Wendy Takes Down The King - Wendy's to Become #2 U.S. Burger Chain

Could it be that Princess Wendy is about to overthrow Burger King?  A story that was in the Orange County Register last month was the first mention of Wendy's overtaking Burger King in terms of market-share:

The debut of contemporary prototype restaurants along with a continued focus on food quality are giving Wendy's the edge it needs to bump Burger King from its No. 2 spot, Kalinowski said during a phone interview Tuesday...In 2010, Burger King's market share in the limited-service burger segment was 13.3 percent, while Wendy's share was 12.8 percent.  McDonald's dominates the segment with a 49.5 percent share, according to the latest figures by Technomic, a market research firm in Chicago.

Now, for the first time since 1969, when Wendy's was founded, the rankings of the the top 3 are changing with Wendy's sales, according to the Wall Street Journal, expected to top Burger King's by $53 million for the year, even as Wendy's has 5,800 restaurants to Burger King's 7,200.

One of the big keys for Wendy's besides more customer visits and restaurant remodels is the higher prices they've been charging since their menu revamp:

...Out went the traditional iceberg lettuce topped with tomatoes and onions, and in came four new salad varieties featuring 11 different greens and new ingredients like apples, pecans and asiago cheese.  Wendy's then turned its attention to French fries, switching from a mixture of potato varieties to only Russet potatoes, sliced with the skin still on, and sprinkled with sea salt.  More recently, Wendy's beefed up its burgers, switching to a looser grind of beef to make its burgers thicker and juicier. The company also refashioned its trademark square burgers with softer edges after customers said those burgers looked processed, even though they were fresh.

How is Burger King responding? From the Wall Street Journal:

Burger King spokesman Miguel Piedra said speculation about market rankings in the U.S. "highlight[s] the degree of competition" in the sector, but that such projections "do not illustrate a complete picture of the industry's competitive landscape, globally." He said Burger King has nearly 12,400 restaurants world-wide, almost double the number of Wendy's around the world. Burger King is "focused on driving strong expansion in its many markets around the world," and that "will strongly position the brand" to remain the No. 2 burger chain world-wide, he said.

What do you think about that response by Burger King?  It came across as weak to the AZFoodDude.  Where is the pride in holding onto the #2 spot in your home country or at least saying you'll fight to get it back.  Unless the quote was cut and there is more to it, the spokesman's response is hardly worthy of a King.

With more restaurants in the U.S. than Wendy's and Burger King combined and nearly half the entire share of the market, what does McDonald's have to say about all this?

"As the leader in the [fast food] industry, we remain focused on our customers and our business," a McDonald's spokeswoman said.

I guess as Emperor, the fight between the new Queen and the King way below you doesn't really matter much.

Update (3-19-12): It's official, AP reports: Wendy's Takes #2 Spot From Burger King