Vote with Your Taste Buds!

Wendy's Invites America to Decide Which Hamburger Build Cuts the Mustard

Bob Bertini
(614) 764-3327

DUBLIN, Ohio – September 7, 2007 – Hot, juicy hamburgers piled high with a variety of toppings.

That’s the inspiration behind the “Build Wendy’s New Burger” contest, which has generated more than 15,000 recipes from burger-lovers across the country.

The many hamburger flavor combinations have been narrowed to ten contenders, and now America gets to choose its favorite. Voting will take place at ThisIsMyBurger.com through September 24.

The winner will receive $25,000 and the opportunity to potentially have his or her hamburger added to Wendy’s menu in 6,000 stores nationwide. Nine runners-up will receive free Wendy’s hamburgers for a year.

With 54 ingredients to select from - some classic, some creative, some eclectic - entrants crafted their ultimate burgers online and submitted their creations to a team of Wendy’s hamburger experts for judging. The panel looked at the taste, build-ability and originality of each entry, and selected the following finalists, in no particular order:

Texas Ranch Burger	Two fresh beef patties, bacon, Colby Jack cheese, caramelized onion, iceberg lettuce, ranch sauce and BBQ sauce, all on a premium bun
The Californian	Two fresh beef patties, bacon, Pepper Jack cheese, avocado, iceberg lettuce, sliced tomato and ranch sauce, all on a premium bun
Philly-Style Hoagie Burger	Two fresh beef patties, sliced ham, Genoa salami, American cheese, fresh onion rings, shredded lettuce, sliced tomato and creamy Italian dressing, all on a premium bun
Spicy Bacon Guac Burger	Single fresh beef patty, bacon, Pepper Jack cheese, sliced jalapeno peppers, guacamole and hot pepper sauce, all on a premium bun
Bacon Mushroom Teriyaki Burger	Single fresh beef patty, bacon, Mozzarella cheese sauce, Teriyaki sautéed mushrooms and onions, iceberg lettuce and garlic mayonnaise, all on a premium bun
New Age Mediterranean Burger	Single fresh beef patty, Feta cheese, sliced avocado, fresh onion rings, sliced tomato and garlic mayo, all on Wendy’s freshly-baked artisan bread
Calypso Bacon Cheeseburger	Single fresh beef patty, bacon, Pepper Jack cheese, mango salsa, onion rings, fresh spinach and spicy brown mustard, all on a premium bun
Beef & Portabella Melt	Single fresh beef patty, bacon, cheddar cheese, sautéed portabella mushrooms, caramelized onions, fresh spinach, sliced tomato and garlic mayo, all on a premium bun
Wendy’s New Teriyaki Blast Burger	Single fresh beef patty, sliced ham, bacon, Swiss cheese, Teriyaki sauce, pineapple and mayonnaise, all on a premium bun
Tuscan Burger	Single fresh beef patty, gorgonzola cheese, caramelized onions, sliced tomato and balsamic mayo, all on a premium bun

”We’re anxious to see which enticing hamburger America wants on our menu,” said Wendy’s Chief Marketing Officer Ian Rowden. “We’ve certainly seen some wild flavor combinations, but we’re thrilled that so many consumers have taken time to come up with their ideal hamburger creation.”

The contest is just one of the ways Wendy’s is bringing to life its promise of fresh, never-frozen beef hamburgers, while engaging younger consumers in compelling ways. Currently underway is a 24-city Great Taste Tour, a mobile sampling effort featuring the give away of 72,000 hamburgers and gift cards.

Other Features of ThisIsMyBurger.com
In addition to the “Build Wendy’s New Burger” contest, ThisIsMyBurger.com includes other interactive features:

-- Community page
    -- Create your individual hamburger profile and see where other
       hamburger fans live who order the same way you do.

-- Create Your Wendy
    -- Features a tool that allows people to design their own
       interpretation of the familiar Wendy character using a pre-set
       group of elements (hair, eyes, outfit, etc).

-- Video Gallery
    -- A gallery with "Create Your Wendy" artist videos with music by
       up-and-coming regional bands.
    -- Humorous short videos that show how a great hamburger can spice
       up everyday situations.