Yes, Wendy’s Is Selling $1 Burgers Following ‘Dynamic Pricing’ Fiasco
And you don't even need to buy anything to claim it.
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If you’re trying to make a list of people who had the worst time last week, the top three have to be whichever British Royal Family press officer had to respond — or not respond — to all of those questions about where the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, has been since Christmas; both the organizers of that truly grim Willy Wonka-inspired experience in Glasgow and the despondent-looking Oompa Loompa whose facial expression launched a million memes; and Wendy’s CEO Kirk Tanner who announced that the chain could roll out dynamic pricing at its restaurants by the end of next year.
Dynamic pricing is a familiar concept to anyone who’s ever had to pay significantly more for an Uber after a concert or on a busy Saturday night. Much like those “surge prices,” Wendy’s proposed system would mean that the cost of certain menu items could fluctuate up or down based on several factors — including time of day or how busy the restaurant was.
Saying that a majority of people did not love this idea is an understatement: It was criticized on social media, mocked by its fast food rivals, and joked about on late-night TV. (“A burger may cost a dollar more during the lunch rush, and $40 more at 3 a.m.,” Late Night host Seth Myers quipped. “We know you want it!”)
Related: Wendy's Still Plans to Introduce Dynamic Pricing in 2025 — Here's Why It May Not Be a Great Idea
Unsurprisingly, the Ohio-based chain started walking this whole concept back — and fast. “We have no plans to [raise prices based on demand] and would not raise prices when our customers are visiting us most,” Wendy’s wrote on its website. “Digital menu boards could allow us to change the menu offerings at different times of day and offer discounts and value offers to our customers more easily, particularly in the slower times of day.”
On Monday, Wendy’s announced a new March Madness-themed burger promo that isn’t explicitly an apology…but still feels slightly like an apology. From now through Wednesday, April 10, Wendy’s guests can claim a Dave’s Single burger for $1 or a Dave’s Double for $2 through the Wendy’s app.
“As the Official Hamburger of March Madness, Wendy's is giving college basketball fans and athletes the quality fresh, never frozen beef that they deserve to fuel every buzzer beater, layup, and alley-oop all tournament long,” Wendy’s said in a statement.
Related: Wendy's Is Introducing Uber-Style Surge Pricing
In order to get your $1 or $2 burgers, customers will need to add either a Dave’s Single or Dave’s Double to an order in the Wendy’s app, before going to the Wendy’s offers page and adding the discount to the order. You’ll also need to sign up for a Wendy’s account – or log in to an existing account — to claim this deal. (The fine print also says that you can only get one $1 or $2 burger at a time, and each Wendy’s account can only redeem the offer once before April 10.)
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