Wendy’s Drops an Emo Album: “Songs to Listen to in a Wendy’s Parking Lot”

For years, fans have turned Wendy’s parking lots into an unexpected backdrop for documenting life’s emotional moments from the comfort of their car. So, we gave those moments a soundtrack. If you’ve been there too, songs like “Salt in the Wound,” and “She Said She Didn’t Want Fries (She Lied),” may speak to your soul more than you’d expect.

With emo and pop-punk experiencing a resurgence in culture, the genre felt like the perfect backdrop for celebrating everything from Frosty treats and fries to sunrooms and late-night Wendy's runs.

Yes, We Made a Real Emo Album

When we first came up with the idea to make an emo album, we knew we had to do the genre justice. So we partnered up with respected artists from across the emo community, resulting in a soundtrack made by real musicians, not generated by AI, and a high-quality production that stays true to the genre.

That team of artists includes multi-platinum producer and songwriter Matt Squire – whose credits include Panic! at the Disco, 3oh!3, All Time Low, Simple Plan and Sum 41 – along with a lineup of artists who know exactly how to turn heartbreak, nostalgia and existential dread into a catchy chorus.

Featuring Matty Mullins of Memphis May Fire and Anberlin, Chloe Kinnon of Winona Fighter, Shane Told of Silverstein, Beau Bokan of Blessthefall, Derek DiScanio of State Champs and Kat Leon of Holy Wars, this album pairs surprisingly well with a Wendy’s combo and a dramatic stare out the front windshield.

"Emo has always been about the small moments that feel huge. A younger generation is discovering that now, and the older fans never stopped feeling it," said Executive Producer Matt Squire. "Enjoying a Wendy’s Frosty in a parking lot might sound like a small moment, but everybody's had a night where that was the only thing that went right."

The album turns Wendy's food into feelings. Brand truths become confessions, with lyrics like "Always Fresh, Never Frozen," "Square Burgers Saved My Soul" and "It's Not a Phase, It's a 10PC." Fan rituals are expressed through lines like "Great Together, Like Frosty & Fries," "Dipped Fries, A Salty Sweet Goodbye" and "My Frosty's Funeral."

There's some edge too, because emo has never been polite about it, with lines like "Redheads Treat You Better" and "No Happy in Your Meal Anymore." And some lyrics hit home whether you're an emo fan or not: "She Said She Didn't Want Fries, She Lied" and "Frosty Cup Is Empty, I'm Barely Hanging On."

The six-track album includes:

• “She Said She Didn’t Want Fries” featuring Matty Mullins
• “Salt in the Wound” featuring Chloe Kinnon
• “I Miss the Sunroom” featuring Shane Told
• “The Best Combo Meal on the Worst Night of My Life” featuring Beau Bokan
• "It’s Not a Phase, It’s a 10PC” featuring Derek DiScanio
• “My Frosty’s Funeral” featuring Kat Leon

Not Our First Mic Drop

Longtime Wendy’s fans may remember, We Beefin’?, Wendy’s 2018 hip-hop mixtape that proved we take our music experiments as seriously as we take our Hot n’ Crispy Fries.

Songs to Listen to in a Wendy’s Parking Lot picks up where that project left off, trading hard beats for emo confessions. This time, Wendy’s is leaning into the ache of six strings with songs like “I Miss the Sunroom,” a track made for emo music lovers who still want every chorus to hit like a late-night confession. 

Listen in and Crank it Up

Songs to Listen to in the Wendy’s Parking Lot officially dropped today, September 23, on Spotify and all major streaming platforms. Hungry for more? Follow @Wendy’s on social for music videos, behind-the-scenes content and more ways to fully embrace your parking lot era.