Wendy's square fresh-beef patty in Columbus

A fresh-beef square patty that hangs over the round bun edges, never frozen. Dave Thomas's original Wendy's signature, launched at the first East Broad Street location in 1969.

The story of Wendy's square fresh-beef patty

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.

How to make Wendy's square fresh-beef patty

Serves: 4

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.

Editor tip. Never frozen, never round. The square geometry is the entire point; it overhangs the round bun on purpose.

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