Wendys Burger chain opening in Ireland

Quin_Dub

Just saw this news this morning , not exactly big news but what caught my eye was them saying this

It marks Wendy’s first foray into Ireland and follows its return to the UK in 2021 following a 20-year absence.

There was a Wendys in Dun Laoghaire in the late 80's that used to go to when I was in schools near there.

Square burgers , Pigtail girl logo and all that.

It was on the main street opposite the entrance to the Shopping centre.

Please tell me I'm not mad and that I did go to a Wendys back in the day??

Lewis_Benson

Like we need it, more shyte.

.

easygoing39

There was 100% a Wendys in Dublin city center back when I was a teenager.I'm going to guess Talbot St/North Earl St area???

Quin_Dub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122366525#Comment_122366525

Generally a burger joint is a burger joint although Wendys is a little better than some so it's not exactly important news.

The only thing that piqued my interest was the statement that this was their first time in Ireland , which my memory tells me isn't true..

Quin_Dub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122366543#Comment_122366543

Now that you say it , I think I remember that one too.

SupaCat95

I thought Wendys filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy last year or the year before in the states?

L1011

Yes, Wendys were here before and it is the same chain. Only had two branches I think, one is Elverys now in Dun Laoghaire and one in the city.

AyeGer

I ate there out in America years ago. It’s better than McDonalds anyway imo.

spurious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122366543#Comment_122366543

They had square burgers, a salad bar (ooh fancy) and were one of the 99p breakfast places. Late 80s I would say.

prunudo

Lets hope its better than Whammy Burger, was never the same after William Foster visited.

Tow

Reads as if the company owners in America never realised they had actually opened here! Which is always possible :-)

GerardKeating

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122366570#Comment_122366570

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122366734#Comment_122366734

I remember one in Cork too.

Many there were not "offical" Wendy's

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122366782#Comment_122366782

They were. Owner was vaguely obsessed with opening in Dublin as they're from Dublin Ohio.

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122366734#Comment_122366734

More likely a journo that doesn't remember. Article even mentions the Irish arm opening in 1981 but inaccurately claims it never traded.

Was ~1985 when they did actual open. Appalling time to start a new hospitality business in Ireland.

FionnB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058359164/wendys-burger-chain-opening-in-ireland

The one in Dun Laoghaire was called Mandy's for some reason, but it was there in the late 80s as you say.

acceletor

There was one in Rathnew 22 years ago. I used to get a bendy burger there.

Bridget Clarke

The Dublin City Centre one was on the right-hand side of North Earl Street, as you are heading towards the Spire. The burgers were square, and even greasier than most fast food burgers.

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122366970#Comment_122366970

That's Wimpy, not Wendys, you're thinking of

Applegreen's in-store places were Wimpy before they got a Burger King franchise in ~2010 or so.

Wendys were gone more like 32 years ago.

acceletor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122366976#Comment_122366976

Ah yes, you are correct sir!

plodder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122366919#Comment_122366919

There were a few other well known American brands in Dublin at that time, which disappeared here, but are still going strong in the US. Baskin-Robbins ice-cream, and 7-eleven convenience stores are two I recall. It must have been a brutal time to open up here though. Maybe they were targeting all the emigrants before they left home …😉

igCorcaigh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122366976#Comment_122366976

And I think I remember a Wimpy's in Cork too? Oliver Plunket street if I recall correctly? (Reminds me of Popeye!)

Did Wendy's announce any of the locations for their planned outlets yet?

jiminho

Lived in N.America for over a decade and went there once. Didn’t care for it. Doubt it will do well here and it’s not better than MCD or BK in my opinion

rossie1977

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122368505#Comment_122368505

Better than BK which is terrible. Wendy's i would put in the mid tier of burger chains quality wise below the likes of Five Guys, In N Out and Whataburger.

If Wendy's do a country wide marketing blitz with the Baconator it has chance to be successful here.

monkeybutter

Its one step below dog food

Francie Barrett

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122366985#Comment_122366985

We had Quiznos about 20 years ago as well. Better than subway yb, but never took off here

JVince

Did Burgerland in Baggot street change to Wendy's for a short while? And then change to New York New York?

1985-88 type of time

(Its now a cafe called Ethos)

cal naughton

No harm to have a bit more competition might keep manner's on supemacs who have gone very expensive

Rows Grower

Wendys, Wimpys and Mandys were 3 different companies as far as I remember.

