Why Wendy's First Attempt At Breakfast Was A Total Failure

Wendy's breakfast is, objectively, pretty good. The Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit is one of the best fast food biscuits out there, and its menu boasts a variety of great options for your breakfast fill. However, did you know that Wendy's first go at breakfast wasn't nearly as delicious? In fact, it was a total flop.

Let's go back to July 1, 1985. "Back to the Future" was set to become the movie of the summer, Live Aid concerts were selling out in Philadelphia and London, and Wendy's International was set to provide made-to-order omelets for its first-ever breakfast run. In theory, it was a fantastic move.



In practice, it was one of the brand's biggest mistakes . With lots of eggs on hand and millions of hungry customers across the country, Wendy's wanted to do something a little different for its breakfast menu. However, just nine months after the fast food made-to-order omelets hit the market, Wendy's closed its doors for breakfast nationwide, leaving the choice to serve breakfast up to the franchise's individual stores.

So what went wrong? It wasn't an issue of taste — it was an issue of time. What went so wrong with Wendy's breakfast? Wendy's first go at breakfast was a failure for an understandable reason. After the chain stopped serving breakfast, R.

David Thomas, founder and senior chairman of Wendy's, explained why the idea didn't quite pan out. "The biggest problem we had was a service problem," said Thomas to the Los Angeles Times in 1986. "We made every omelet to order.

" Now, anyone who has worked a brunch shift or made omelets to order for their friends and family knows that making omelets isn't a particularly simple task. While a classic omelet recipe calls for only a few ingredients (eggs, milk, cheese, plus fix-ins), the process of cooking omelets — along with customizations — can take longer than slapping together a breakfast sandwich with pre-made ingredients. "Omelets are more complicated.

Our competitors make things up and put them under a heat lamp," Thomas also said. "We just couldn't compete with that. It was a brand-new procedure.

" Wendy's did, however, make a comeback in 2020 and returned to the breakfast game nationwide. Comprised of breakfast burritos, biscuits, croissants, and English muffins (and yes, no omelets ..

. at least not yet?), Wendy's breakfast menu has become a popular choice amongst fast food enthusiasts and morning people alike — from opening to 10:30 a.m.

Perhaps, without its initial misstep, the chain's breakfast menu wouldn't be the crowd favorite it is now — so that's something to be thankful about!.