4 Ordering Tips To Get The Best Wendy's Dave's Single Burger

Despite being the chain's "default" burger, as it were, the Dave's Single is nonetheless the best burger on Wendy's menu. A perfectly-balanced, classic burger built around a fresh, tasty beef patty dressed with a generous amount of veggies and condiments and nestled in a soft potato bun. The Dave's Single is not only a best-in-class fast food burger but can almost hold its own among more substantial restaurant burgers. Even so, there is always room for improvement — or at least, interesting twists and tweaks.

Now, to get this out of the way up front, we aren't going to discuss upgrading a Dave's Single to a Dave's Double or Dave's Triple. The focus here is specifically on improving upon the single patty offering. That said, feel free to apply any of these tips to a double or triple if you are so inclined. Likewise, adding bacon isn't going to be suggested here, as that simply transforms the sandwich into a Big Bacon Classic, which is not only an existing, separate menu item, but is cheaper and easier to order than adding bacon to a Dave's Single anyway.

Instead, these are four slightly more unorthodox and less obvious enhancements one can make to elevate a Dave's Single. All these customizations are possible using currently available, non-limited time Wendy's menu items and options. Some are achievable within pre-established customization options when ordering a Dave's Single, while others require a bit more finagling and/or an in-person request to the person who takes your order.

Sure, it started as a clever way to repurpose leftover hamburger meat, but Wendy's chili is still a longtime fan favorite menu item that offers something a bit heartier and more traditional than typical fast food fare. While it was initially just offered as a standalone menu item, the chili has since been integrated as a component to other dishes, namely the chili cheese fries. With a little finagling, Wendy's smoky and delicious chili can also transform a single into a mighty tasty chili cheeseburger.

As it stands, there isn't an option to add chili when placing an order for a Dave's Single online — which means, it's not an official add on or adjustment. In our experience, if you simply request a scoop of chili added to your burger when ordering in person, they will likely do it for you. However, that does have the potential for a mess, especially if you aren't eating the burger inside the restaurant and are bringing it home to enjoy.

With that in mind, some prefer to simply order a Dave's Single and a side of chili to construct the chili cheeseburger themselves. This method also allows for using the chili as a dip for your burger instead, which preserves the stability of the bun and crispness of the toppings between dunks in the chili bath.

One of the best new fast food items right now, the Wendy's Bacon Pretzel Pub Cheeseburger, is named in part because it comes on a pretzel bun. That means that Wendy's restaurants now stock pretzel buns, which also means they are selectable as options for other sandwiches — including the Dave's Single. In fact, if you click "edit" on the standard potato bun when ordering a Dave's Single online, you can choose a pretzel bun instead.

Full disclosure: There is a $1.00 upcharge for picking the pretzel bun over the potato bun. But we say it's worth it if you want to give a Dave's Single a slight twist on its flavor profile while still retaining most of what makes the burger a timeless classic. In addition to adding that subtle pretzel flavor that comes with a pretzel bun, the thicker, chewier texture makes a Dave's Single feel a bit closer to a restaurant burger than a basic fast food burger.

Those who think this throws off the bread/meat balance may want to consider opting for a Dave's Double with this hack. We still think it works perfectly well on the single — and recommend you try it that way first before deciding for yourself — but that second patty adds to the enjoyment of this pub-inspired twist on Wendy's best burger.

Unlike some of its closest competitors, the Dave's Single comes with a slice of cheese by default and doesn't force you to have to pay to "upgrade" to a cheeseburger. No doubt, Wendy's knows most consider cheeseburgers to be the default burger configuration. Thus, every Dave's Single (unless you order otherwise) comes with a slice of American cheese, which is widely considered the best cheese for a cheeseburger, particularly for structural purposes.

That's not to say that no other types of cheese are good on a cheeseburger. Everyone has their preferences. Cheddar and Swiss are arguably two of the most popular out there for cheeseburgers. Wendy's doesn't currently offer either of those, but it does allow you to customize your burger with either asiago and muenster cheeses as substitution options — and we recommend giving both a try.

You may be surprised to find that you prefer the buttery, nutty notes of a slice of asiago cheese or the slightly meltier (and milkier) profile that muenster brings. If you're feeling ambitious (and find yourself ordering from a patient and open-minded staff member), you could even attempt two different kinds of cheeses at once.

Several existing Wendy's menu items, from the aforementioned Bacon Pub Cheeseburger and its chicken counterpart to various other sandwiches (plus the Cobb salad), all come topped with crispy fried onions. They offer a nice, salty, oniony crunch to anything they are sprinkled over top of — and that includes a Dave's Single, if that is something that sounds appealing to you.

Sweet raw onions aren't everyone's cup of tea. The usual move for those is to omit them when ordering a Dave's Single. The crispy fried onions make an excellent alternative, imparting your Wendy's burger with that onion flavor (though tempering it significantly) while adding the delightful texture of the breading.

Alternatively, if you can't get enough onions on your burger, you could always leave the original sweet onions on and add the crispy fried onions in addition for a double dose of onion goodness. Of course, you may need to keep a stick of gum or some Tic Tacs handy for the sake of anyone you'll be in close proximity for the rest of the day.