AngrySarah wrote:Enough!!

This thread is about the Italian Beef at Wendy's.

Who is going to fall on the grenade and eat the darn thing, so the rest of us don't have to?

I know I'm not brave/dumb enough.

Although I still might get one, just out of the sake of being interested in just how bad a beef can be, I think the thread has run it's inevitable course as in:

Q: How is the beef at Wendy's?
A: Mr Beef on Harlem is pretty good....

I doubt a discussion on a Wendy's beef sammich could last very long at all. Admittedly, you yourself would not even stoop so low as to try one.

during a recent visit i got a flyer advertising one, it appears it's served on the ciabatta bread, not a roll. the more i hear about it, the less i want it...

Yep. I'm thinking Arby's-like beef in a salty juice.

And here is what gets to me: Would it be SO difficult to execute a properly made beef, you think? I think not.

Liz in Norwood Park wrote:I think not.

If you were René Descartes, you would immediately cease to exist.

George R wrote:I have a question about Margie's Beef on Cicero. It was a little north of Division at about Kamerling Street. I haven't been in the area for years, but do remember Margie's from long ago as having outstanding IB.

I drove by there today and noticed people inside so I stopped to check it out. The word is that they plan to be open around the end of the month, barring any glitches. One nice feature is that they are going to have a drive-up window. That's hard to find in a beef/hotdog joint. To make matters confusing, there is also another beef stand a few blocks away it there on Chicago Ave. a couple blocks east of Cicero Ave., and it has a very similar name. "Margie's GT" or something like that. Is there a shortage of names for beef stands?

BTW, I noticed the IB sign at a Wendy's drive-up a couple of weeks ago and thought that if it tasted like it looked in the photo, I didn't want any part of it.

nr706 wrote:

Liz in Norwood Park wrote:I think not.

If you were René Descartes, you would immediately cease to exist.

Ahhh, but I aren't, Blanche!

The Food Diva wrote:

Marshall K wrote:Da Beef

You listed both Mr. Beef and Mr. Beef and Pizza on Harlem, where is the Mr. Beef on Harlem?

Its about 2 blocks south of Irving on Harlem, east side of the street. Was just there the other night. I love my neighborhood.

I have been to Mr. Beef and Pizza on Harlem south of Irving on the east side of Harlem several times and like their beef and feel it is a great value.
"Da Beef" listed both MR. Beef and Mr Beef and Pizza on Harlem. My question is where is Mr. Beef on Harlem?

I'm pretty sure the name of the joint on Harlem is "The Original Mr. Beef and Pizza" not to be confused with "Mr. Beef."

Ha! I should have known that this would have been brought up here.

I saw the sign on the Wendy's on rt 41 in Schererville a couple of weeks ago and found the idea so bizarre that I just had to pull in and try one. It wasn't bad! Not "not bad" in the sense that I would ever be compelled to eat one again, more of "not bad" in the sense of "not Arby's". It was on a ciabatta roll, and I wouldn't doubt a bit that it was Papa Charlie's beef. The bread was nicely chewy, and the beef was reasonably tasty, but the sandwich was way too dry and there wasn't enough meat, especially for the price (about $4, IIRC).

As it stands, not terrible, but don't bother. If it had twice the meat, a little more juice, and cost a dollar less, it would actually be something that I'd get once in a great while.

So, on this subject, anyone know of an edible beef sandwich in the far south suburbs/NW Indiana area?

The best IB I know of in the far south suburbs is Pop's in the Cherry Creek Mall in Homewood. While the Pop's on south Kedzie was preferred in Beefathon VI, the Homewood location was certainly respectable.

Here's the report: http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=7498&highlight=pops+beefathon

Pop's
18328 Governors Hwy
Homewood, IL 60430
(708) 647-9999

Having lived in other parts of the country I can understand how IB at Wendy's might work. However offering it in Chicago makes about as much sense to me as the guy opening the new "Submarine" (can't remember the exact name) shop directly across the street from Riviera on Harlem.

Marshall K wrote:Having lived in other parts of the country I can understand how IB at Wendy's might work. However offering it in Chicago makes about as much sense to me as the guy opening the new "Submarine" (can't remember the exact name) shop directly across the street from Riviera on Harlem.

I thought about this too. But it's an odd choice. Is this intended as a regional offering? Or is this a test market? As a test market, wow, bad test. Regional, it might make it outside the city. But as a national offering? IB is not really popular outside the Chicago area. Heck, it's something most people have never heard of.

midas wrote:

Marshall K wrote:Having lived in other parts of the country I can understand how IB at Wendy's might work. However offering it in Chicago makes about as much sense to me as the guy opening the new "Submarine" (can't remember the exact name) shop directly across the street from Riviera on Harlem.

