Here's What You Can Still Order From Wendy's Original 1969 Menu

It was Albert Einstein who said, "The measure of intelligence is the ability to change," but adversely, people always remind us that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Wendy's, the mega fast food chain that made drive-thru windows a staple, has taken both pieces of advice quite literally, with a menu that's both classic and inventive all at once. The restaurant has teased, launched, and discontinued dozens of items throughout the years (such as removing the beloved fresh stuffed pitas). Although it's prepared to keep up with changing public interests, Wendy's still serves all five of its original menu items.

When Wendy's opened in 1969, the menu only had five items: hamburgers, French fries, the Frosty, chili, and soft drinks. All of these items are still for sale on Wendy's' menu today, but of course, there have been some alterations and modifications over time. The hamburgers are around, but now the burgers are square instead of round, a way for the chain to demonstrate how it won't "cut corners" on quality. Frosty's are still popular too, but the frozen treat comes in more flavors than just the original chocolate, like the Triple Berry Frosty that launched for a limited time last summer. A lot has changed since the restaurant's debut in Columbus, Ohio, but a lot has also stayed the same.

When Dave Thomas opened Wendy's, he kept the menu small because he wanted to remain committed to quality and quick service, something he couldn't do if his singular restaurant served an extensive menu. As the fast food chain expanded, so did the menu offerings. Perhaps one of the most iconic fast food offerings, chicken nuggets, didn't hit Wendy's' menu until the 1980s, and the now-iconic grilled chicken sandwiches didn't appear until the 1990s. The salad bar popped up in Wendy's restaurants in the late 1970s, offering a buffet-style selection of greenery, but it was eventually replaced with takeaway salads in the 1990s. The Baconator didn't make headlines until 2007, though it remains one of the fast food chain's most hearty offerings.

It might feel like Wendy's' mouthwatering baked potatoes have been around for eons, perfect for a pairing with that flavorful chili, but the starchy hunks weren't rolled out for another 26 years after the fast food chain opened. Not to mention Wendy's breakfast menu, which didn't launch until 2020. Dave Thomas's vision for a restaurant with quality food lives on to this day, as evidenced by a menu that never abandoned its inaugural offerings — only embellished them.