Residents who enjoy fresh, square-shaped burger patties have been salivating since last summer after learning that a Wendy’s restaurant was coming to Moose Jaw — well, that delicious dream is a tasty reality.
The new business was buzzing during the grand opening on Jan. 31 as residents streamed into the building to purchase a meal and experience all the amenities the restaurant has to offer.
Drew and Laura Davis were some of the first people inside the restaurant and were munching on fries when they spoke about visiting.
“(I’ve) been waiting for this for, like, a few decades,” chuckled Mrs. Davis. “I love Wendy’s. It’s great food; (I) love the cheese sauce.”
The Davises are fans of the square burgers since the business served them fresh daily. Once they had finished their fries, they planned to dig into their double-pattied, cheese-covered, applewood-smoked Baconators.
“The Baconator is my favourite burger of anywhere,” said Mrs. Davis, while Mr. Davis noted that the iced cap drinks were also noteworthy.
Overall, the couple thought the food was wonderful and flavourful, while the fries were salted just right. Also, they thought the staff were courteous, happy and friendly, while they met owner Darren Miller at the door while walking in.
Asked if they planned to make Wendy’s a regular visit, Mrs. Davis replied, “For sure, of course.”
Miller, who owns Wendy’s franchises in Saskatoon and Prince Albert, was pleased to open a similar business in The Friendly City.
“Well, they (residents) wanted us, so here we are,” he smiled. “We’re very excited (to be here) … . Thank you, Moose Jaw, for welcoming us here.”
Miller had wanted to open a Wendy’s here for nearly nine years because the community provided a great market. There was also a big demand from residents for fresh, never frozen burger patties that was too big to ignore.
Wendy’s offers great food and has great staff, with 50 employed, he continued. The goal is to provide great service to one person at a time while ensuring they have the best experience possible.
“We don’t cut corners and everything’s fresh here,” Miller said, adding with a smile that the philosophy of not cutting corners also applies to the burgers.
Scott White, director of operations for Saskatchewan, agreed that the company was excited to open in Moose Jaw since it had been “a long time coming,” and residents have been eager for such a place.
“It’s a great little community. There’s a lot of surrounding population as well. And there’s definitely a need for square hamburger patties here,” he laughed.
What makes Wendy’s popular is the quality service and food it offers, a philosophy that founder Dave Thomas espoused when he was alive, White continued. Furthermore, besides providing great food, the company strives to treat its staff and customers well.
“It’s a good recipe for success,” he added.
The business has 38 seats, three digital kiosks to order food and a front counter to order and pickup. Furthermore, it has partnerships with delivery companies such as DoorDash and SkiptheDishes.
The building’s design is also one of only two in Canada, although the company expects to construct similar ones in the coming years.
Wendy’s physical address is 1707 Main Street North, but it’s located at what is likely the busiest corner in Moose Jaw — Thatcher Drive and Main Street North. White noted that that corner is the one on which to have a restaurant. Moreover, the company has been eying that spot for several years.
“I hope Moose Jaw is as excited as we are to be here and we look forward to serving the community for many, many years,” he added.
