Wander into Wendy’s and it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Even if you’re able to resist the flock of chicken sandwiches and tempting variations on the Frosty, narrowing down the signature square burger selections is a challenge on its own. The right burger is going to depend on a lot of things, from how hungry you are to your relative appreciation for bacon. Or maybe, you just want to feel like a kid again. Whatever you’re feeling, here’s a look at all of Wendy’s burgers, to make at least one crucial life decision a little easier.
RECOMMENDED: The best items on the Wendy's menu, ranked
Jr. Cheeseburger/Hamburger
The king of Wendy’s sunroom nostalgia is and will always be the Frosty. But since mom and dad wouldn’t let you have ice cream for lunch, second in line is this classic, square little hamburger. Somehow, it filled you up and tasted like the whole world on a bun when you were a jit, and the faint flavor of pickles still brings you back to those simpler days. As an adult, it’s not good for much more than a “Ratatouille”-style trip back to childhood. It’s still tasty, but unless you’ve got the stomach of a six-year-old, you’ll still be hungry.
Price: $2.00
Calories: 240 Hamburger; 280 Cheeseburger
Double Stack
The double stack is like nostalgia-plus-one, a way to get that same, square-patty feeling from the old days with enough meat to satisfy. It’s—hold onto your hats—a double stack of beef and cheese on the same bun as the Jr. Cheeseburger, packing more protein onto the same amount of bread. I’ll stop short of calling it “low carb,” but if you’re looking for more meat and less bread, start here.
Price: $3.29
Calories: 400
Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger
If you looked at this name, then back at the Double Stack, it would be easy to assume this was just a Jr. Cheeseburger with bacon. But that Dave Thomas is full of surprises. The Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger starts out like its bacon-less predecessor, then—you guessed it—adds bacon. The burger gets a little twist with LTO, mayo, and ketchup on top too, making it more like the Dave’s Single with bacon than a suped-up kiddie burger.
Price: $3.29
Calories: 360
Dave’s Single
Dave’s signature classic is in the same lines as the Whopper and Quarter Pounder with cheese. It’s an uncomplicated combination – square quarter-pound beef patty, American cheese, LTO, ketchup, and mayo, and the go-to order if you just wanna stop in and get a burger. Not enough meat for you? Dave’s got you. This burger comes in double or even triple-sized, adding extra layers of beef and cheese.
Price: $7.19
Calories: 580
The Baconator
Every burger place needs a burger that sounds like it could also be a villain from “Running Man.” Wendy’s prison yard all-star is the Baconator, a massive heap of cholesterol on a bun that might not kill you today, but will probably do so at some point. It is delicious, though, a beautiful pile of rich flavors where salty bacon melds with greasy meat and creamy American cheese. For the hardcore burger types, this is your Wendy’s order. For the rest, you may want to try the smaller, more manageable Son of Baconator, a reasonable double-stack of meat, bacon, and cheese.
Price: $8.49
Calories: 930
Big Bacon Classic
I’m not gonna call anything with the words “Big Bacon” in it healthy, but after the gut bomb that is the Baconator, anything with lettuce feels like lunch at a wellness resort. The Big Bacon is essentially Dave’s classic, featuring Applewood-smoked bacon, which means you get at least a serving or so of veggies with your lunch. It’s the choice for those who want a bacon cheeseburger, but aren’t into extreme eating quite yet.
Price: $7.89
Calories: 630
