Wendy’s also says on its website that it starts each breakfast sandwich with a freshly cracked egg, so none of its breakfast sandwiches use warming-drawer eggs. However, the brand does not specify about the meat used on its breakfast sandwiches, whether you’re ordering a classic breakfast Baconator or one with a burger patty. Ultimately, the chain is pretty discreet about the products it does and doesn’t use warming drawers for, but to guarantee the freshest sandwich, don’t be afraid to ask them to grill you up a new one.
