An ode to The Baconator at Wendy’s

Every now and again a sandwich comes along that makes you forget the taste of any other sandwich on the market. But perhaps a burger is something more than just a sandwich and packs more of a significant punch. Well, The Baconator over at Wendy’s definitely packs a definitive punch, and one that you’ll be feeling long after you’ve taken your last bite.

Now there are many great fast food chain burgers out there. I’ve written about two other titans in recent history: The Whopper and of course the wonder that is the Big Mac over at McDonald’s. And although those are perfect burgers, you’ve got to admit dear readers, that The Baconator is at least in the conversation as being one of the best fast food burgers out there.

What makes The Baconator one of the best burgers out there?

Dave Thomas brought Wendy’s to the world back in 1969—specifically in November of that year. According to Wikipedia, he named the restaurant after one of his children, a daughter by the name of Melinda Lou “Wendy” Thomas. As of 2018 Wendy’s was considered to be the 3rd biggest fast food chains dealing in hamburgers.

It’s gone through many corporate restructures and ownership over the long years since its inception, but the Wendy’s name is still out there and going strong no matter whom it is at the helm, and that’s because they continuously serve the food they’ve been serving for decades with high standards and even better results.

Enter The Baconator.

The burger isn’t as old as the aforementioned Big Mac and Whopper. It was only introduced back in 2007. It was due to yet another corporate restructuring the company went through, and the new CEO at the time, a Kerri Anderson, launched a “back to basics” campaign essentially trying to attract a younger clientele, according to Wikipedia.

Well, you can’t go wrong with bacon. In fact, bacon should attract any demographic on the spectrum. Who doesn’t like a crispy piece of bacon or two or three (heck…or five) in a sandwich? As the old adage goes…‘everything is better with bacon.’

The name of the burger itself is so attractive and for many reasons. It even calls to mind the iconic science fiction character immortalized by Arnold Schwarzenegger, The Terminator, a man-like machine that in the first installment of the franchise is villainous, but in the second film plays the hero—indestructible until he isn’t (you’ve got to watch the film if you’re confused), but trust me the name is appropriate.

The sandwich sure packs a punch, like the aforementioned Terminator, so it’s aptly named for sure.

The sandwich became so popular during its initial run that in Canada, the CFL, the Canadian Football League, actually named the sandwich the official sandwich of the league. Now how about that for a stamp of approval?

Simplicity at its best

I go on and on about simplicity in food. Maybe it’s my heritage. I’m of Italian descent and was born and raised in Montréal, Canada. Both Italian and Quebecois cuisine is fancy when it needs to be but at the same time, it’s simple when a dish calls for simplicity, but simple doesn’t have to mean bland, boring and tasteless.

The Baconator isn’t loaded with ingredients and it’s in this ‘simplicity’ that each individual taste is allowed to shine through. Two beef patties, American cheese, ketchup, mayonnaise and…you guessed it, Crispy Bacon! “And that’s all folks,” as Porky Pig was so fond of saying.

What more do you need really?

What are some of your favorite burgers on the market, dear readers?