It's one of those things I have nostalgia for simply because I remember them in my childhood, but even back the idea of consuming most of the superbar creeped me out and lets be real the quality of that food was complete ass (I remember the pasta in particular being unique in its terribleness). I bet they're horror stories about how exactly some of that food had been maintained in the back.
Definitely a reason places don't do this anymore. It was that novel combo of unexpected foods in an all-you-can-eat setting that made it special. I was happily young enough to be ignorant of food safety and could just enjoy the ride.
I started college in Fall 1989, and there was a Wendy's with a Superbar right across the street from my dorm. For a starving college kid it was fantastic. I'd go in there and gorge myself, then pile up a plate of food and take it back to my little dorm fridge, where I could eat it later. A few times when I was extra broke, I'd wash the plate and sneak it back into Wendy's in my bag, order a drink, then fill the plate up again at the Superbar and repeat the process for free. Never got caught, thank heaven.
Yeah, 1980s fast food was a bit more limited in NJ even with ubiquitous tv commercials. I think to try a Wendys, it would mean a trek to Route 22 or something out of the way
It made fast food so much more novel. We didn't have any fast food in our town, so we always had to leave town. Usually that meant Rt 17, which even in the 80s was like a fast food highway compared to other areas.
I wonder why it seemed we had less fast food? Did we actually? Was your family against fast food when diners and other places existed?
I grew up in Canada with access to American TV. It was frustrating to see advertisements for restaurants, theme parks, and products in the US that weren't available to us north of the border.
Wendy's SuperBar passed me by completely, though our local McDonald's had pizza for a short while:
We had a different McPizza here in northern Illinois for a bit back in the ‘80s. Sized as an individual serving (I can’t remember if it was round or square, but I think round?), it had a very strange flavor and was, as I recall, kind of orange-ish in color. I liked it, but it was a curious beast.
I think I might’ve eaten at a Superbar once, perhaps twice, but my fonder memory of ‘80s Wendy’s was the short time that they sold hot dogs. All beef (or so they said) and grilled, they were served in a Texas-toast-like bun, split on to as opposed to the side like a conventional dog.
I grew up in Jax, Fla and my first job at 16 was a Wendy’s in 1976. I remember the salad bar in early 80’s but I don’t ever remember the Super Bar. Did we have them down here?
I didn't get to appreciate this as much as I wish I had -- I mainly just got the salad bar on its own, sometimes decking out a baked potato with ingredients from it. But I was a latecomer to Mexican food, as I thought it was mainly beans, peppers, and onions -- stuff I can't eat, and I wasn't really aware of options that DIDN'T include that. Likewise, I'm not a huge tomato sauce fan, and I think my parents tried to steer me away from cream sauces, leaving little else of value there besides the same plain pasta I could get at home.
Never saw seafood or pizza that I can remember, though!
I was sad when they took not only the Super Bar away, but the Salad Bar, too. You don't see that kind around much here in Canada. And the breadsticks they had for the salads were great, too! I'd buy those to snack on occasionally, and was sad they went with the rest.
Always heard the upkeep and time involved was why they eventually hung it up, I wish they'd instead spun that (and the pitas!) off into their own restaurant instead, then.
The Super Bar was wonderful. The price was just right for me when I was finishing high school and going to college, only working part time jobs. I had always loved a salad bar, we grew up with a local restaurant that had a fantastic one. The addition of the tex-mex tacos and burritos was a great addition.
I worked at Wendy's in high school and college right at the peak of the Superbar era. The garlic bread at the Italian station was hamburger buns that had been brushed with garlic butter and grilled. Almost all of the hot food was powdered mixes or (in the case of the pasta) par-cooked, so you would just have to add hot water to quickly prepare it. So it was pretty cheap, but it was fairly mediocre quality. I remember them being a lot of work to keep stocked and clean, which may have been one of the reasons they didn't last.
The powdered mix makes sense for the quality. It seemed like two people were constantly working to refill things at the Wendy's I went to as I got older. Lot of effort.
The SuperBar was my first job in HS. That sucker was a bitch to break down.
It's one of those things I have nostalgia for simply because I remember them in my childhood, but even back the idea of consuming most of the superbar creeped me out and lets be real the quality of that food was complete ass (I remember the pasta in particular being unique in its terribleness). I bet they're horror stories about how exactly some of that food had been maintained in the back.
Definitely a reason places don't do this anymore. It was that novel combo of unexpected foods in an all-you-can-eat setting that made it special. I was happily young enough to be ignorant of food safety and could just enjoy the ride.
