This Basic Ingredient Might Be Missing From Your Wendy's Order
Back in November 2020, the future seemed shaky for lettuce. Due to supply chain shortages, lettuce looked like it could face shortage issues due to the fact the crop has to get shipped the moment it gets harvested, and was facing overly hot weather and disease (via Agrilife Today). The issues have finally caught up to the crop and now lettuce shortages have hit Wendy's across America. According to Eat This, Not That!, Wendy's across the South in particular have seen shortages. Only about half of the restaurants in this affected region have received their lettuce orders, meaning that you might have to forgo this topping in your next meal.
This issue has cascaded for months now. Lettuce stands as a particularly vulnerable food that got hit hard in the pandemic, and its shortages have popped up time and again over the course of the past months. Chick-fil-A workers noticed the beginnings of the shortage months ago when their restaurants briefly stopped carrying lettuce (via Reddit).
When will the lettuce shortage end?
Lettuce supply issues should resolve once several environmental factors come to pass. Experts have pinpointed crop failures due to severe drought and disease as the primary factors as to why Wendy's have stopped utilizing the ingredient (via KTRE). Luckily, this shortage should only hit regions, as opposed to the entirety of the United States, but the shortages should come in waves over the next few weeks. Lettuce production hasn't stopped, and you can still expect to find the crop at your local grocers. Just make sure to brace for a lack of lettuce when you make your next burger order.
If you can't live without lettuce on your burger, you might need to avoid Wendy's in the South until the restaurant can receive its order of this integral ingredient. Keep an eye out for the item to return in your area if you feel the crunch. Let's all hope that restaurants across the affected region can reclaim this topping soon.