Posted on: Tuesday, December 7, 2004

Wendy's plans fries substitutes

By Bruce Horovitz
USA Today

So long burger, fries and soft drink.

Eager to boost sales, Wendy's yesterday announced plans to offer alternatives to fries in its adult combo meals, such as chili, baked potato or side salad at no extra charge.

The conventional fast-food combo meal is succumbing to the better-for-you food juggernaut. The no-french-fry substitution rule for the $115 billion fast-food industry's most popular — and most profitable — offerings is coming undone, with Wendy's at the forefront.

The move is an attempt by Wendy's to regain its once-unchallenged stature as fast-food's quality leader. It also shows that consumer interest in better-for-you kids meals — which now allow trading fries for fruit and soft drinks for milk at many chains — has evolved into demand for more nutritious adult combos, too.

Wendy's is "actively responding to consumer requests for more varied and more nutritious food options," says Tom Mueller, president of Wendy's North America.

But improved nutrition can be tricky. A medium order of Wendy's fries is 390 calories. But a bacon-and-cheese-stuffed baked potato is 560 calories. A side salad with honey mustard dressing is about 310 calories. And a small chili with cheddar cheese and crackers is 300 calories.

Is this more nutritious? "Variety usually leads to better nutrition," says Jo Ann Hattner, clinical dietician at Stanford Medical School. "I'd suggest the salad as the side dish. And if you get the baked potato, use mustard instead of sour cream."