Wendy's Should Cook More Potatoes

This has always bothered me about fast food places. They don't have
enough healthy options. They run out of yogurt, salads and potatoes
all the time. They would never run out of french fries or nuggets
though.....

I have never had a baked potato at Wendy's. Who knew I was missing
out on so much? It's too bad that there are so few Wendy's (compared
to McDs and Burger King, anyway). They're not so easy to find.

I used to work at Wendy's when I was in high school and I have an
answer to your question. :)

The reasons Wendy's often runs out of potatoes are numerous. The top
ones are:

1. They are not a big seller and are often wasted.

2. Keeping baked potatoes around that have been cooked in aluminum
foil can be a huge risk for spreading botulism. It's too risky. I
recall we were supposed to throw them away after a certain amount of
time passed. Then, it takes quite a while to bake more (in the oven,
of course!)

So, while I can understand the frustration, might I suggest ordering
them during busier times of the day? That way, you are more likely to
get one. Also, you could call ahead and ask if they have any. I know
it's a lot of trouble just for a baked potato... but such is life!

By: LAURA GROCH - Staff Writer

Reader Rescues: Pauline Bartholomew of Escondido wrote for some help
in the baking department -- not cakes or cookies, but potatoes:

"Do you suppose that Wendy's would give up their procedure for perfect
baked potatoes? Theirs have the perfect mealy texture. I've tried
nuking (microwaving), oven baking, oiling, not oiling, piercing, not
piercing."

I passed Pauline's question to Holly Harnisch of Ketchum Public
Relations, which works with Wendy's. She relayed the question to
Wendy's headquarters and e-mailed me back:


"They said that Wendy's baked potatoes are baked the same at Wendy's
as people cook them at home, freshly baked in an oven. Wendy's bakes
the potatoes throughout the day, as needed, in an oven. They are never
cooked in a microwave.
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/06/14/food/groch/18_40_576_13_07.
txt

Melissa N.,
Good points.
However, this appears to be a local problem.
Did you go in, ask to speak to or call back and ask for the General
Manager?
For the quickest outcome that is where I would start.
Keeping it local.....
BillR.

Potatoes take an hour to cook. We try to have enough on hand at all
times using past sales trends. Some days this is not enough and we may
run out. There have been times when my location has had on hand what
we thought was enough and then get people who order 2 or more at a
time, and we then are down to nothing real quick.

As an alternative for a side dish you may choose a small salad, or do
as a number of people do, choose chili.

About the 800 number they take down your comments and they do get to
the store level (at least in company owned locations).

"If you are running out of potatoes every day then maybe you should
cook some more."... seems so simple, doesn't it?

I usually go to Wendy's for chili and a baked potato, and they do seem
to run out of potatoes too often. A baked potato is one thing that
can be stored in the refrigerator if they don't sell all the ones they
cooked, without affecting the quality. So why not be on the safe side
and cook more than needed, so customers will not be disappointed?
Maybe the problem is that they don't order enough potatoes in the
first place. You can't cook what you don't have.

I hope they answer your question.

I'm so deprived. I want a potato now too. I haven't had one of their
potatoes in 17 yrs. I forgot they had them. That's odd that they run
out of them so frequently too. Now I have to go to Wendy's for one
LOL Thank you *smile*