The sandwich was intended to present a larger burger that appealed to the 18- to 36-year-old male demographic that desired a "heartier" product.
[citation needed] It is one of only two named hamburger products sold by the company and was designed to compete against the Burger King Whopper sandwich.
The Big Classic was a hamburger, consisting of a ¼ pound (113 g) beef patty, lettuce, tomatoes, mayonnaise, ketchup, onions, pickles and grill seasoning served on a Kaiser style roll.
The Big Classic was introduced in September 1986 as part of a line of sandwiches that were launched during a major corporate restructuring of Wendy's.
[citation needed] Initially, it was in a clamshell-style styrofoam; this was a clam container that form-fitted the sandwich but was replaced later on with its signature foil wrapper as a result of environmental concerns.