---
title: "Wendy’s bets $7.99 meal deal will boost traffic"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/7d4cdb79-8d32-4d5c-ac0b-3f5db3a749e6
source: "Restaurant Dive"
original_url: https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/wendys-799-daves-single-combo-deal-value-proposition/833446/
category: "Burger"
industry: "Restaurants"
segment: "Burger"
published: 2026-10-20T00:00:00.000Z
modified: 2026-10-31T13:43:35.241Z
image: https://imgproxy.divecdn.com/5YAb_5HKktKOQ8LMts9W9AwzhO_0o2714t_cHqdWa5Q/g:ce/rs:fit:770:435/Z3M6Ly9kaXZlc2l0ZS1zdG9yYWdlL2RpdmVpbWFnZS9hc3NldHNfTVMyMDE1MzI2XzAwMDAwMV9IZXJvLUltYWdlLmpwZWc=.webp
---

# Wendy’s bets $7.99 meal deal will boost traffic

**TL;DR:** Wendy's has launched a $7.99 Dave's Single meal deal to boost traffic and restore its value proposition after six quarters of sliding sales. The chain's CEO, Robert Wright, stated that the brand's value proposition has slipped and franchisee economics are under pressure.

*originally published in Restaurant Dive on 2026-10-20. [Read the original](https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/wendys-799-daves-single-combo-deal-value-proposition/833446/).*

## Story

The chain’s combo meal LTO could help restore its value proposition following six quarters of sliding sales.

Wendy’s launched a $7.99 Dave’s Single meal deal, including a quarter-pound burger, small fries and a drink, for a limited time on Monday.

The chain has been working to improve its value proposition, as same-store sales have fallen in six of the last eight quarters .

“We are not performing at our potential. Traffic is down. Our value proposition has slipped and franchisee economics are under pressure,” Robert Wright, who joined the chain as CEO in May, said on Wendy’s Q2 earnings call in August .

At the time, Wright said previous value offers, like the Biggie Bags, had become “increasingly complex and value diluting, making it less compelling and less effective as a reason to visit Wendy's.”

Steve Cirulis, the chain’s CFO, said on that same earnings call that it was focused on rebuilding its value proposition as part of its Project Fresh turnaround program, which first launched late last year .

Wright said the brand’s value strategy was focused on the menu board as a whole, rather than a specific value-menu subsection.

The Dave’s Single meal deal fits into that strategy by offering a combo meal, rather than snacks or a grab bag of options.

Other QSRs looking to shift the needle on value have also targeted combo pricing. McDonald’s, for instance, reintroduced the Extra Value Meals last year , reducing prices on a number of core combos by as much as 15%.

If the Dave’s Single meal proves successful as a value offer, the brand may try to trim prices on other core combos as temporary traffic drivers, while its operational changes and emphasis on consistency rebuild consumer experience .

## Entities

- QSR (sector)
- menu pricing (topic)
- McDonald's (company)
- Wendy's (company)
- Restaurant Dive (publication)
- Bob Wright (person)
- Steve Cirulis (person)
- value proposition (topic)
- qsr strategy (topic)
- traffic boost (topic)
- turnaround program (topic)

---
Originally reported by Restaurant Dive (https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/wendys-799-daves-single-combo-deal-value-proposition/833446/). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/7d4cdb79-8d32-4d5c-ac0b-3f5db3a749e6).