Why Wendy’s Salad Dressings Taste So Good

At Wendy’s®, we’re known for packing our salads full of fresh ingredients and delicious toppings. We keep close tabs on the latest flavor trends to make sure our fans are experiencing the very best we have to offer in every single bite. From the romaine lettuce to the juicy berries and ripe veggies, every piece of produce plays an important role in making our salads deliciously different. However, perhaps the most important role is the perfect drizzle of dressing to pull a salad together.

But we couldn’t partner with just anyone to dress our salads. That’s why we chose to work with  Marzetti®, a company grown from the same core values, that puts the same importance on ingredients that we do, to create signature dressings to pair with our fresh-made salad lineup. And decades later, we’re still working hand in hand thanks to their unwavering commitment to innovation and dedication to quality.

Without further ado, lettuce tell you a little about how we work with them.

1. We Go Way Back

Wendy’s has worked exclusively with Marzetti since the early 1980s. But our partnership really evolved in 2015 when our salad lineup started featuring Marzetti’s Simply Dressed® salad dressing. These dressings are inspired by favorite fruits and flavors of the seasons and are full of flavor.

2. They Dress to Impress

Wendy’s has a long history of serving quality ingredients, and this starts with top notch dressings that are free from preservatives. Our Culinary Innovation team made the move to the Marzetti Simply Dressed line of salad dressings which have the Marzetti clean label. What exactly is the clean label? It’s the Marzetti seal that shows which dressings are free of preservatives, trans fat, high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors and colors, gluten and MSG. Phew, no hidden guilt here.

3. Flavors You Can Only Find at Wendy’s

Marzetti and Wendy’s are always brainstorming new dressings to complement our freshly-prepared salads. For every new salad, Marzetti will generate between 15-20 recipes for consideration. Those ideas then turn into fan-favorites, like the fruit-forward Marzetti® Simply Dressed® Raspberry Vinaigrette found on our Berry Burst Chicken Salad* and the sweet but zippy Marzetti® Simply Dressed® Pomegranate Vinaigrette that’s paired with our Apple Pecan Chicken Salad. Marzetti brings unique flavors to Wendy’s that you can’t buy in stores, and their flavorful dressings are the perfect finishing touch to our craveable salads. 

Even more impressive, the team at Marzetti is constantly evolving their process and sourcing as many fresh ingredients as possible while making sure each packet of dressing gets the proper attention and care.

4. A Taste Above the Rest

Inside Marzetti’s in-house ingredient pantry, it’s clear just how much thought goes into the development of each unique flavor of dressing. Through intense working sessions with the Wendy’s culinary team, blending different vinegars, levels of sweetness, and creaminess, the teams whip up the ideal complements to new salad blends. Sometimes, we even bring salads to the Marzetti offices to finalize the dressing (plus, who doesn’t love to taste the finished product!)

Speaking of tasting the salads, stop by your local Wendy’s restaurant or order salad delivery through our partnership with DoorDash** to try some of these delicious flavors for yourself. And don’t forget about our sauces, also made by Marzetti, like Wendy’s Sweet & Smoky Sauce, which is the flavor maker on our Barbecue Cheeseburger.

*At participating Wendy's for a limited time. Price and participation may vary.

**Delivery via DoorDash available only in select markets at participating restaurants. Prices may be higher than in restaurant. Additional delivery fees, service fees, surge fees, small order fees, taxes and gratuity may apply. See full terms and conditions at dasherhelp.doordash.com/offer-terms-conditions.

Marzetti and Simply Dressed are registered trademarks of T. Marzetti Company.