Today, we review Wendy’s Chili. This is an offering from Wendy’s Fast Food restaurant.
Dave Thomas founded Wendy’s in 1969 in Columbus, Ohio. He named the restaurant after his fourth child. It’s headquartered in Dublin, Ohio. Today, the company is part of Triarc, the publicly traded parent company of Arby’s. By 2018, Wendy’s had become the world’s third-largest hamburger chain, behind McDonald’s and Burger King.
Wendy’s chili has been a staple on the menu since the restaurant’s inception. It is made using cooked hamburger patties and features a beef-and-bean base. While I know there is a debate about whether beans belong in chili, I won’t delve into that discussion here. Instead, I will focus on evaluating Wendy’s chili as a whole.
The Construction
For the most part, the Wendy’s Chili was assessed as ordered. A request for Wendy’s Hot Sauce was made. There are no options to remove ingredients from the chili. There are also additional options for cheddar cheese, sweet onions, and sour cream if one chooses
- Tomato Base
- Ground Beef
- Onions
- Celery
- Green Pepper
- Red Kidney Beans
- Pinto Beans
- Hot Chili Sauce (Served separately)
- Saltine Crackers (Default – Served Separately)
- Size: Large
- Bowl Diameter: 4.0 inches
- Weight: 13 ounces
- Location: Indian Trail, NC
- Price: $3.59
The Appearance (*)
This is a new section we have recently introduced. This will be included (where we can) in Coalition Eats reviews. It is not part of the scoring, but this section compares the actual product with how it was advertised. Below this is the photo from Wendy’s site. While not exact by any means, the chili is similar to the picture, and it is within striking distance in terms of appearance. Wendy’s Chili is actually closer in appearance to its advertised image than most fast food offerings.
Comparison Rating: Fair
The Experience
We use the same scoring algorithm we used to assess George’s Chili from Culver’s.
- Stock: 4 points
- Ground Beef: 2 points
- Vegetables and Extras: 2 points
- Intangibles: 2 points
I did not include saltine crackers in the assessment because I do not eat them in chili.
Stock
The chili stock is tomato-based and is definitely on the milder side. It enhances the natural sweetness of the tomatoes. If you enjoy mild, sweet flavors, this stock is perfect for you. However, if you’re looking for a bit more heat, you can add Wendy’s Chili Sauce (more details on that later).
Score: 2.0 out of 4.0 points
Ground Beef
The beef in Wendy’s Chili is extremely tender. It will take on some of the qualities of the tomato chili stock, with spices and sweetness imparted. It’s average meat, as it doesn’t really have much rich, meaty flavor. Wendy’s does say their meat is never frozen, so while it’s from hamburgers cooked already, it still wasn’t frozen.
Score: 1.0 out of 2.0 points
Vegetables and Extras
The beans are the main condiment in the chili. Both the kidney and pinto beans are on the softer, tender side. Sometimes I like a little more snap on my beans, but this was still fine. They delivered mild earthiness and nuttiness. They also absorbed some of the tomato sauce.
The peppers, onions, and celery impart mostly a seasoning flavor. Of the three, the green peppers are the ones visible. Most of the onion and celery dissolve.
The Chili Sauce is clear and vinegar-based. It will not thicken the chili, but it will deliver a mix of heat and tanginess. It comes in a packet – and was actually quite good.
Score 1.0 out of 2.0 points
Intangibles
First up, in terms of overall experience, this definitely exceeds the sum of its parts. The ingredients do come together nicely. I do like how the stock imparts flavor on all of the other components. The chili sauce provided in the packet was key for me. As I mentioned, it’s a good chili sauce that lets you adjust the heat level from mild to hot. I only used one packet, which brought the spiciness to a medium level.
However, the overall proportions in the dish were off, which could have improved the overall rating. There wasn’t enough meat or beans in this chili.
Regarding serving size, I ordered the large portion. If you’re considering this as a main meal, you should definitely opt for the large size; otherwise, it functions more as a side dish.
Score 1.25 out of 2.0 points
OVERALL EXPERIENCE
TOne notable aspect of Wendy’s Chili is its price; I paid $3.69 for it, and it earned a respectable score of 5.25. While it does contain some leftover hamburger meat, I would have liked to see more meat and additional beans as well. The stock was a bit sweeter than I prefer, but the advantage is that you can add hot sauce to adjust the heat to your liking. As I mentioned in my review of Culver’s Chili, there may be better options out there, but Wendy’s Chili provides a good value and is superior to many other fast food choices.
Summary
| Stock | 2.00 |
| Meat | 1.00 |
| Vegetables & Extras | 1.00 |
| Intangibles | 1.25 |
| Total | 5.25 |
Score: 5.25 (out of 10 points)
Value: Slightly Above Average
Photo Credits: Cigar Coop, except where noted
