Wendy's might not have as many locations in Canada as A&W or McDonald's, but the fast food chain does have a loyalty program. Wendy's Rewards is free to join, and you'll earn points on qualifying purchases.
Your only redemption option is for free Wendy's food, but we're not complaining! We'll give you strategies to maximize your points and recommend some of the best credit cards that give rewards for restaurant purchases. Who doesn't love earning rewards upon rewards?
Key Takeaways
- Earn 10 points per $1 spent before tax on Wendy’s orders.
- Redemption values vary because Wendy’s doesn’t have a fixed redemption chart.
- Check your mobile Wendy’s Rewards for specialized redemption offers loaded into your rewards account.
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What is Wendy's Rewards?
Wendy's Rewards is a simple program. Spend money on food at Wendy's, and earn points you can use towards free food. You earn 10 points for every $1 spent on the pre-tax amount (you won't earn anything on that annoying sales tax).
There are 2 instances where you won't earn rewards on purchases. They are:
- Purchasing gift cards
- Ordering Wendy's through a third party (e.g., Skip the Dishes or Uber Eats)
With these points, you can pay for the cost of many popular menu items.
Wendy's Rewards overview
Currency: Points
Rewards: Free Wendy's food
Pros:
- Simple to join and use
- Rewards and personalized offers all live in the app
- Straightforward earn rate
- Can add missed purchases by scanning your receipt
- Rewards and offers are continually updated
Cons:
- Points expire 1 year after you earn them
- Rewards expire 30 days after claiming
- Can't earn points from third-party deliveries or gift cards
- Can only redeem 1 reward per order
What are Wendy's Rewards points worth?
There's no set value to what your Wendy's Rewards are worth. Each item is redeemed for a specific number of points.
And of course, pricing can also vary at your local store.
Our average value of 1 Wendy's Rewards point is 1 cent, but your mileage may vary.
How to earn Wendy's Rewards
The only way to earn Wendy's Rewards points is by buying food in one of their restaurants.
You'll earn 10 points for every $1 you spend – simple. You can order online through the Wendy's app or just make an order in store.
If you order through the app, there's nothing you have to do to get your rewards; you'll automatically earn them.
If you order in store at the counter or pickup window, you'll have to show your QR code from the Wendy's app to get your points. If you forget to show it or are having technical difficulties with the app, you can submit a claim for your points using your receipt.
How to redeem Wendy's Rewards
There's only 1 way to redeem Wendy's Rewards – by ordering food items.
You can use your points to pay for many items on the menu. There's only 1 rule: You can only redeem 1 reward per order.
Your points also expire. You'll have 365 days to use them once they are earned.
Here are the items that you can redeem with points. This chart details how many points you need, the costs with tax, and the cents-per-point (CPP) value of each item.
Note that local pricing may vary.
| Reward | Points Required | Cost before Tax | Cents-Per-Point Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soft drink (S) | 250 | $3.29 | 1.32 |
| Soft drink (M) | 350 | $3.49 | 1.00 |
| Original or strawberry lemonade (S) | 350 | $3.49 | 1.00 |
| Soft drink (L) | 450 | $3.89 | 0.86 |
| Original or strawberry lemonade (M) | 450 | $3.89 | 0.86 |
| Chocolate or vanilla Frosty (S) | 250 | $2.99 | 1.20 |
| Chocolate or vanilla Frosty (M) | 350 | $3.59 | 1.03 |
| Junior Bacon Cheeseburger | 350 | $2.79 | 0.80 |
| Junior Bacon Cheeseburger Deluxe | 350 | $2.79 | 0.80 |
| Crispy Chicken Sandwich | 450 | $7.59 | 1.69 |
| Kids' Meal | 650 | $6.39 | 0.98 |
| Dave's Single | 650 | $7.39 | 1.14 |
| Breakfast Baconator | 650 | $6.59 | 1.01 |
| Crispy Chicken Sandwich Combo (Original or Spicy) | 650 | $7.69 | 1.18 |
| Dave's Double | 850 | $9.09 | 1.07 |
| Baconator | 1300 | $11.09 | 0.85 |
| Chicken Sandwich Combo - Original or Spicy | 1300 | $7.69 | 0.59 |
| Seasoned Breakfast Potatoes (S) | 250 | $2.69 | 1.08 |
| Fries (S) | 250 | $3.29 | 1.32 |
| Fries (M) | 350 | $4.29 | 1.23 |
| Chicken Nuggets (6 Piece) | 450 | $3.79 | 0.84 |
| Poutine (S) | 450 | $3.49 | 0.78 |
| Fries (L) | 450 | $4.89 | 1.09 |
| Poutine (L) | 650 | $5.59 | 0.86 |
| Chicken Strips (3 piece) | 850 | $7.49 | 0.88 |
| Chicken Nuggets (10 Piece) | 850 | $7.19 | 0.85 |
| Fresh-Made Salad | 1300 | $9.99 | 0.77 |
There's a rough theme to earning free rewards. Basically, once you buy between 9 and 11 of one item, you'll get the next one free.