Mandy's was on Patrick Street/Daunts Square in Cork city centre, never remember a Wendys in Cork and Wimpys was an english chain I think, they deffo had a restaurant attached to a garage somewhere between Charleville and Bruff back in the day.

JP Liz V1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122366782#Comment_122366782

Where?

I remember Mandys

SpoonyMcSpoon

Garbage and Irish people are fat enough as it is. Definitely not something to welcome.

GerardKeating

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122368878#Comment_122368878

No, it went from Burgerland to New York, New York, it was the same owner.

Oxo Moran

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058359164/wendys-burger-chain-opening-in-ireland

There was one in Dublin city center. I remember it.

amacca

I'd be interested if an In N Out if they came here.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122369115#Comment_122369115

Why else would they be opening here. Paddy O'Fatty will guzzle down this "food" and then wonder why the HSE is in dire straits and the health department is consistently over budget.

odyssey06

In the states do they have a drinks licence?

whisky_galore

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122369115#Comment_122369115

The fascination over anything new that comes from Amerikay. By jaysis lads, we're ating like Yanks now!

There will be massive queues for it.

susan678

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122369596#Comment_122369596

They should bring Taco Bell over and there will be massive queues for the loo.

drury..

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122369608#Comment_122369608

Taco bell has special toilets in the US

The raw sewage is double treated before flowing to the main sewers

Lewis_Benson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122369608#Comment_122369608

As a mate of mine who heads over to the states every year would put it, "liquid shyte".

drury..

Wendys is the one that states they use "fresh never frozen" beef

I wonder what that means or what the advantage would be there

Presumably it means the beef is only refrigerated not frozen

Montage of Feck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122366525#Comment_122366525

There'll no doubt be queues around the block and social media induced mania until the next thing comes along. Wouldn't mind a chick fill a though.

SpoonyMcSpoon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122369596#Comment_122369596

Dominos and Krispy Kreme success in Ireland spring to mind; it's disgusting to see Irish people celebrate ultra-processed american garbage. 6 out of 10 people are overweight in Ireland and 23% of over 15s are obese, making Irish people the second most obese in the EU. Irish people really need a wake up call.

drury..

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122371279#Comment_122371279

What's the solution

Regulation and taxation of business seems the only way

Business will produce garbage and people will eat garbage otherwise

There seems to be a generation of fat people in the US so doesn't look like health education works

Brian?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122366548#Comment_122366548

Wendy’s isn’t a “a little better than some” IMO. Take it from someone who lived in the US and has a Canadian wife. It ranks just above Jack in the Box and below Carl’s Jnr.

It’s awful.

Baba Yaga

think i remember them from back in the day…also seem to remember them being shite then so im guessing they're still shite…

JupiterKid

I'm old enough to remember when there was a Wendy's in Dublin before - in the early to mid 1980s there was definitely one on the quays - Bachelors Walk or Lower Ormond Quay - and I think there might have been another in the North Earl Street vicinity.

I've had Wendy's burgers in the States before - they are quite nice but as others opined here, another American fast food chain (re)entering the Irish market is probably not something to be over-joyed about given the serious obesity problem here - Ireland and the UK rank very poorly in European terms on this issue.

whisky_galore

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122371340#Comment_122371340

I really don't know.

It's basically cheap, high calorie Depression Era diner slop in shiny corporate packaging, Americans have been unable to wean themselves off of it.

Brian?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122371390#Comment_122371390

quite nice you say? That’s their star burger, the Baconator

Fizzlesque

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058359164/wendys-burger-chain-opening-in-ireland

You're not mad, there was a Wendy's in Dun Laoghaire. I worked there in 1988/1989. I used to earn an extra £3 for working the kids parties. It involved dressing up as Wendy with the red plait wig (can't remember if there was a costume too, but I think there was) and playing party games with kids. I loved it because it was easier than the other jobs that had to be done and you got an extra £3 per party. I don't remember the hourly rate back then but it couldn't have been much more so it was like double time payment for dressing up and acting silly.

odyssey06

I had a quick look at the menu, don't see anything that would give it a USP over other outlets we already have here, especially McDs and BK. Will need to pick the locations well, maybe ones that get a lot of tourist traffic.

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122371390#Comment_122371390

Quays was Wimpy, North Earl Street (now Anns Bakery) was Wendys I'm pretty sure. Completely different chains.