I thought about this too. But it's an odd choice. Is this intended as a regional offering? Or is this a test market? As a test market, wow, bad test. Regional, it might make it outside the city. But as a national offering? IB is not really popular outside the Chicago area. Heck, it's something most people have never heard of.

See, now, I thought just the opposite. Chicago seems to me like the place where it would be least likely to succeed. Presuming that the quality is going to be lacking (a safe assumption, I feel confident), why go to Wendy's when A) you know you can get better, and B) it's all around you? Contrast this with other cities where it might actually be novel and interesting and most people don't know a good from a bad IB.

But maybe this is why I'm not in marketing.

I was thinking more rural areas where going to Wendy's is a night out. Test marketing IB in Chicago would be like test marketing the McRib in Tel Aviv. But offer it in Plano or Huntley and it might sell.

Hey, I'm not in marketing either

Mister Beefhead wrote:Ha! I should have known that this would have been brought up here.

I saw the sign on the Wendy's on rt 41 in Schererville a couple of weeks ago and found the idea so bizarre that I just had to pull in and try one. It wasn't bad! Not "not bad" in the sense that I would ever be compelled to eat one again, more of "not bad" in the sense of "not Arby's". It was on a ciabatta roll, and I wouldn't doubt a bit that it was Papa Charlie's beef. The bread was nicely chewy, and the beef was reasonably tasty, but the sandwich was way too dry and there wasn't enough meat, especially for the price (about $4, IIRC).

As it stands, not terrible, but don't bother. If it had twice the meat, a little more juice, and cost a dollar less, it would actually be something that I'd get once in a great while.

So, on this subject, anyone know of an edible beef sandwich in the far south suburbs/NW Indiana area?

I get Beef's at this place in Hammond from time to time.
Good housemade beef, but more Eastern Europeon than Itallian.
Super Submarine
(219) 845-6705

7010 Kennedy Ave, Hammond, IN 46323

I've gotten good subs at Super Sub, but never tried their IB.

midas wrote:I was thinking more rural areas where going to Wendy's is a night out. Test marketing IB in Chicago would be like test marketing the McRib in Tel Aviv. But offer it in Plano or Huntley and it might sell.

Hey, I'm not in marketing either

Excuse me, this is pretty insulting. We have good local beef joints out here too and, ironicly, few Wendy's. And we have much more than Wendy's for "a night out".

I am in marketing, and I know there are many different ways test marketing can be designed, and for many different reasons. For example, the decision to try Italian Beef in Chicago could have been as simple as hearing Chicago-area franchisees say to corporate "Hey, Italian Beef is really popular here in our market, we want to have it, too." Franchisees are always somewhat upset with corporate, so corporate says "Okay, we'll go ahead and give 'em one that fits into our system, just to shut 'em up." Recipe for a bad product? Probably, but corporate may be thinking that true connoisseurs of IB wouldn't visit a Wendy's anyway - just as the people who seek out the best fast food hamburger will find a little independent, rather than visit McD, BK or Wendy's. For the "food as fuel" crowd, IB at Wendy's might just work.

Full disclosure: I haven't tried one, and probably never will.

It is not mentioned on their website, which leads me to believe it is a local only offering.

-ramon

Hell, if Domino's and Papa Johns can survive in New York City, I don't see why a Wendy's Italian Beef can't in Chicago.

Just sayin'.

LikestoEatout wrote:

midas wrote:I was thinking more rural areas where going to Wendy's is a night out. Test marketing IB in Chicago would be like test marketing the McRib in Tel Aviv. But offer it in Plano or Huntley and it might sell.

Hey, I'm not in marketing either

Excuse me, this is pretty insulting. We have good local beef joints out here too and, ironicly, few Wendy's. And we have much more than Wendy's for "a night out".

I'd have to agree with you, I live in a pretty rural area, and fastfood is the last option, a tavern, or supper club for fried chicken is a "nite out", or a trip to Cajun Connection. However the IB sandwiches out where I live are terrible, so I just wait for a weekday lunch when I am in the suburbs, or city to indulge.

I would think the Wendys IB sandwich would fare better outside of the Chicago area

Binko wrote:Hell, if Domino's and Papa Johns can survive in New York City, I don't see why a Wendy's Italian Beef can't in Chicago.

