DriversRecommendedOutdated drivers can make a good PC feel brokenScan driver issues before chasing fixes manually.Scan NowOctober DealsAmazon USOctober deal check: compare before you payAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.Check DealsWindows FixRecommendedWindows errors stealing your time? Find the fix fastScan stability, cleanup and performance issues.Fix Now×
Skip to content
The Finance Base
The Money Desk · Blog
Re:

Wendy’s Dynamic Pricing Plan: What the Company Clarified After Backlash

Wendy’s mentioned dynamic pricing among planned digital-menu tests, then said it would not raise prices when demand was highest. Here’s what that clarification covered.
From TheFinanceBase Team2 min to read
Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Wendy’s said in February 2024 that it would not raise prices when demand was highest. That clarification followed CEO Kirk Tanner’s mention of “dynamic pricing” among digital-menu features the company hoped to begin testing as early as 2025. Wendy’s described the boards as a way to adjust offerings by time of day and make discounts and value offers easier, especially during slower periods.

What Wendy’s originally proposed

On a February 15, 2024, investor call, Wendy’s CEO and president Kirk Tanner said the company would begin testing enhanced digital menu-board features “as early as 2025.” The features he named were dynamic pricing, daypart offerings, AI-enabled menu changes and suggestive selling. The Associated Press reported Tanner’s remarks.

“Daypart” refers to different parts of the day, such as breakfast or lunch. The announcement did not spell out the operating rules for any proposed pricing test, including which menu items or prices might change.

What Wendy’s clarified after the backlash

After media coverage and public criticism on February 27–28, Wendy’s told the Associated Press: “Wendy’s will not implement surge pricing, which is the practice of raising prices when demand is highest. We didn’t use that phrase, nor do we plan to implement that practice.” The company’s answer was specific: it rejected raising prices during the busiest periods, which it called surge pricing. AP’s report and Axios’s coverage documented the clarification.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
#1 Best Overall
Wendy's Physical Gift Card
  • The Gift of Wendy's is Always in Good Taste.
  • You can use this card to buy delicious food and drinks at participating Wendy's locations.
  • By purchasing and/or using Wendy’s Gift Cards, you agree to comply with Wendy’s Terms of Use including individual arbitration of any claims.
  • Physical gift cards are delivered active via mail.
  • This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return.

Wendy’s separately said digital menu boards could make it easier to change offerings during the day and provide discounts and value offers, particularly when business was slower. The company said future features would be designed to benefit customers and restaurant crew members. WCVB quoted the company’s explanation.

Dynamic pricing and surge pricing are not the same claim here

The initial phrase “dynamic pricing” was broad, and Tanner named it alongside daypart offerings and other digital-menu features. Wendy’s later addressed the concern readers focused on: whether it would charge more when restaurants were busiest. Its answer was no. The company pointed instead to making offers easier during slower periods.

Rank #2
Wendy's Physical Gift Card
  • The Gift of Wendy's is Always in Good Taste.
  • You can use this card to buy delicious food and drinks at participating Wendy's locations.
  • By purchasing and/or using Wendy’s Gift Cards, you agree to comply with Wendy’s Terms of Use including individual arbitration of any claims.
  • Physical gift cards are delivered active via mail.
  • This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return.

That distinction does not establish that every possible future price change would only lower prices. The February statements described proposed tests and the company’s position at that time; they did not publish a complete set of rules for any test. Contemporary coverage recorded backlash, but the reviewed reports do not establish a quantified measure of its size. AP described the consumer reaction without providing a representative count or percentage.

Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

What the digital-menu investment plans did—and did not—show

In 2024, Wendy’s planned about $20 million for digital menu boards at U.S. company-run restaurants by the end of 2025, plus about $10 million over two years for digital menu enhancements globally, according to AP. Those were reported investment plans, not confirmation that the rollout or pricing tests were completed.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
Rank #3
Wendy's Physical Gift Card
  • By purchasing and / or using Wendy’s Gift Cards, you agree to comply with Wendy’s Terms of Use including individual arbitration of any claims.
  • You can use this card to buy delicious food and drinks at participating Wendy's.
  • No returns and no refunds on gift cards.

The available contemporaneous reporting establishes what Wendy’s announced and clarified in February 2024. It does not establish whether the proposed tests or menu-board rollout later took place.

Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 1
Wendy's Physical Gift Card
Wendy's Physical Gift Card
The Gift of Wendy's is Always in Good Taste.; You can use this card to buy delicious food and drinks at participating Wendy's locations.
$25.00
Bestseller No. 2
Wendy's Physical Gift Card
Wendy's Physical Gift Card
The Gift of Wendy's is Always in Good Taste.; You can use this card to buy delicious food and drinks at participating Wendy's locations.
$50.00
Bestseller No. 3
Wendy's Physical Gift Card
Wendy's Physical Gift Card
You can use this card to buy delicious food and drinks at participating Wendy's.; No returns and no refunds on gift cards.
$75.00
Bestseller No. 4
McDonald's Physical Gift Card
McDonald's Physical Gift Card
An ideal gift for a quick meal on the go or a fun treat with friends and family.; No returns and no refunds on gift cards.
$25.00
Bestseller No. 5
Jersey Mike's Physical Gift Card
Jersey Mike's Physical Gift Card
Redemption: Instore and Online; No returns and no refunds on gift cards.
$25.00
Best Value
Jersey Mike's Physical Gift Card
  • Redemption: Instore and Online
  • No returns and no refunds on gift cards.
Rank #4
McDonald's Physical Gift Card
  • Perfect for all occasions - including holidays, thank you’ s, just because gifting, and especially birthdays (Grimace loves his birthday!) -- a McDonald's gift card is always a hit and a great value.
  • Gift an Arch Card to friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, teachers, service providers, etc.
  • From breakfast to dinner, and everything in between, McDonald's has something for everyone.
  • McDonald’s gift cards can be used on any menu item including fan favorites like the Egg McMuffin, McNuggets, the Big Mac, and of course our world-famous fries.
  • Our burgers are the hottest, juiciest burgers. Ask the Hamburglar, he can’t keep his hands off ‘em!

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

More post from the Money Desk

  1. The Money DeskBlogTheFinanceBase09 OCT 267 minMortgage Escrow FAQs: Taxes, Insurance, Shortages, and Refunds
  2. The Money DeskBlogTheFinanceBase09 OCT 265 minHow Mortgage Escrow Accounts Work and What Homeowners Pay For
  3. The Money DeskBlogTheFinanceBase09 OCT 265 minHow to Read a Stock Chart, Volume and Market-Cap Data
Recommended PC Tool
Recommended PC Tool
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They SpreadFree repair scan
Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?Free driver scan

Two free Windows tools

One Free Minute Could Fix That PC

Before you go - each of these free tools takes about a minute and tackles what quietly slows a Windows PC down.

Special offer. View Outbyte info, uninstall instructions, EULA, and Privacy Policy.