Surge in Wendy’s complaints exposes limits to consumer tolerance of unstable prices

Saunders said that even though dynamic pricing is already ubiquitous, the grief Wendy's got shows how sensitive consumers are to price variations. — Bloomberg

NEW YORK: Consumers will pay more for a flight to Florida or for a hotel room during peak vacation times. They fork out more for a rush hour Uber ride, perhaps while grinding their teeth, and rely on apps like ParkWhiz or ParkMobile to book spots for their cars at premium prices.

But a social media backlash this week to media reports that said fast-food chain Wendy’s had plans to increase menu prices during its busiest hours showed a limit to where, when and for what US consumers will trade more cash for convenience. It looks like a Dave’s Double Combo or a Frosty won’t make the cut.