News


Wendy’s denies plans for surge pricing after political backlash


The fast-food chain said comments made by its chief executive had been misconstrued and items won’t increase in price in busier times


By Emma Lake


US burger chain Wendy’s has denied it is considering plans to introduce dynamic pricing which could have seen menu items become more expensive during busier periods. The company said comments


made by its chief executive Kirk Tanner had been “misconstrued”. During a call with investors,


Tanner said the business was making a $30m (£23.7m) invest- ment in digital menu boards, which from 2025 would include features such as “dynamic pric- ing” and “daypart offerings”. The comments prompted


an online backlash, including from US Democratic senator Elizabeth Warren, who wrote on X: “It’s price gouging plain and simple, and American fam- ilies have had enough.” Democratic senator Bob


Digital boards at Wendy’s are intended to provide flexible discounts


Casey wrote a letter to Wendy’s that said dynamic pricing was “predatory and greedy”. Wendy’s has since issued a statement that said the digital


boards would provide restau- rants with the flexibility to offer discounts during quieter peri- ods and “change the display of featured items”.


It strongly countered sug- gestions that prices could be increased during busier peri- ods, and added: “This [com- ment] was misconstrued in some media reports as an intent to raise prices when demand is highest at our restaurants. We have no plans to do that and would not raise prices when our customers are visit- ing us most.” Wendy’s digital boards, which


the company said would help drive sales, are still expected to roll out into all its US sites by the end of 2025. Wendy’s was founded in 1969


in Ohio by Dave Thomas and is best known for its made-to- order square hamburgers. The chain returned to the UK


in 2021 after a 20-year break and has since opened 22 restau- rants, which are a mix of com- pany-run and franchised sites.


Groucho Club names Elli Jafari as its first female CEO


Elli Jafari has been appointed chief executive of London’s famous Groucho Club. She will be the first female


leader for the members’ club, which was bought by hospitality group Artfarm in 2022. Jafari will join the business


in mid-April from a role at the Standard hotel in King’s Cross, where she was executive vice- president for London and Ibiza and became known for curating celebrity parties. After being raised in Tehran,


Jafari gained a Bachelor of Arts in hotel and restaurant manage- ment at San Francisco’s Golden State University. She has since worked at W Hotels and Lore Group and as managing director of the Curtain hotel and mem- bers’ club in Shoreditch. Ewan Venters, chief executive of Artfarm, said: “The appointment


4 | The Caterer | 8 March 2024


of Elli signifies the start of an exciting new era for the Grou- cho Club. As our first female CEO, this feels particularly apt as we approach the 40th anni-


versary of the club’s formation.” The Groucho was founded


in 1985 by a group of mostly female publishers and has been a hub for people working in the


arts, literature, film, music, and media for almost 40 years. It takes its name from the


Groucho Marx quote: “I don’t want to belong to any club that will accept me as a member.” Artist Damien Hirst famously celebrated his Turner Prize win by putting his £20,000 winnings behind the bar, and U2 front- man Bono once sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to president Bill Clin- ton around a piano at the club. Chef Mark Hix was appointed director of food and beverage at the Groucho following Artfarm’s purchase of the club in 2022. Artfarm was launched in 2014


Elli Jafari previously worked as executive vice-president at the Standard


by Iwan and Manuela Wirth, the co-founders of art gallery Hauser & Wirth. Its hospital- ity ventures include the Fife Arms in Braemar, Fish Shop in Ballater, and the Audley pub in London’s Mayfair.


www.thecaterer.com


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