Wendy’s menu reveals a spicy new addition this week | Official Website of Louis Velazquez, entrepreneur, finance guy and tech innovator

As the beginning of summer nears and we all do our best to endure the increasing heat, people tend to be on the lookout for fun new things to try.

That might look like a day at the beach for some, a cookout for others, or even just a reason to try something new at their favorite local fast-food joint.

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Summer can be a lucrative time for fast-food companies, as customers are often on the lookout for ways to cool down while they’re out and about.

Chains often respond with ice cream or frozen drinks, tempting fans to add something new and chilly when they order a quick lunch on the go.

For Burger King, that looks like a a frozen strawberry drink topped with Nerds candy. At McDonald’s, the McFlurry is getting a limited edition twist with Hershey’s Smores. And at Taco Bell, it’s “Refrescas” in fruity flavors like Mango Peach and Dragonfruit Berry.

Now Wendy’s (WEN) is tossing its effort into the mix, but instead of going cold, it’s decided to dial up the heat.

Wendy’s unique collaboration gets a release date

As we’ve previously reported, Wendy’s has a collaboration coming soon with Mexican snack favorite Takis.

Now food blogger and reliable leaker Markie Devo has revealed more about it via a tweet on X shared on June 17, showing off not only the details of the meal but also dropping the release date.

“OYYY!! Mamacita Wendy’s is getting extra fuego!! Wendy’s X Takis Fuego Meal! This menu is dropping nationwide at Wendy’s locations on June 20th,” he wrote.

While the details about the new Fuego Chicken Sandwich are the same — a spicy chicken filet with chili lime and cheddar cheese sauce, topped with crushed Takis Fuego chips and creamy corn spread — the new post shows off a special bag for the “Fuego Fries,” which tears away so you can dump your fries out and enjoy them right out of the bag.

Wendy’s also posted its own tease via X on June 17, tweeting an image of its famous mascot arm-wrestling with a Taki’s bag and saying “if you can guess what it is, you win @takisusa” and the date “6/20/2025.”

Staying competitive as customers pull back

Consumers are pulling back on unnecessary spending in reaction to the trade war, and fast-food companies are already feeling the burn.

McDonald’s, easily on the top of the pile as far as revenue, reported a second quarter of sales declines during its Q1 earnings call and a year-over-year decline in net revenue. Same-store sales also dropped by 3.6%, the biggest drop the fast-food chain has seen since the pandemic.

Wendy’s reported a 2.1% year-on-year revenue decline to $523.5 million of revenue in Q1, in line with Wall Street’s estimates — so it also needs a boost in what CEO Kirk Tanner called a “challenging consumer environment” during its earnings call.

One of the few chains that’s not suffering is Taco Bell, which reported same-store sales rose by 9% in Q1, while system sales were up 11%.

“A tough operating environment probably favors Taco Bell. It’s just firing on all cylinders right now,” Yum chief executive officer David Gibbs said during Wednesday morning’s earnings call. “Penetration is going up, bringing more customers into the brand with things like Cantina Chicken. Value stands out. And innovation — nobody else sells anything close to what we sell. We’re in an enviable position.”