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Wendy’s NZ does black buns one better

Wendy's New Zealand outfit might be ahead in the burger customization game. It offers customized black, half-black, or normal buns for some sandwiches. 

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Pat Wellenbach/AP/File
In this Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2012 a Wendy's restaurant sign is seen in Brunswick, Maine.

Yesterday’s post touched on McDonald’s efforts to increase customization and on Burger King’s flirtation with black burger buns. It seems the other member of the Big Three is way ahead of them: In New Zealand, Wendy’s is currently offering a burger it calls the Gourmet Kiwi Classic on Brioche. The customization angle? It can be ordered on an all-black bun, a half-black bun or regular non-black brioche bun.

Activated charcoal is used to blacken the bun. The burger is priced at $10.90 NZD ($6.92 US), with a chicken version priced at $11.40 NZD ($7.24 US).

Wendy’s says the Gourmet Kiwi Classic is an assemblage of locally sourced favorites: New Zealand beef, manuka-smoked bacon [manuka or tea trees are indigenous to New Zealand], natural Colby cheese, beetroot, free-range egg, red onion, tomato, lettuce and mayo. This isn’t the first time Wendy’s New Zealand operation has outdone its US parent: Earlier this year it made the Baconator burger the centerpiece of a menu that also included  Chickenator and Spiceanator versions.

And if you’re still not impressed, my UK colleague Burger Lad points out that Burger King now has a green bun Whopper on offer in Saudia Arabia.

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