REVIEW: Wendy’s Frosty Swirls

Wendy’s Classic Chocolate Frosty is a top-tier fast-food dessert. Its chocolate malt flavor and icy texture are great on a spoon or on French fries. So the addition of Wendy’s Frosty Swirls that include brownie batter, caramel, or strawberry sauce twirled into the dessert must make them God-tier, right?

Well, read on, my fellow sweet tooths.

This new line follows the Girl Scout Thin Mints Frosty that came out earlier this year that featured a Thin Mints-flavored swirl. Much like that limited time offering, you can get these any way you want as long as it’s the Chocolate or Vanilla base. I got all chocolate ones with the brownie batter, caramel, and strawberry because I find the classic flavor to be the superior Frosty variety. I also was most intrigued by how well the strawberry sauce would go with the chocolate Frosty base, which I assume would create a lovely chocolate-covered strawberry flavor that would’ve been great for Valentine’s Day weeks ago.

My least favorite of the bunch was the caramel one because, for the most part, it tasted like a regular Chocolate Frosty. Despite the amount of sauce that clung to the sides of my cup, I couldn’t taste the caramel’s sweet butteriness as I ate my way down the cup. The only time I could really taste it was when I got to the bottom of the cup, where a pool of it awaited me. I imagine its flavor might’ve been more noticeable with a Vanilla Frosty.

Much like the caramel one, I believe the Brownie Batter swirl would’ve stood out more with the Vanilla Frosty. While it added some oomph to the treat’s chocolatiness in every spoonful, it didn’t make the dessert lean towards being brownie-flavored. Instead, it gave everything more of a darker chocolate flavor. What stood out more than the flavor was the swirl’s grittiness. It was similar to what was in the Thin Mints Frosty, and it added a pleasing texture to the creamy and icy Frosty base. Speaking of the Thin Mints Frosty, now that I think about it, this sauce seems to have the same chocolate flavor but without the mintiness.

If I had to pick a favorite, it would be the strawberry one. Although slightly artificial, the sweet strawberry sauce went well with the Chocolate Frosty and was noticeable in almost every spoonful. As I had hoped, it gave off a chocolate-covered strawberry vibe, which I loved. Even though the sauce had a gloopy texture, it was not noticeable among the Frosty’s iciness until I reached the bottom of the cup, where it pooled, much like the other sauces. I hope this returns next Valentine’s season.

While I liked all three, the sauces didn’t make Wendy’s Frosty Swirls a step up from a regular Classic Chocolate Frosty, but it was also not a step down. They just make things different, but not something that’ll make me want every Frosty from now on to come with swirls.

Purchased Price: $4.49 each
Size: Small
Rating: 6 out of 10 (Caramel), 7 out of 10 (Brownie Batter), 8 out of 10 (Strawberry)
Nutrition Facts: Caramel – 380 calories, 10 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 35 milligrams of cholesterol, 310 milligrams of sodium, 65 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 52 grams of sugar, and 10 grams of protein. Brownie Batter – 500 calories, 24 grams of fat, 8 grams of saturated fat, 30 milligrams of cholesterol, 370 milligrams of sodium, 61 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 50 grams of sugar, and 10 grams of protein. Strawberry – 330 calories, 8 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 30 milligrams of cholesterol, 160 milligrams of sodium, 59 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 50 grams of sugar, and 8 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Wendy’s Cajun Crunch Chicken Sandwich

Wendy’s Cajun Crunch Chicken Sandwich is more crunch than Cajun.

Between the Spicy Chicken filet, pepper jack cheese, Cajun crispy onions, lettuce, pickles, spicy mustard spread, and bun, four of them bring some level of crunch — the chicken, onions, lettuce, and pickles. Whenever I took a bite, there was a crunch here, a crunch there, a crunch everywhere.

But that texture doesn’t take away or redirect the spotlight from the sandwich’s flavor, which is exceptionally memorable. However, it’s not unforgettable because it’s delicious. It’s because this chicken sandwich tastes like a fish sandwich.

The combination of mustard and pickles is like a spicy tartar sauce, and it’s what my taste buds and mind reeled in with multiple bites from this. My tongue did note the Cajun spices on the crispy onions from time to time, but for the most part, my mind could not get away from the idea that this cluck sandwich tasted like a glub sandwich.

