The Once-Popular Wendy's Sandwich Line We Wish Would Come Back

If you visited a Wendy's between 2006 and 2008, you probably spotted a rather out-of-place item on the menu. It generally consisted of an appropriately square ciabatta roll with sliced deli meat, distinctive sauces, vegetables, and sometimes cheese. This sandwich was dubbed the Frescata, a word that doesn't actually mean anything in any language, even Italian. 

The trademarked premium deli sandwich came in four flavors when first introduced in April of 2006 – the Frescata Club, Roasted Turkey with Basil Pesto, Black Forest Ham and Swiss, and Roasted Turkey with Swiss. Over the next year, the offerings expanded to include the Frescata Italiana and Chunky Chicken Salad Frescata. The fresh ingredients and artisanal bread were meant to take the Wendy's menu in a new direction. For a time, it did just that.

While this is mostly a forgotten Wendy's menu item, there are still those who remember it fondly and wish it would make a comeback. One Reddit user talked about missing this menu option, saying, "I loved those things. Also, it made me feel like I was eating healthier, even though I knew I wasn't really." Another user with family ties to Wendy's said, "My mom just hit 30 years as a GM the other day and I can confirm these were the bomb."

Unfortunately, this heyday was short. In 2008, Wendy's axed the sandwich from the menu, though some restaurants began phasing it out earlier. Given how well-liked the sandwich was, some may wonder what possible reason Wendy's had to give it the chop. As it turns out, this old-school fast food sandwich disappeared due to several potential reasons.

Considering the Wendy's salad bar also disappeared, it may seem as if the restaurant isn't crazy about offering fresh veggies to customers. However, a spokesperson for Wendy's said that every product has a lifecycle, and the Frescata had simply reached its endpoint. For a target audience, it turns out that Wendy's wanted the sandwich to appeal specifically to women. Even ads at the time focused on showing women eating Frescatas. Although the sandwich initially attracted new customers, a Wendy's representative said that the restaurant already had specialty garden salads that hit the slightly older female demographic, meaning the sandwiches were redundant. 

Poor sales numbers and labor time to make the sandwiches are other possible reasons for its discontinuation. The sandwiches suffered from inconsistency, possibly due to issues with product supply lines, but also because Wendy's kitchens weren't originally designed for fresh-baked bread and deli sandwiches. This led to longer wait times, and early promising sales numbers soon declined. Wendy's stocks fell in the quarter before the chain discontinued the Frescata. By the beginning of 2008, the Frescata was no more.

Some have expressed a desire to have the fabled sandwich return, but there hasn't been much concerted effort to seek its revival. Wendy's has offered several other sandwiches since then, including a variety of crispy chicken sandwiches and breakfast biscuit or croissant options. These have found popularity and are likely to remain staples of the eatery for a while. So, while Wendy's may have one of the best fast food egg sandwiches on the market, it's unlikely we'll see the Frescata sandwich back anytime soon.