Wendy's Switching to Shredded Lettuce in Burgers

Wendy's is in the process of quietly switching from whole-leafed romaine lettuce to shredded iceberg lettuce for its burgers and chicken sandwiches. The switch began this summer at some locations and recently appeared here in Los Angeles.

The move was reportedly made to improve lettuce consistency and maintain a reliable supply. Where the romaine lettuce was hand-leafed at each location, the shredded iceberg lettuce arrives already prepared in bags, so there's a convenience factor as well.

The lettuce change does not affect the chain's salads, which, depending on the salad, are made with romaine and/or spring mix.

Personal preferences between shredded lettuce and leafed lettuce on a burger/sandwich can vary. Generally, leaf lettuce tends to wilt faster as there's typically more contact between the burger patty and the lettuce, while shredded lettuce occupies more volume, which provides more of a buffer against heat. However, shredded lettuce is also a lot messier as it falls out of your burger/sandwich easily. It's also cheaper.

Additionally, for anyone who was getting lettuce-wrapped burgers, that's no longer an option at locations that have made the switch.

Wendy's has not yet updated its website to reflect the change as of this writing (pictured). I recently got a burger from my local Wendy's and definitely noticed the shredded lettuce, but didn't note any mention of it during my visit.

Photo via Wendy's.