Wendy’s

Both service and cleanliness have improved. Still not great service, but more organized than it used to be. And now most of the tables are clean when you sit down at one.

Because it’s off Broadway, this Wendy’s offers… dare I say it? … some sanity and serenity compared to the hustle and bustle along Broadway and near the malls out on Route 50. It can feel slow and casual here if you come before or after peak dining times. But that can work against you too. I came here with my mom about 10 minutes before «lunch our proper,» and she ordered decaf coffee. She was told they had to brew a fresh pot. She had finished about half her meal before she got it. Luckily, it was a good sized portion, and it wasn’t stupid-​hot like McDonald’s coffee. The guy behind me ordered a 10-​piece chicken nuggets meal, and he, too, was told he would have to wait 4 – 5 minutes for them to make a fresh batch.
This doesn’t really bother me, as I usually dine in, and I don’t mind waiting a few minutes if I know something is going to be fresh. But I can see how this would be really frustrating if you’re doing a drive-​thru. Sometimes the drive-​thru line does get pretty long.
Otherwise, it’s good, basic, consistent Wendy’s fare. It’s clean and well-​maintained.

okay, so the place looks dirty… and the staff may have been high… but them chicken nuggets be ballin and just about everyone told me to have a good night and was friendly. at the end of the day, thats all I care about.

The Saratoga Springs Wendy’s location is horrible. The «restaurant» is filthy, the service is terrible and the food is awful. I’m not sure what happened because it used to be a decent place to get a good burger, but I wouldn’t eat there again if I got free food for life from Wendy’s. There are plenty of good burger places in Saratoga, but if you want a fast food type place, drive 5 minutes up Route 50 and go to Five Guys instead.

George Washington was having a quaff from one of the springs in Saratoga’s Congress Park. He had a sudden urge for a fast food burger and was delighted to find that an authentic Wendy’s is just a block away and looks like it could have been teleported from most any location in America.
You have probably guessed that only the first part of that description is true. Yet it’s kind of a guilty thrill to find a generic Wendy’s plopped down in carefully curated downtown Saratoga where all new buildings apparently have to be built out of red bricks.
And this is a particularly ungraceful Wendy’s, a «snow country» plan with an entry hall to stomp off the snow and a massive door to keep out the cold. Part of the roof is glass which must be great for catching the heat on a cold winter day but does not make for particularly popular seating in the summertime.
So now I am inside this teleportation device and I have to decide what to order… where’s the menu? Wait, here it is, you can only see it when you are right in front of the cashier who will glower at you as you make a decision. Moments later a second counter person will bray «who had the junior cheeseburger» or some such. Wendy’s employees do not receive training that says they are in a service business and that service is to find out what the customer wants then provide it in a pleasant way. Which is ironic since their advertising boasts personal service as a differentiating point.
If you are a Wendy’s fan you already know all the above. I’m simply trying to convey the experience of having a Wendy’s in downtown Saratoga. Bön appétit.