Please, Miss, May I Have Some More?

A couple of weeks ago, I was complaining that Wendy's didn't want to sell me an order of Biggie fries without buying some form of combo meal. Well, apparently that won't be a problem anymore. Wendy's announced that it was getting rid of Biggie sizes. When McDonald's made its similar announcement that it was getting rid of its "Super Size" products, despite the popular assumption that it was all just a ruse, it really did get rid of its largest portions. Not so, Wendy's. "Biggie" will now be "medium." It's making an even bigger size drink (but isn't that what they're currently calling "Great Biggie"?) that will be a "large." Wendy's does currently have a 16-ounce drink they call "small," but the new "small" will be a 20-ounce drink now being sold as "medium." (If medium is the new small, what's the new black?)

Although this looks like it could be the first step in a move away from the "healthier" trend (such as it was) in fast food, Wendy's has also announced that it's changing its deep-fat frying oil to reduce or even eliminate trans fats in the fries and chicken strips. But I don't think the mixed message will take. It won't be long before Wendy's competitors enlarge their portions and return to super-sizing.