Where's the beef? How long will burgers be off the menus at Wendys post coronavirus?

Nearly 40 years after its catchphrase was uttered in households across the United States, customers at fast food chain Wendy’s are literally asking “Where’s the beef?” Meat factories are temporarily closing after workers are falling ill due to coronavirus and this is having unprecedented jolts to the food chain, leaving grocery stores and fast food restaurants in a pinch. The next time you pull up to the drive-thru at Wendy’s don’t be surprised if you can’t grab that burger to go. 

The reason for the beef shortages

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) more than 4,000 workers at 115 meatpacking plants across the U.S. have been diagnosed with coronavirus. More than a thousand of those cases are in Texas alone -- where around 25% of the nation’s beef supply is processed. 

Staggering impacts at Wendy’s

The kink in the food chain is said to be so bad at Wendy’s that analysts say 1 in 5 restaurants are out of beef, causing menus at the eatery to be impacted. Around 1,000, or 18% of Wendy’s 5,500 U.S. restaurants are not serving any hamburgers or other meat-based items, according to a new analysis of online menus at every location, according to financial firm Stephens. 

Why Wendy’s is being hit hard

The analysis from Stephens finds Wendy’s is more vulnerable to the beef shortage sparked by the coronavirus pandemic because of its increased reliance on fresh beef compared to its competitors, like McDonald’s and Burger King. McDonald’s CEO says the chain has yet to experience a single supply chain break, keeping its beef supplies and menu intact for now.

How long will burgers be off the menus at Wendy’s? 

It’s tough to say how long burgers and other beef-based foods will be off the menus at Wendy’s, but a spokesperson does tell CNN the company’s weekly schedule of two to three deliveries remains unchanged. However, the supply has been tight because beef suppliers across North America face challenges at factories during the coronavirus pandemic. 

What is Wendy’s serving instead of burgers?

A Wendy’s spokesperson says the fast food eatery is focusing on its robust menu offerings, with an emphasis on chicken. Customers can still get grilled or fried chicken sandwiches, nuggets, and salads topped with chicken 

The geographic impact of the beef shortage

The Stephens analysis finds the severity of Wendy’s shortages depend on the fast food restaurant’s proximity to processing plants that are closed. In states such as Ohio, Michigan and New York, around 30% of Wendy’s restaurants are out of fresh meat. Other states like Arizona, Nevada and Louisiana are not impacted.

No quick fix for fast food menus

There is no easy way to fix this disruption in the food chain that is impacting fast food menus. Wendy’s workers can’t just go out to the local grocery to buy pounds of beef patties for the burgers, because groceries are impacted by the same shortages. Kroger, Costco, Sam’s Club and Hy-Vee are among those limiting the amount of fresh beef, chicken, and pork that can be purchased at one time. Costco is also temporarily restricting purchases of beef, pork and poultry products, limiting members to three items. Store owners fear a lot of panic buying so shoppers don’t hoard the food until the supply chain gets back on track. 

What’s ahead for restaurants?

As states slowly start to ease restrictions in a renewed effort to get back to normal, our dining experience will be different. Your favorite restaurant, not just Wendy’s, could easily be feeling the same impacts the fast food giant is dealing with right now. You can likely expect a limited menu until the meat factories can safely come back online. 

While we can’t help the food supply chain get back to what it was before COVID-19 impacted our lives, we can still do our parts to stop the spread. We must still practice social distancing, wash our hands, and wear a cloth mask and gloves when outdoors. Keeping track of all the openings, closings, and impacts coronavirus is presenting us can be hard. AccuWeather is helping you cut through the noise with an intense focus on all the new developments. Among the long list of things you’ll find on our Daily Coronavirus Briefing is the latest news on which states are reopening, any new safety guidelines, and the search for a COVID-19 vaccine. You can also keep tabs on any new pockets of confirmed cases in an interactive map that lets you track coronavirus right down to your neighborhood. You can also see how many people are recovering from COVID-19  every single day. If you’re on the go, we have you covered with in-depth podcasts on COVID-19.  You’ll also find the latest information on Accuweather TV network, Twitter and Facebook. 

Report a Typo