I started college in Fall 1989, and there was a Wendy's with a Superbar right across the street from my dorm. For a starving college kid it was fantastic. I'd go in there and gorge myself, then pile up a plate of food and take it back to my little dorm fridge, where I could eat it later. A few times when I was extra broke, I'd wash the plate and sneak it back into Wendy's in my bag, order a drink, then fill the plate up again at the Superbar and repeat the process for free. Never got caught, thank heaven.
It really was a bargain. The food might not have been top-quality, but it was great for the lean times.
Yeah, 1980s fast food was a bit more limited in NJ even with ubiquitous tv commercials. I think to try a Wendys, it would mean a trek to Route 22 or something out of the way
It made fast food so much more novel. We didn't have any fast food in our town, so we always had to leave town. Usually that meant Rt 17, which even in the 80s was like a fast food highway compared to other areas.
I wonder why it seemed we had less fast food? Did we actually? Was your family against fast food when diners and other places existed?
I grew up in Canada with access to American TV. It was frustrating to see advertisements for restaurants, theme parks, and products in the US that weren't available to us north of the border.
Wendy's SuperBar passed me by completely, though our local McDonald's had pizza for a short while:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9SVBLzx70Y&ab_channel=ManitobaVideo
Did you try the McPizza?
We had a different McPizza here in northern Illinois for a bit back in the ‘80s. Sized as an individual serving (I can’t remember if it was round or square, but I think round?), it had a very strange flavor and was, as I recall, kind of orange-ish in color. I liked it, but it was a curious beast.
I think I might’ve eaten at a Superbar once, perhaps twice, but my fonder memory of ‘80s Wendy’s was the short time that they sold hot dogs. All beef (or so they said) and grilled, they were served in a Texas-toast-like bun, split on to as opposed to the side like a conventional dog.
I’d drive an hour or more to have one again!
Absolutely!
All I remember was that the pizza sauce had a bit of tang to it, and I think the crust was dusted with Parmesan cheese. I thought it was good.
Granted, I was like 10 years old, so what did I know about good pizza?
I grew up in Jax, Fla and my first job at 16 was a Wendy’s in 1976. I remember the salad bar in early 80’s but I don’t ever remember the Super Bar. Did we have them down here?
I need $2.99 and to actually build that time machine.
I will bring the cash, if you can bring the time machine.
I didn't get to appreciate this as much as I wish I had -- I mainly just got the salad bar on its own, sometimes decking out a baked potato with ingredients from it. But I was a latecomer to Mexican food, as I thought it was mainly beans, peppers, and onions -- stuff I can't eat, and I wasn't really aware of options that DIDN'T include that. Likewise, I'm not a huge tomato sauce fan, and I think my parents tried to steer me away from cream sauces, leaving little else of value there besides the same plain pasta I could get at home.
Never saw seafood or pizza that I can remember, though!
I was sad when they took not only the Super Bar away, but the Salad Bar, too. You don't see that kind around much here in Canada. And the breadsticks they had for the salads were great, too! I'd buy those to snack on occasionally, and was sad they went with the rest.
Always heard the upkeep and time involved was why they eventually hung it up, I wish they'd instead spun that (and the pitas!) off into their own restaurant instead, then.
A spinoff restaurant would have been interesting. Maybe just call it SuperBar?
I was thinking maybe something like "Dave's SuperBar".
Perfect.
The Super Bar was wonderful. The price was just right for me when I was finishing high school and going to college, only working part time jobs. I had always loved a salad bar, we grew up with a local restaurant that had a fantastic one. The addition of the tex-mex tacos and burritos was a great addition.
Wow- this passed us Canadians by. We just had the normal Wendy's, and still do.
Late 80s + weed + Superbar = me and my NJ stoner friends being asked to leave on more than one occasion. Good memories
I think that was a large part of the SuperBar target audience.
I worked at Wendy's in high school and college right at the peak of the Superbar era. The garlic bread at the Italian station was hamburger buns that had been brushed with garlic butter and grilled. Almost all of the hot food was powdered mixes or (in the case of the pasta) par-cooked, so you would just have to add hot water to quickly prepare it. So it was pretty cheap, but it was fairly mediocre quality. I remember them being a lot of work to keep stocked and clean, which may have been one of the reasons they didn't last.
The powdered mix makes sense for the quality. It seemed like two people were constantly working to refill things at the Wendy's I went to as I got older. Lot of effort.