Wendy’s was once the fresh, honest, slightly rebellious burger chain. Today it’s stuck between fast food giants on one side and premium burger rivals on the other. Prices match McDonald’s, but the brand isn’t perceived as a value leader. Quality is decent, but not elevated enough to compete with Five Guys or Shake Shack.So what is Wendy’s now?We sit down with Paul Tuscano, former Chief Digital Officer at KFC US, the man behind their massive digital reinvention. He shares insights from decades in QSR, hospitality, and customer experience to break down why Wendy’s is struggling and how to fix it.What we cover• Why Wendy’s lost its lane • Whether Project Fresh will work • The strengths and weaknesses of the Wendy’s menu • How loyalty, kiosks, personalization, and AI can change QSR• Why Wendy’s social media works, but the stores don’t reflect it • Why legacy brands need clarity and simplicity • How to make Dave Thomas relevant to Gen Z • Why culture and franchise alignment matter more than new tech• How Chick fil A wins with consistency, not complexity • A step by step strategy to rebuild Wendy’sThis episode is a must watch for anyone interested in branding, food, marketing, digital transformation, or turning around legacy companies.Guest: Paul Tuscano Former Chief Digital Officer, KFC US LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultuscano/Subscribe for more deep dives where we fix big business problems with fresh perspectives. • Website – www.wefixeditpod.com • Follow us on: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/wefixeditpod LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/wefixeditpod YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@WeFixedItPod If you liked this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your friends! Keep listening to find out how we fix companies and put them back better than we found them.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wendy's "Vanilla" Shakeup: Let's Get Bolder & Back on Top

Spotify

Armchair quarterbacking isn’t just for sports anymore. We’re taking the same approach to companies: what would you do in their shoes? Each episode, our lively panel will debate a new issue ripped from the headlines involving a different well-known company. Between our instincts, experiences, and unsolicited opinions, we may just come up with gold. At the end, we’ll critique ourselves and see how we did. If we fixed it, you’re welcome! Season 3 launched January 20, 2026. Subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss a single episode!

We Fixed It, You're Welcome

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