Oh, I don't doubt they'd sell to some degree. I just question the idea that Chicago is the best place to test market a fast food IB. I'd think it'd be the worst. It seems like it'd be the market that would have the least amount of relevance to how the rollout would go in the rest of the country.

jimswside wrote:I'd have to agree with you, I live in a pretty rural area, and fastfood is the last option, a tavern, or supper club for fried chicken is a "nite out", or a trip to Cajun Connection. However the IB sandwiches out where I live are terrible, so I just wait for a weekday lunch when I am in the suburbs, or city to indulge.

I would think the Wendys IB sandwich would fare better outside of the Chicago area

Ok, first you guys need to learn to take a joke. Really, can you think of anywhere you could live that going to Wendy's would be a night out? If it's big enough for a Wendy's there'll be plenty of little restaurants serving honest food and atmosphere. It's a joke. Nothing more.

Second, you yourself say the IB sandwiches out by you are terrible. But due to your local you are most likely familiar with them. Maybe familiar enough with them to get an occasional craving. Faced with a long drive to the city or a trip to Wendy's, you might choose Wendy's. But someone in Montana likely has not real connection. They just wouldn't sell.

Either way, I don't see it being very successful. But only time will tell.

midas wrote:

jimswside wrote:I'd have to agree with you, I live in a pretty rural area, and fastfood is the last option, a tavern, or supper club for fried chicken is a "nite out", or a trip to Cajun Connection. However the IB sandwiches out where I live are terrible, so I just wait for a weekday lunch when I am in the suburbs, or city to indulge.

I would think the Wendys IB sandwich would fare better outside of the Chicago area

Ok, first you guys need to learn to take a joke. Really, can you think of anywhere you could live that going to Wendy's would be a night out? If it's big enough for a Wendy's there'll be plenty of little restaurants serving honest food and atmosphere. It's a joke. Nothing more.

Second, you yourself say the IB sandwiches out by you are terrible. But due to your local you are most likely familiar with them. Maybe familiar enough with them to get an occasional craving. Faced with a long drive to the city or a trip to Wendy's, you might choose Wendy's. But someone in Montana likely has not real connection. They just wouldn't sell.

Either way, I don't see it being very successful. But only time will tell.

I'd choose a ride into the city, or Elmwood Park, or simply go without if a Wendys IB was the only option.

funny thing, I was driving by the Wendy's out in Ottawa and found it hilarious there was a Cub's logo on the poster touting the Wendy's IB. Whats the saying.? "birds of a feather"

jimswside wrote:I'd choose a ride into the city, or Elmwood Park, or simply go without if a Wendys IB was the only option.

The truth is, so would I. But remember, all of us here are wasting time posting to a board devoted to restaurants. We all seek and share the knowledge of good food. But we are a very small minority. As was posted earlier, Domino's still survives in this market. Can a Wendy's IB be any worse than a Domino's or Little Caesar's pizza?

funny thing, I was driving by the Wendy's out in Ottawa and found it hilarious there was a Cub's logo on the poster touting the Wendy's IB. Whats the saying.? "birds of a feather"

Well yea, there's that too!

I swear I saw a McDonald's selling lobster rolls when I was in Boston..... so why not have a Wendy's sell Italian Beef in Chicago? There are non-foodies out there that just may eat em' up.

In any case..... has anyone tried this thing yet?

I went by a Long John Silver's yesterday that was selling 'lobster bites', whatever that may be. And concerning Little Caesar's, think the answer is NO, I don't see how a Wendy's IB could be that bad.

Cogito wrote:I went by a Long John Silver's yesterday that was selling 'lobster bites', whatever that may be.

It's a type of langostino, apparently, sometimes referred to as "squat lobster". In any case, it is neither American lobster nor spiny lobster. It's against FDA rules to market it as lobster without also qualifying it as "langostino", so my suspicion is that the signage you saw read "langostino lobster". Rubio's was sued for selling the same stuff as lobster, though I don't know how that turned out.

This is probably more suited to the "Lies They Feed Us" thread.

I also recall that lobster rolls were sold at the KFC (of all places) in Prince Edward Island, where there are likely more lobsters than chickens.

rmtraut wrote:I swear I saw a McDonald's selling lobster rolls when I was in Boston..... so why not have a Wendy's sell Italian Beef in Chicago? There are non-foodies out there that just may eat em' up.

In any case..... has anyone tried this thing yet?

You can indeed get lobster rolls at McDonald's all over New England (never saw one in KFC growing up though). I, on the other hand, have never tried them there and I think that is the point of many of the posters here. If I was in New England where there are many places a great lobster roll can be found, why would I want to get one at a fast food joint? Along these lines, why would bother with a beef at Wendy's? Seems like a waste of calories to me...