Wendy's to roll out Uber-style surge pricing as soon as next year
You may soon see the term "surge pricing" associated with burgers and fries in addition to Ubers and Lyfts.
Wendy's is planning to roll out a dynamic pricing model similar to ride-sharing companies as soon as next year, CEO Kirk Tanner said on an earnings call earlier this month. This means Wendy's prices would fluctuate based on time, location and demand.
Tanner also said on the call the company would be rolling out new plans to improve company profits, such as digital menu boards that would be able to update prices in real time and different menu offers during certain parts of the day.
"As we've previously shared, we are making a significant investment in technology to accelerate our digital business," Wendy's said in an emailed statement to USA TODAY.
"In addition to evolving our loyalty program, one of the other benefits of these investments will be the flexibility to change the menu more easily and to offer discounts and value offers to our customers through innovations such as digital menu boards, which will roll out in some U.S. restaurants," the statement reads.
"As early as 2025, we plan to test a number of features such as AI-enabled menu changes and suggestive selling based on factors such as weather that we think will provide great value and an improved customer and crew experience," the statement concludes.
Free food:You can get a dozen doughnuts from Krispy Kreme for $2.29 on Leap Day. Here's how.
In addition to surge pricing, Wendy's introduces new Cinnabon Pull-Apart menu item
The fast-food burger chain has also announced a sweet new addition to its breakfast menu.
Wendy's partnered with Cinnabon to introduce the Cinnabon Pull-Apart, an item made of warm, buttery dough bites baked together with cinnamon and topped with Cinnabon's signature cream cheese frosting.
The item is now available at Wendy's restaurants nationwide during breakfast hours.
While breakfast hours vary at Wendy's locations, most restaurants begin serving breakfast at 6:30 a.m. and finish at 10:30 a.m. The company recommends checking with your local restaurant to verify their breakfast hours.
On leap day, Thursday Feb. 29, customers can get a free Cinnabon Pull-Apart at their local Wendy's restaurant during breakfast hours, while supplies last.
Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari.
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