Certain items definitely have better value than others. We arrived at an average value of 1 CPP, but there are quite a few items that are worth less.
Your highest-value option is the Crispy Chicken Sandwich, which gives you 1.69 CPP, but the value drops if you choose a Crispy Chicken Sandwich Combo. It only gives 0.59 CPP despite being the same sandwich.
Wendy's isn't the only fast food chain with rewards; McDonald's has their own valuable program.
Is Wendy's Rewards worth it?
Like all free rewards programs, there's really nothing to lose from joining Wendy's Rewards. The question is whether you eat at Wendy's frequently enough to earn rewards and actually use them.
Since the earn rate is so good – 10 points per $1 you spend – we're guessing it won't be hard for you to rack up reward points. The reward offers are sweet as well; you can quickly check the app to see what's currently available before easily redeeming them.
Best credit cards for restaurants
There's another way to earn rewards on all your restaurant purchases – with a credit card. With the right credit card, you can earn tons of rewards points or cash back when eating out.
Here are just some of our top restaurant credit card choices. Keep in mind that the Wendy's earn rate is on top of your Wendy's rewards, because you'll earn those separately no matter how you pay.
| Credit card | Welcome Bonus | Earn Rates | Annual Fee & Income Requirements | Apply Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Express Cobalt® Card | Up to 15,000 bonus points (terms) | * Average: 3.94% * At Wendy's: 8.75% | * $191.88 * None | Apply now |
| MBNA Rewards World Elite® Mastercard® |  $40 GeniusCash + Up to 30,000 bonus points (terms) | * Average: 2.86% * At Wendy's: 5% | * $120 * $80,000 personal or $150,000 household | Apply now |
| National Bank World Elite Mastercard | None | * Average: 1.55% * At Wendy's: 5% | * $150 * $80,000 personal or $150,000 household | Apply now |
| BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card | $185 GC Boost + Up to 80,000 bonus points, first year free (terms) | * Average: 1.59% * At Wendy's: 3.35% | * $120 * $60,000 personal or $100,000 household | Apply now |
| Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card | $75 GeniusCash + 10% extra cash back for the first 2 months (terms) | * Average: 1.14% * At Wendy's: 2%, if you choose restaurants as bonus category | * $0 * $12,000 personal | Apply now |
Best credit card for restaurants
Rewards:
- 5 points per $1 spent on eligible groceries and restaurants (up to $2,500 spent per month)
- 3 points per $1 spent on eligible streaming services
- 2 points per $1 spent on eligible gas, transit, and ride share purchases
- 1 point per $1 spent on foreign currency purchases
- 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
The best credit card when it comes to earning rewards on food purchases is the American Express Cobalt Card, which offers a combination of high rewards and value. Specifically, Amex Membership Rewards are coupled with a high point value of up to 1.75 cents each. With such a good conversion, you're looking at a return of up to 1.75% on all your food purchases.
