In our experience, most Wendy’s stores have been willing to mix and match sandwich elements to suit customers’ individual preferences, but at two restaurants near Wendy’s global HQ — where everyone is a perky redhead who never seems to put on a pound, in spite of all the fast food she devours — the burger chain is currently testing a program that makes this build-your-own idea official.

QSR Magazine posted the image shown at the left and confirmed with Wendy’s that the DIY sandwich program is indeed being tested at a pair of eateries in Columbus, OH.

As you can see, customers have a choice of bun, including the pretzel bun or no bun at all; options for protein, though it’s unclear if you can have both chicken and beef or if customers can only stack up beef patties (max. 3). Then there’s the cheese, toppings, and sauces options.

“It’s an early [operational] test,” a Wendy’s rep tells QSR. “We’re always looking at a variety of things, from menu offerings to equipment to technology to customer enhancement. Many of these approaches are changed [during testing] or never adopted.”

Prices for a DIY burger start at around $4; prices for chicken are slightly higher.

This is the latest in the fast food trend of trying to create new menu items without having to introduce new ingredients. In the last few years, a number of fast food franchisees have complained about being forced to take on limited-time menu items that may not sell well, like the McDonald’s Mighty Wings that didn’t sell anywhere near what the company had hoped.

[via BurgerBusiness]

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