How does wendys make their baked potatoes

The quick-service joint famous for the Frosty and chili sells approximately 1 million baked potatoes a week. But before you get a tater with your takeout, be warned that Wendy's employees have shared some unsavory stories about what really goes on behind the scenes of potato prep.

Tales of everything from poorly-cooked tubers to unhygienic storage abound. If you're making yourself a baked potato at home, the easiest option is to microwave it ; the traditional baking method can take an hour.

But we all know that a hot, foil-wrapped, fresh-from-the-oven potato is going to taste better than one you nuked for a few minutes, which is why many of us who are having urgent spud cravings head to Wendy's. The official word from Lori Estrada, Wendy's VP of culinary innovation, is that the chain uses ovens to prepare this menu item via Thrillist. While you're chewing on that revelation, here's one that may make you lose your appetite: Another former employee said on Reddit the potatoes at the Wendy's where he worked were "stored on the ground and mopped around every day.

Each Wendy's is different, and perhaps the one near you would never serve microwaved or floor potatoes. The "basic" baked potato at Wendy's, free of toppings, is calories. A medium order of fries, in comparison, is calories. If you load up the baked potato with generous amounts of cheese and a dusting of bacon bits, it's still only calories. The rest of the potato options offered on the menu bacon and cheese, chili and cheese, sour cream and chive, broccoli and cheese are about the same, despite the seemingly gluttonous toppings.

While health trends have shifted in recent years, Estrada believes Wendy's baked potatoes still endure as a nutritious fast-food option. But these baked potatoes are full of fiber, low in fat, have a great mineral content Though cut from the same cloth as French fries, the baked potato was never designed to act as a replacement for fries. And while it technically lives on the sides menu, the baked potato isn't a bridesmaid to the burger -- it was always designed to be a star of the show.

They are usually about and-a-half ounces, so there's a lot there. It can be your dinner. It's also one of the best deals on the menu. For nearly the same calorie count , the baked potato offers nearly twice as much food by weight than an order of fries. Also, the hefty baked potato costs around as much as its fried counterpart. Best of all, the baked potato is extremely customizable.

And it's pretty delicious. Jereme Allison, who says he worked at Wendy's, agreed that this was usually the plan, but noted, "There were a few times.. Even when the spud's perfectly baked, otherwise ill-prepared potatoes have been the source of customer rage on Twitter.

Got back to the office and barely a sprinkle of chili. Disappointed," tweeted one customer with a picture of a potato that sported only a few lonely beans. Other Twitter complaints mention rotten potatoes, small potatoes and a photo of a potato that looks