Wendy's: New peanut butter sauce for salad

[twinturbo]

Just walked in and walked right out of our local Wendy's. Big sign on counter announcing serving Asian Chili vinaigrette w/peanut for salad w/cashew. Brand new not sure if it's in all Wendy's.

Thankfully they had a sign on the counter and I read it.

http://www.brandeating.com/2014/03/news-wendys-new-asian-cashew-and-bbq-ranch-chicken-salads.html?m=1

http://www.wendys.com/en-us/salads/asian-cashew-chicken-salad

[Macabre]

Thank you.  This is the comment I left them:


I am so sad to learn that you now have a dressing that contains peanut.  Because my son has a peanut allergy and I have a sesame allergy, Wendy's has been the one fast food place beside's Taco Bell that my family can go to.  Wendy's has been the only hamburger I can eat out period (though not when you've had the flatbread offering---I had a reaction to my hamburger then).  My 16 year old son is vegetarian (has been for 8 years), and he always gets a salad at Wendy's.  He will no longer be able to do that--as long as you have the Asian dressing.  There will be peanut protein on the outside of the dressing packet because of manufacturing processes.  Also, dressing can spill.  The presence of the peanut dressing will render ALL of your salad dressing packets unsafe for my son to handle.  The chances for cross contamination are too great.  Wendy's has been a valued restaurant to the food allergy community. Please remove the peanut dressing.  Our kids have so few options for dining out safely as it is.  We *need* Wendy's as an option.  You aren't going to lose customers by not offering a peanut dressing--they can get that elsewhere. But you will lose customers by adding the peanut dressing.  Please--continue to do right by food allergy families.  Remove this menu item now.   Thank you.

[Macabre]

Here's the link to comment. If you are upset about this, please use it.

http://www.wendys.com/en-us/contact-wendys

[Jessica]

A few years ago on the old pa.com board I mentioned that I sent an email complaining about their packets of peanuts that they had at the time (this was probably 10 yrs ago) and I caught a ton of grief for it (on the board). Some of the grief came from people who are also members of this board.

[twinturbo]

Spicy Asian Chili Vinaigrette (made with roasted peanuts)

Water, Brown Sugar, Corn Syrup, Rice Vinegar, Peanut Butter (ground roasted peanuts),Chili Garlic Sauce (salted chili pepper [chili peppers, salt], garlic, sugar, rice vinegar, water, modified corn starch, acetic acid), Miso (water, organic soybeans, rice, salt, koji starter [aspergillus oryzae]), Lime Juice (water, lime juice concentrate, lime oil), Cilantro, Soy Sauce (water, soybeans, salt, alcohol), Soybean Oil, Ginger, Sea Salt, Xanthan Gum, Spice, Garlic (dehydrated), Mustard Seed, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Red Pepper (dehydrated), Oleoresin Rosemary, Yeast Extract. CONTAINS: PEANUTS, SOY.

[CMdeux]

As I noted in the other thread, about the cashews in the packet-- a solid is different from an emulsified product like that salad dressing in terms of cross-contamination potential.  I'm far more worried about a gel or liquid contaminating multiple food prep surfaces behind the counter, KWIM?

[Macabre]

Jessica I'm sorry. Since what we so as a community is advocate, I'm especially sorry.

[Macabre]

CM --yeah.

For folks whose kids don't eat salads at Wendy's, I can see how they might not be as concerned. But it's what my kid gets every.single.time. 

[Macabre]

I assume at some point we'll merge the two threads. 

[CMdeux]

Seems like a good idea, yes.   


Jessica, I've always been concerned about packets of "mix-in" and salad nuts on fast food menus, and we've not eaten IN restaurants that serve them, honestly.  We quit eating IN our local Wendy's about five years ago.  DD has actually eaten there maybe 3 times since then.    We also don't do McDonald's because of the flurry things-- it just seems too great a risk for DD in particular. 

It's a matter of threshold, though-- I can see how this wouldn't be a huge deal to those that have no problems at all in most restaurants, or are routinely around others eating the allergen.  That's not the case for some people though, and for them, this is kind of catastrophic news-- particularly for those of us with teens.     So while if I have to choose, a packet of nuts is preferable to liquid peanut butter... I'd sure rather that they weren't there to start with.

Peanut and egg allergy together can make fast food choices particularly brutal-- and the fact is that Wendy's is now the ONLY major fast food chain in our region without a breakfast menu featuring eggs-eggs-eggssssss.      Except now we don't have that either.    Makes my head hurt.

[twinturbo]

Related to anyone who uses Marzetti dressings, they are the supplier of the Simply Dressed Light Spicy Asian Chili Vinaigrette.

Where can you get the Light Spicy Asian Chili vinaigrette ?
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Marzetti

Jasmine, the Lt Spicy Asian Chili Vinaigrette is an exclusive flavor for Wendy's and is not available in stores. We appreciate your feedback and will pass it along to our brand team. We are happy to hear that you enjoy the new flavor of dressing. Thanks!
March 14 at 1:28pm

I had the new salad at Wendy's they serve with Marzetti Spicy Asian Chili Vinaigrette it's great! Where can I get some to use at home?
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Marzetti

Terri, so glad to hear you like the new dressings at Wendy's. The Simply Dressed Spicy Asian Chili Vinaigrette is an exclusive flavor for Wendy's and unfortunately we don't have anything in stores that is similar. We appreciate your feedback and will let our brand teams know about your interest in the flavor!

Putting the message out there for the lower threshold families who need the info. It seems really popular and here to stay.

ETA: changed title to reflect Marzetti's Asian Chili vinaigrette with peanut butter exclusive to Wendy's to increase accuracy and also let families using Marzetti's know even if they don't see it in stores it's being produced probably in same lines/facility. Customer response seems robust and word is getting to brand teams for demand in grocery store.

[nameless]

I have to say that though I'm dismayed by this, it's refreshing to see that Wendy's has "contains peanuts" everywhere that salad is listed/advertised. No mystery, no surprises.

I've emailed Marzetti --- I use their Simply Dressed dressings all the time and will be sad to see them leave my refrigerator. I've written in to ask about shared lines.

ayiyih.

[twinturbo]

When I searched earlier YKW mentioned she had a heck of a time getting real answers out of them along the lines of allergen wash.

Although bummed I'm very appreciative Wendy's had obvious signage to warn customers even if it shooed away those of us who unfortunately don't have a threshold for cross-contamination for squirty peanut gel. Wendy's had the right signage at the right place for me to about face and go elsewhere. For the warning I'm grateful.

[nameless]

I'm worried about 'splody packets getting all over and employees touching, spreading, not washing goo, etc. More than once I've gotten sticky-outside salad dressing packets    So I think the risk is real.

[GoingNuts]

Just emailed them.  Can't wait to see their response.