This menu item was also memorable because the chicken filet was dry AF (As Faya-Largeau). It’s been a while since I’ve had a fast food chicken that was this devoid of moisture, and it made a disappointing sandwich just a little more disappointing. Of course, your results may vary.

When it comes to spiciness, if you’re a fan of the heat from Wendy’s regular Spicy Chicken Sandwich, you’ll likely find this option to roughly be in the same ballpark, even with the spicy mustard. It’s a nice tingly heat that doesn’t go overboard or overwhelm the sandwich’s flavors.

Wendy’s Cajun Crunch Chicken Sandwich is a rather mediocre offering, unless you’re fond of fast food ASMR. While it does have a crunch that some might find satisfying, the overall flavor was disappointing. If you happen to live near a Popeyes, you have a better tasting option for a crispy chicken sandwich with Cajun spices.

Purchased Price: $7.49*
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 640 calories, 31 grams of fat, 8 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 90 milligrams of cholesterol, 1390 milligrams of sodium, 55 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 5 grams of sugar, 33 grams of protein.

*Because I live on a rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, things are a bit pricier here. You’ll probably pay less than I did.

REVIEW: Wendy’s Thin Mints Frosty

I liken the new Wendy’s Thin Mints Frosty to the Tostitos “Hint of” line of tortilla chips. The flavor is there but doesn’t bombard your taste buds with it. This new Frosty doesn’t scream pineapple like the SpongeBob SquarePants Under the Sea Pineapple Frosty or shout salted caramel like the Salted Caramel Frosty from last year. Instead, you’re getting a less pronounced flavor.

Unlike previous varieties, this one comes with either the chocolate or vanilla Frosty base and then a rich, minty cookie crumble sauce inspired by the popular Girl Scout Cookie is swirled and topped on the treat. It’s not blended together, so unless you do some mixing on your own, expect spoonfuls of just the icy and creamy base as you eat your way through the cup. That’s not the worst thing in the world, especially if you have fries to dip into them.

If you sample just the sauce, the Thin Mints flavor is mainlined to your taste buds. It has a grittiness comparable to the iciness of the Frosty base. There’s a hint of crunchiness in those cookie specks and a minty chocolate flavor in the dark sauce that brings Thin Mints to mind. However, when scooped with the vanilla or chocolate Frosty base, the sauce’s taste gets, um, thin. This flavor dilution happens more with the Chocolate Frosty base than with the Vanilla one.

The chocolate mint sauce makes these treats look enticing, but I wish it was mixed throughout the base to give it that mint chocolate oomph that we all know and love from the cookies.

While I found them to be a little disappointing, I enjoyed these Thin Mints Frosty varieties. However, I won’t scream and shout from the mountaintops about them. Heck, I don’t even think it’s something you should rush out the door for right at this moment. Instead, I think you should wait, order a pack (or a dozen) of Thin Mints from your friendly neighborhood Girl Scout Troop and use them to scoop up these Frosty flavors from the cup or crush the cookies and sprinkle them over the top to give your taste buds more than a hint of Thin Mints.

Purchased Price: $4.49 each
Size: Small
Rating: 6 out of 10 (Vanilla), 6 out of 10 (Chocolate)
Nutrition Facts: Vanilla – 490 calories, 22 grams of fat, 8 grams of saturated fat, 35 milligrams of cholesterol, 270 milligrams of sodium, 64 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 53 grams of sugar, and 10 grams of protein. Chocolate – 490 calories, 22 grams of fat, 8 grams of saturated fat, 30 milligrams of cholesterol, 270 milligrams of sodium, 64 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 51 grams of sugar, and 10 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Wendy’s Updated Taco Salad (2024)

There was a time when I ate a lot of Wendy’s chili. Everybody else would have their huge Bacon Cheese Whatever monstrosities, large fries, buckets of nuggets, and mega Frosties, and I would sit there, primly eating my fiber-rich, beany soup. My will was strong.

But I’ve weakened in my morals since then and have started experimenting with other Wendy’s fare, even burgers. But I still consider myself a Wendy’s Chili enthusiast, so I had to try the latest incarnation of its Taco Salad. This new incarnation of the classic entrée boasts new crispy chili lime tortilla strips, fire-roasted corn, and a “creamy zesty salsa” dressing, in addition to the standard ingredients: lettuce, tomato, shredded cheese, and, of course, chili.

