I was at the Wendy’s (WEN, Financial) in my neighborhood the other day, and I noticed that the fast-food restaurant is promoting pulled pork products on its menu – for a limited time. That probably isn’t news to many people, but it was news to me. I guess I simply haven’t paid attention to the commercials.
It also isn’t news that McDonald’s (MCD, Financial) has developed quite a following with its McRib, a barbecue-flavored pork sandwich that has been making limited appearances on McDonald’s menus for years.
It might be news that Burger King (BKW, Financial) jumped on the bandwagon in the spring with its announcement that it would implement “cage-free pork.” Don’t know what that means? Well, it means pork that was raised outside a gestation cage, which is roughly the size of a sow. Allowing the pigs more freedom of movement is regarded by many who are in the know as more humane, but the policy shift wasn’t prompted entirely by altruistic motives.
Apparently, Burger King, which has had a pulled pork sandwich on its menu for awhile, was eager to jump ahead of McDonald’s in the public’s esteem; McDonald’s made a similar promise a few months earlier but, unlike Burger King, did not announce a date when the new policy would go into effect.
Now it is Wendy’s turn. I haven’t heard any claims about “cage-free pork” at Wendy’s, but it is clearly making a bid for the same customer base.
McDonald’s is still the fast-food giant, but, based on revenue, Wendy’s and Burger King are locked in a battle for the designation of chief rival.
However, health-conscious consumers might wonder if pork products are the best way to go about scoring points with that segment of the market. USA Today quoted a nutritionist who expressed concern about the fat and salt content of Wendy’s products. “These are the kinds of foods that are doing us in,” she said.
