Wendy’s has always hung back, waiting to see what the other major Fast Food Players are doing before committing to any new trend. Now, the chain has finally unveiled its take on the Fast Food restaurant of tomorrow: They call it Wendy’s ‘Future Fresh’…
Wendy’s Fast Food Resto of the Future: The Future Fresh concept…
In the spirit of ‘catch-up’, Wendy’s has unveiled it’s long-awaited ‘Resto of the Future’ concept. And it’s more than just a concept: The first actual FF resto in North America has opened in Toronto!
Wendy’s signature stamp
The Future Fresh concept embodies everything Wendy’s has stood for over the years since Dave Thomas opened his first location in 1969.
“The opening of Canada’s first Future Fresh restaurant is an exciting milestone for Wendy’s, and a reflection of our confidence in the future of the brand across Canada,” says Mulvihill. “Future Fresh represents the next evolution of how we bring the Wendy’s experience to life for customers.”
The official news release explains: “Our new international restaurant design, Future Fresh, was shap-ed by insights from customers, franchisees, and learning from recent market entries. The feedback was clear: As we grow and strengthen our global footprint, Wendy’s needs to show up in a way that feels modern, confident, and differentiated, while staying true to the brand our fans know and love.”
What it is…
The Future Fresh FAQ goes into detail… “The Future Fresh concept features a bold architectural design highlighted by Wendy’s signature blue colour palette, an intentional shift designed to differentiate the brand in markets where many competitors rely heavily on red branding and an homage to the original Wendy’s restaurant.”
It also incorporates updated digital menu boards, enhanced ordering technology, streamlined lay-outs and marketing elements designed to create a more intuitive cust-omer journey.”
Flexible format
The Future Fresh concept embodies a certain amount of flexibility. SO franchisees can adapt it to their own markets. And those markets are truly global. Although, to date, no FF restos are open in the US, the chain has dropped some in a variety of international markets. There’s at least one FF location in Future Fresh restaurants are already open in several international markets, including Canada, Arm-enia, Chile, the Dominican Republic, England, the Philippines, and Scotland.
My take
By lagging back and gathering ‘intelligence’ on competitors’ Resto of the Future concepts, Wendy’s has hedged its bets on its own new look.
And I can’t see anywhere Wendy’s has lost ground to the competition by standing back, folding its corporate arms, and considering all the options.
Wendy’s has been quietly gaining ground over the past few years, consistently opening more new locations while the competition has been closing underperforming stores but opening only a few new ones. Slow and steady may eventually win the Fast Food Race!
~ Maggie J.