Bring the Syrup back

On Friday February 6, 2009 I was informed that Wendy’s would no longer provide syrup with their breakfast menu items. How can a fast-food chain, or a restaurant, that sells breakfast not supply syrup? With the current state of the economy it’s understandable that the cost of things have gone up.

For example in December 2008, price quotations from the two largest syrup packers in New England ranged from $ 41.5 per gallon of Grade A syrup to $ 44 per gallon wholesale. However, I discovered that Wendy’s maple syrup, like many maple syrups, is imitations, which are far less expensive than real maple syrup.

In my opinion fast-food giants trying to compete with one another (Wendy’s and McDonalds) should supply a well known breakfast condiment. A customer, like myself, that wants a sausage biscuit and is either allergic to or dislikes jelly/jam won’t go to Wendy’s for breakfast. A dry biscuit isn’t pleasurable!

In addition to all this the argument has come up that, if I want syrup so much I should bring my own. To that I have this response. Fast-food companies are based on the concept of reasonably priced, fast, and convenient food. If I had to buy syrup to eat with my food then there would be a difference in price. Why would I do that when both McDonalds and Burger King have syrup? In all honesty how convenient is it if you have to supply your own condiments every time you went to a fast-food restaurant?

An alternative for Wendy’s may be to sell a smaller quantity of syrup; or to only allow it with certain breakfast items. No longer selling French Toast Sticks isn’t an excuse not to have syrup. Maybe this corporation needs to bring the French Toast Sticks back all together. Whatever decision you decide, the main point I’m trying to get across is that a restaurant with breakfast food needs to provide syrup. Both McDonalds and Burger King do. The money that this corporation thinks its saving will be lost in the long run.