To fact-check this claim, I'm delving into the claim itself first, stating "Wendy's will begin surge pricing to make items cost more during times of high demand." The keywords here are surge pricing. Surge pricing refers to prices that are adjusted upward. According to this article from CNN, Wendy's won't implement surge pricing, the practice of raising prices when demand is highest. However, the same article, says surge pricing refers to dynamic pricing. Dynamic pricing refers to any pricing model that allows prices to fluctuate. Continuing from this AP article, I found that "Wendy's is looking to test having the prices of its menu items fluctuate throughout the day based on demand, implementing a strategy that has already taken hold with ride-sharing companies and ticket sellers." This means that this chain will start testing dynamic pricing, also known as surge pricing, as early as next year. As this news came out, shares of Wendy's fell slightly in trading. Regardless, Wendy's Co. is planning to invest $20 million to launch digital menu boards at all of its U.S. company-run restaurants at the end of 2025. CEO, Kirk Tanner, implied that once Wendy's shows the benefit of this technology in company-operated restaurants, testing more enhanced features like dynamic pricing, and daypart offerings, along with AI-enabled menu changes and suggestive selling leads to supporting sales and profit growth across the system. With these two sources, It comes across as a terminology war for what Wendy's is trying to accomplish. Whether it be practicing surge or dynamic pricing there is going to be a shift in Wendy's prices causing either or/both an increase or decrease in prices at any given time.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/28/business/wendys-dynamic-pricing-surge-explained/index.html#:~:text=In%20an%20email%20to%20CNN,are%20visiting%20us%20the%20most.%E2%80%9D
https://apnews.com/article/wendys-surge-pricing-tanner-burger-dynamic-9417bc235bbcd13d82966d04a6ba42bd