When you open the plastic clamshell, it looks like a normal fast-food salad with a few tablespoons of corn kernels dropped on it; some of the corn had some visible char on it, but most did not. The other special ingredients—the seasoned tortilla strips, the creamy salsa dressing, and, of course, the chili–came separately. Considering the fact that my default portion was pretty close to filling the whole container before any of the add-ins went on, clearly construction of my bespoke salad would be a careful process.

If you eat Wendy’s chili regularly, then you know that sometimes it’s more watery than others. This time, it was pretty watery, so instead of dumping a bunch of it onto my salad and giving it a bath, I went in with a spoon and teased out the solid components, effectively straining out the water. I only got through about a third of the chili before I had enough for my plate, and I didn’t use all of the dressing because it seemed like too much of a good thing. If you want to eat this with all of the chili and all of the dressing, you are braver than I, and hopefully wearing clothes that don’t need to be dry-cleaned.

There is a lot going on in this salad, to put it mildly. I know saying, “It was like a party in my mouth” is totally played out, but my mouth was definitely experiencing some kind of festive event. I mostly enjoyed all the different flavors and textures, although the temperature fluctuation was a little strange; when I went from a forkful of pipping-hot chili to a cold clump of lettuce, it felt a little like something had gone wrong with my meal, but that’s just part of the experience.

Every component I can point to was good (although the “creamy salsa” dressing was basically just a less-tangy Ranch to my palate), yet I found trying to arrange perfect bites and get a little bit of everything in one mouthful was kind of…stressful. Next time I have it, and am confident I will have it again, I need to chillax and remember that I’m not being judged by the Wendy’s Police.

After all that, I’m pretty happy with this incarnation of the Taco Salad. Just be aware that assembling and eating the darned thing is more of a project than you might have been anticipating.

Purchased Price: $5.99
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (Salad w/dressing) 640 calories, 39 grams of fat, 13 grams of saturated fat, 1 gram of trans fat, 70 milligrams of cholesterol, 1550 milligrams of sodium, 47 grams of carbohydrates, 11 grams of fiber, 13 grams of sugar, and 27 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Wendy’s Mushroom Bacon Cheeseburger

With its beef patty, roasted mushrooms, Applewood smoked bacon, muenster cheese, and creamy garlic spread, Wendy’s says that its new Mushroom Bacon Cheeseburger is “literally oozing with umami.” With so many savory ingredients, I don’t doubt that, but the burger is also seeping with some surprising spiciness.

That hint of heat comes from the creamy garlic spread, which is literally oozing out from the sides of the burger. Here’s a list of the sauce’s ingredients to help figure out what’s causing the slight spiciness and to add 50 words to this review:

Soybean Oil, Water, Egg Yolks, Salt, Cider Vinegar, Distilled Vinegar, Garlic, Contains Less than 2% of Onion, Sugar, Dehydrated Onion, Dehydrated Garlic, Mustard Seed, Spices, Xanthan Gum, Monosodium Glutamate, Potassium Sorbate (A Preservative), Natural Flavor, Oleoresin Paprika (Color), Parsley, Citric Acid, Calcium Disodium EDTA Added to Protect Flavor. CONTAINS: EGG.

Well, whatever it is, that spiciness doesn’t enhance the burger. If anything, it was more of a distraction because I usually don’t associate heat with garlic sauces. The garlic flavor is mild enough that if your significant other ate this and wanted to make out after, you shouldn’t be offended by their breath. It’s also subtle enough that it allows the mushroom’s earthiness, bacon’s smokiness, and the beef’s, um, beefiness to come through with every bite.

What doesn’t come through is the muenster cheese, which is supposed to have a mild nutty/buttery taste. Whatever flavor it has gets lost with all the other oozing umami. It’s so inconsequential that folks could be tricked into thinking this has Swiss, another mild-tasting cheese.

But the bacon and mushroom flavors do come through, and I think this is a good cheeseburger, with the garlic spread providing some difference from a standard mushroom and Swiss. However, it’s not oozing THAT much of a difference.

Purchased Price: $8.19*
Size: Single patty
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 670 calories, 43 grams of fat, 16 grams of saturated fat, 1.5 grams of trans fat, 95 milligrams of cholesterol, 1210 milligrams of sodium, 36 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 6 grams of sugar, and 35 grams of protein.

*Because I live on a rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, things are a bit pricier here. You’ll probably pay less than I did.

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