That's a ton of rewards on restaurants and groceries – for an annual fee of $191.88.
Best Mastercard for restaurants
×7 Award winner 
GC: $40
7x Award winner Rewards:
- 5 points for every $1 spent on restaurants, groceries, and select recurring bills (up to $50,000 spent annually per category)
- 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
If you would prefer not to have an Amex, the MBNA Rewards World Elite Mastercard offers plenty of rewards across a few different categories, with restaurant purchases earning the most points. On top of that, you'll also receive a birthday bonus of 10% of the points you earned over the past year, up to a maximum bonus of 15,000 points.
A top Mastercard with a unique travel perk
Rewards:
- 5 points per $1 spent on groceries and restaurants, up to $2,500 in total spend per month (2 points after)
- 2 points per $1 spent on gas, electric vehicle charging, recurring bills, and travel booked through À La Carte Rewards
- 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
The National Bank World Elite Mastercard offers high rewards on restaurant and grocery purchases of up to $2,500 in spending per month. Plus, the card features a unique perk for saving on travel costs. Every year, you'll get a $150 travel credit that can be used for checked baggage fees, airport parking, airline upgrades, seat selection, and airport lounge access.
Best Visa for restaurants
GC: $150 + $35
Rewards:
- 5 BMO Rewards points for every $1 spent on dining ($6,000 per year), groceries ($6,000 per year), gas, and transit*
- 1 BMO Rewards point per $1 spent on all other purchases*
If you want a Visa, the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Card is an excellent choice. As part of the BMO Rewards family, each point is worth 0.67 cents when redeemed for travel, giving your food purchases a return of 3.35%. That's not bad in terms of earn rates, but there is one other cool perk that makes this card stand out. On your card's anniversary, you'll get a $50 lifestyle credit, which automatically applies to your first purchase of more than that amount.
Best no-fee cash back card for restaurants
×2 Award winner GC: $75
2x Award winner Rewards:
- 2% cash back on purchases in up to 3 Money-Back Categories
- 0.5% cash back on all other purchases
There are also some excellent no-fee cash back credit cards you can look at, and one of the best is the Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card. You get to decide which categories earn you 2% cash back, and restaurants are one of the 13 options. You can pick 2 categories if your rewards are applied as a monthly statement credit or 3 categories if your rewards are deposited into a Tangerine Savings Account. All other purchases earn 0.5% cash back.
If you want a little more from your Tangerine Mastercard, there's also the Tangerine® Money-Back World Mastercard®*. It has the exact same rewards and no annual fee, but it also offers a couple of insurance coverages and airport lounge access.
FAQ
Does Wendy's Canada have a rewards program?
Yes, Wendy's Canada launched its rewards program back in November 2022. It's simple: Order from Wendy's to earn rewards points that can be used to order free food from the fast food chain. Reward offers change regularly, so check the app for your current offers.
How do Wendy's Rewards work?
When you eat at Wendy's as a member of the rewards program, you'll earn 10 points per $1 spent pre-tax on all purchases. You don't earn points when you buy gift cards and or if you order through a third-party delivery service. To redeem points, select a reward offer in the app or online and place your order.
Do Wendy's reward points expire?
Yes, Wendy's points expire 1 year after you earn them, and if you claim an offer in the Rewards Store, you have 30 days to use it before the offer expires and you lose the associated points. It pays to pop in and use your points!
Is there a Wendy's birthday reward?
If you're a Wendy's Rewards member, you'll get a surprise birthday offer every year, but Wendy's doesn't share details about what it is. Supposedly, it's a free small Frosty or Frosty-ccino, but we make no guarantees about what you'll get.
Is it worth getting the Wendy's app?
If you don't want to jump online every time you want to select an offer, we highly recommend getting the Wendy's app. Not only can you order through the app, but you can see fresh reward offers, how many points you have, and see your reward history – all from your phone.
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