When Wendy’s announced its version of the iconic Spongebob Squarepants Krabby Patty, fans said, “I’m ready, I’m ready, I’m ready!”

But when the burger finally dropped on Oct. 8, and I took my first bite, my initial thought was, “I don’t need it. I don’t need it. I DEFINITELY don’t need it.”

For the popular animated show’s twenty-fifth anniversary, Wendy’s, Paramount, and Nickelodeon collaborated to recreate the show’s iconic burger, the Krabby Patty. 

In the show, which debuted in 1999, the main character, Spongebob, works at the Krusty Krab restaurant, where he toils over a grill making Krabby Patties. The burger is a recurring plot device of the show as Spongebob’s nemesis, Plankton, tries to steal the secret formula of the tasty burger.

Unfortunately, Wendy’s adaptation of the magical meal that fans have salivated over for 13 seasons is, as Patrick would say, an “ugly barnacle.” 

In the show, the Krabby Patty is special, a highly coveted sandwich that Sheldon J. Plankton obsesses over. Wendy’s hamburger, however, is a nothingburger. The “kollab,” it appears, amounts to adding a “secret sauce” to a regular Wendy’s burger. 

That’s it.

While the tangy spread is tasty, there is no other difference between this burger and any other burger on the Wendy’s menu. 

To further sell the Spongebob theme, the meal, which costs $11.89, includes a Pineapple Under the Sea Frosty, which is basically just a regular vanilla frosty with hints of mango and pineapple-flavored puree. 

But it’s not nearly enough for a show — and burger — that’s been a part of people’s lives for 25 years.

Ultimately, the “kollab” is a massive missed opportunity. Beyond the name of the burger, a squeeze of sauce, and a pump of puree, there’s little that evokes the beloved Spongebob Squarepants show. 

At the very least, Wendy’s could have made the price of the burger the same as it is in the show ($1.25), or made Spongebob Squarepants-themed bags for the meal, or even included a Happy Meal-like toy.

Burger King got it right with its release of an Addams Family meal that includes a Whopper with a purple bun, Addams Family-branded packaging, and even a themed crown. Denny’s, in their tie-in with Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, has an entire themed menu, including a Say It Three Times Slam and a Beetlejuicy Burger.   

Overall, Wendy’s collaboration with Spongebob Squarepants is a disappointment, a failure of a meal that not even Plankton would want on his Chum Bucket menu.  

This story was originally published on The Wildcat on October 18, 2024.