How To Hack Your Way To A Vegetarian Sandwich At Wendy's

No matter what fast food restaurant you decide to dine at, it's usually slim pickings when it comes to vegetarian options. That's why when chains like Burger King, Carl's Jr., and White Castle began introducing plant-based burgers to their menus circa 2019, it was a big deal for many customers. Wendy's, however, was a little late to the game. In 2021, a Spicy Black Bean Burger was released, but it was only available in select cities and didn't stay around long. Today, the only vegetarian-friendly entrees at Wendy's are still the salads and baked potatoes, however, you can actually hack your way to another option.

All you have to do is order a Jr. Cheeseburger Deluxe or Dave's Single. Then, ask for double the veggies, and, optionally, a side of fries to stuff inside. This will get you a sandwich piled high with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, ketchup, and mayo, as well as those fries if you choose.

When you order something from the actual menu, you can expect to get the same thing whether you order it in person or through the Wendy's app or website. However, the same can't be said if you order a custom vegetarian sandwich. The main difference is the price. Wendy's doesn't charge for extra veggies on the app or website, but it does in the restaurant, so it'll be cheaper if you place your order online.

The one advantage to ordering a vegetarian sandwich in person is that there are more add-on options. When you try to customize the Jr. Cheeseburger Deluxe online, for example, you can only modify the amount of each topping and choose add-ons from a pre-set list. But if you wanted to add any other available condiments like spicy chipotle, or a different type of cheese, you'd only be able to do so by placing your order at an actual Wendy's.

If you're a vegetarian and wish there was an easier way to get a vegetarian sandwich at Wendy's, the truth is you're one of a few, and that was proven by the 2021 release of the Spicy Black Bean Burger. The menu item wasn't just a limited edition offering. It was also Wendy's way of testing how well a plant-based sandwich would actually sell, hence why the press release referred to the select cities as "test markets." Before deciding whether to roll out a menu item nationwide or go back to the drawing board, fast food chains have to evaluate how it's received by different social groups in various locations, and evidently, the majority of Wendy's customers didn't end up being fans of the Spicy Black Bean Burger and was discontinued, not to be seen again.

It's definitely possible that Wendy's will introduce a vegetarian sandwich in the future, but ultimately profitability determines what fast food corporations put on their menus. You can still order the Spicy Black Bean Burger in the U.K., where it's been tweaked and is called the Curry Bean Burger, but in the U.S. you'll have to stick to the patty-less cheeseburger ordering hack.