People Are Losing It Over Wendy’s New “Krabby Patty” Meal, So I Tried It, And Boy, Do I Have Some Thoughts
Plankton is gonna have a field day with this one…
Ahoy! I’m Dannica, and I am a fan of two things: SpongeBob and Wendy’s (their spicy nuggets are *chef’s kiss*). So when I found out that Wendy’s was dropping a Krabby Patty Kollab meal to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants, I felt like it was my civic duty to drop everything, head over to my local Wendy’s, and see if the meal lived up to the Bikini Bottom hype myself.
Nickelodeon
The new collaboration dropped nationwide at Wendy’s stores on Oct. 8, 2024, and features medium fries, a Krabby Patty, and a Pineapple Under the Sea Frosty. The meal is $11.99, and you can order the burger with a single, double, or triple patty.
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Sooo, before we dive into it, I have to ask…are you ready, kids?!
Nickelodeon
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As I mentioned, the second it hit lunchtime, I hauled myself to the Wendy’s drive-thru. Lo and behold, there was Mr. SquarePants himself advertising the Krabby Patty meal on display:
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(Unfortunately, I decided to go at the same time schools were out, so there was a long line in the drive-thru, seemingly from parents getting their kiddos an after-school meal. Or maybe everyone was also there to try the Krabby Patty, IDK.)
Nickelodeon
After getting through the drive-thru, I finally had the goods. I’d ordered a single Krabby Patty meal with a small vanilla-based Pineapple Under the Sea Frosty. If you’re more of a chocolate lover, though, you can choose a Chocolate Frosty instead!
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But PAUSE! Let’s take a moment to appreciate this pineapple Frosty.
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(It’s a good thing I took these pics in the parking lot because…well, you’ll see later.)
Dannica Ramirez / Canva
After getting home, I was so excited to see what this Krabby Patty would bring to the table. Though I understand that this is ~ Wendy’s take ~ on the iconic burger, I still expected the packaging and overall presentation to really emulate true Krusty Krab vibes. But alas, imagine my disappointment when I pulled everything from the bag and was met with a regular schmegular Wendy’s burger wrapper.
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I know it’s probably wild to nitpick at a fast-food place’s packaging, but if having standards is a crime, arrest me! As someone who loved watching SpongeBob as a child (and revisited my Bikini Bottom era sometime in my college years), I feel like some creative opportunities were missed. I wish there had been a different burger wrapper acknowledging that this was a collab burger — a Krabby Patty, at that. There could’ve been some type of flower cloud pattern, as seen in the show, or even something as simple as bubbles. Even the fries carton could’ve been something that nodded to the kelp fries sold at the Krusty Krab.
Nickelodeon
Heck, the meal could’ve even just come in its own special paper bag.
Though the lack of branding effort did dim my excitement a bit, I was still super curious about what the actual burger would look like. For reference, here’s the Krabby Patty in the show:
Nickelodeon
And here’s what the Wendy’s Krabby Patty looked like:
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I’m being so serious when I say this — where is the sesame seed bun?!?!?!
Nickelodeon / Dannica Ramirez
Anyway…
Nickelodeon
Dannica Ramirez / Canva
Similar to a Krusty Krab Krabby Patty, Wendy’s version consists of a quarter-pound beef patty, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, two slices of American cheese, and pickles. What differs, however, is that Wendy’s Krabby Patty includes a “top secret” Krusty Kollab sauce.
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I thought there was a singular onion at first, but don’t worry, there’s another ring behind the tomato LOL.
Here’s a closer look at the sauce via my pointer finger:
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And here’s my first bite:
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Spot the difference:
Dannica Ramirez / Nickelodeon
OK, hear me out — it’s a good burger! This doesn’t surprise me because I think Wendy’s burgers are tasty in general, but the one thing that I was a bit unsure of at first was the sauce. Don’t get me wrong, it didn’t taste bad at all! I think I went in thinking it was going to be some wild, unique sauce but was instead taken aback by how familiar it was.
Dannica Ramirez
Wendy’s Krabby Kollab sauce is tangy and slightly sweet, much like other iconic fast food burger sauces. In fact, one of my sisters initially said that Wendy’s Krabby Patty “tastes like a Big Mac.”
However, I do disagree! Even though Wendy’s Krabby sauce is similar in the pickle-y and sweet department, it packs more of a punch to me. The sauce is more savory than sweet, almost leaning toward a more peppery flavor, which I thought was nice! Even though I almost wish Wendy’s went a little riskier with the sauce (and I know they can because I tried ALL of their saucy nuggets), I honestly just wish the burger had more of it and was creamier.
As for the burger as a whole, if you take away the Krusty sauce, you basically have a Dave’s Single. And honestly? I’m not complaining. The lettuce was crisp, the tomatoes were juicy, the onions had a nice crunch, the cheese was melty perfection, the pickles were pickling, the patty was JUICY, and the bun was toasted and buttery. What more could I truly ask for (aside from more Krabby sauce)?
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Now, even though the Krabby Patty is supposed to be the star of the whole meal, I admit that I was most excited to try the Pineapple Under the Sea Frosty! Taking the iconic Wendy’s dessert, this chocolate or vanilla Frosty comes swirled with a Pineapple Mango-flavored puree. Though this Frosty comes with the meal, you can also order it by itself for $3.69 (prices may vary by location).
Dannica Ramirez
Okay, so I’m no expert, but isn’t puree supposed to be, like, thick enough that it doesn’t disappear from its cup?! I swear, the Frosty transformed on the journey from the Wendy’s drive-thru to my dining table because the swirl was gone and seemingly sucked up by whatever portal this Frosty created.
Here’s my first bite:
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All I can say is WOWWW. Despite the puree vanishing from plain sight, the pineapple and mango flavors stuck around and did the dang thing. First of all, a pineapple and mango combo is always going to hit, and it especially did paired with the Vanilla Frosty. I was a little worried that the pineapple would give a very tart and punchy flavor, but instead, it was sweet — but not in an overbearing or artificial-tasting way. Granted, it might not be overbearing because the puree itself had a more syrupy texture, so there wasn’t much to pick up on anyway. I had to give the Frosty a good mix between bites, but I thought the flavor was tropical, light, and delish.
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And, of course, I dipped some fries in there! I truly just wish the puree was thicker and had bigger chunks of pineapple and mango.
Nickelodeon
Dannica Ramirez / Canva
Overall, I enjoyed the Krabby Patty meal! It’s a fun and tasty collaboration, but it did lack in creativity. Considering this meal was released in celebration of SpongeBob SquarePants — and it’s the first time there’s ever been a “real life” Krabby Patty — there could have been so much more. Mostly, I wish there was more of an effort to push the theme and include elements of the Krusty Krab or anything about Bikini Bottom in the meal’s presentation.
Dannica Ramirez
Additionally, though I did enjoy the burger, I was hoping there would be a bigger distinction flavor-wise and look-wise between a regular Wendy’s cheeseburger and the iconic Krabby Patty.
To no one’s surprise, my favorite part about this meal was the Frosty, and I certainly think the meal is worth trying at least once — especially if you’re a longtime SpongeBob fan and want the experience of ordering a Krabby Patty in real life! But don’t wait too long, as this collaboration is only for a limited time!
Dannica Ramirez
