History

Dave Thomas opened the first Wendy's at 257 East Broad Street downtown on November 15, 1969, named for his daughter Melinda Lou. The square fresh-beef patty distinguished Wendy's from McDonald's and Burger King's frozen round patties. The Frosty followed as a half-shake half-soft-serve dessert. Wendy's moved its corporate headquarters to Dublin in 2006.

Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 15 minTotal 20 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 500g 80/20 ground chuck, never frozen
  • Sea salt and black pepper
  • 4 round burger buns, toasted
  • 8 dill pickle slices
  • 4 American cheese slices
  • Iceberg lettuce, shredded
  • Sliced tomato
  • Mayonnaise
  • Yellow mustard

Method

  1. Divide the ground chuck into 4 equal portions. Press each into a 1cm-thick square patty wider than the round bun.
  2. Season generously with salt and pepper on both sides just before cooking.
  3. Cook on a hot cast-iron griddle 90 seconds per side for medium. Add cheese in the final 30 seconds; cover briefly to melt.
  4. Toast the buns cut-side down on the griddle until golden.
  5. Build: bottom bun, mustard, mayo, pickles, lettuce, tomato, square patty, top bun. Serve with a Frosty.

Tip from the editors. Never frozen, never round. The square geometry is the entire point; it overhangs the round bun on purpose.

Where to eat wendy's square fresh-beef patty

Wendy's square fresh-beef patty in Columbus

Featured by TableJourney as a signature dish of Columbus. See the Columbus signature dishes guide for the canonical version.

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