By Emma Roth , a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and ed

Wendy’s says ‘dynamic’ pricing won’t tack surge pricing onto your nuggets

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2024-02-28 17:30:08

By Emma Roth , a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO.

In response to reports that Wendy’s plan for new digital menu boards that can update throughout the day might increase prices of spicy chicken nuggets and other menu items at busy times, the fast food chain now claims this isn’t the case. Instead, Wendy’s says its “dynamic” pricing model will only result in “discounts and value” during the slowest times of the day — leaving other times of the day with higher standard prices unaddressed.

Earlier this month, Wendy’s CEO Kirk Tanner said the company wants to start testing dynamic pricing in 2025 — a system that would use Wendy’s digital menu boards to adjust pricing throughout the day. In terms of comparisons to Uber surge pricing, Wendy’s claims this isn’t the case and that media reports “misconstrued” the chain’s intent.

“To clarify, Wendy’s will not implement surge pricing, which is the practice of raising prices when demand is highest,” Wendy’s spokesperson Heidi Schauer says in a statement to The Verge. “We didn’t use that phrase, nor do we plan to implement that practice.”