Wendy’s Fresh Beef FAQ

First, a little history: Who invented the hamburger? 

There’s no definite answer for who created the original hamburger or where it came from, but most sources agree its origins are somewhere in America around the late 1800s or early 1900s. While Dave Thomas didn’t invent the hamburger, he did set a standard in quality. At Wendy’s, we take pride in our square beef, because we know not all hamburgers are created equal. Since day one, we’ve been serving up our fresh, never frozen hamburgers– no frozen pucks or precooked patties! We can’t say the same for the other places.  

Why are Wendy’s burgers square? 

Dave Thomas’s vision wasn’t just about building a better hamburger, quality is in everything we do. That’s why at Wendy’s, we don’t cut corners. Wendy’s hamburgers have always been square, and they hang over the bun so our customers can see the quality beef before even taking that first bite. When you see the square, you’ll taste the difference.  

What’s makes the Wendy’s square hamburger the best?  

Our food vision, Fast Food Done Right, is focused on delivering a quality meal to every customer, every time. Square beef patties make it easy to know you're enjoying the very best hamburger for your buck: fresh, never frozen and made from 100% real beef. Our signature square hamburger patties have no fillers or additives because we know the beef is what matters when it comes to making the best hamburger in the game.  

Are Wendy’s hamburgers really fresh and never frozen? 

Yes, Wendy’s uses fresh, never frozen beef on every hamburger, every day. * We go the extra mile to ensure we are sourcing only the highest quality beef, and we transport fresh beef in refrigerated trucks to Wendy’s restaurants thousands of times every week. To keep our patties fresh, we closely monitor temperatures during shipping and work with the most technologically advanced companies in the business. In our restaurants, square patties are prepared fresh on the grill for the hot, juicy hamburger our fans know and love. You won’t find frozen pucks passed as a meal at Wendy’s... unlike what the other guys are serving up.  

Who supplies Wendy’s beef? 

To ensure the highest quality square hamburgers for our fans, we source 100% of our fresh, never frozen beef from Beef Quality Assurance certified farmers and ranchers. While some fast-food chains source their frozen beef from far away, we stick with the freshest suppliers close to home, so we don’t have to turn to the freezer. 

Where did the ‘Where’s The Beef®’ slogan come from? 

The original “Where’s The Beef” slogan originated in a Wendy’s commercial in 1984. You can find countless GIFs and memes of the iconic catchphrase when you scroll online, celebrating the nostalgia of this classic 80s slogan. When someone asks, “Where’s the beef?” they know they can find it at Wendy’s. We wanted to take this iconic slogan and make it known that the answer is in the square. If you’re looking for fresh, never frozen beef - “Square’s the beef™” - because square is better than the best. 

Next time you’re craving a hot, juicy hamburger, look for the square. Check out all of our hamburgers made with fresh, never frozen beef here. When you're craving a classic, iconic cheeseburger, I always go for a Dave’s Single®. The layering of our quarter pound** square beef patty with creamy American cheese, fresh produce, ketchup and mayo between a buttery, soft bun is just the way Dave Thomas intended! 

*Fresh beef available in the contiguous U.S., Alaska and Canada. 

**Approximate weight before cooking.