By . Associated Press and Rosemarie Lentini . PUBLISHED: . 12:53 EST, 31 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:59 EST, 31 May 2013 . It's a twist on a bacon cheeseburger that has foodies excited but health nuts checking the calorie count. Wendy's is set to roll out a pretzel bacon cheeseburger this fall, replacing the traditional hamburger bun with soft pretzel bread. While the popular chain is not giving anything away about the new sandwich ahead of its official release, experts say it could take the fast food world by storm. New: Wendy's latest cheese bacon pretzel burger with a pretzel bun . 'This could be a very, very big deal,' Christopher Muller, professor of . hospitality at Boston University's School of Hospitality Administration, told International Science Times. 'I . don't know why, but there's nothing else on the market quite like it. If it's a . hit, others are guaranteed to follow.' According to Nation's Restaurant News senior editor Mark Brandau, . pretzels are a growing trend in the casual dining food industry. They're already popular in Europe, while sandwich chain . Blimpie first introduced a line of pretzel bread rolls a couple years ago. While it has been reported Wendy's pretzel burger was a hit with test groups, the chain has yet to unveil the official calorie count for its latest sandwich. However according to Daily Burn, a version of the pretzel burger offered by family restaurant chain Friendly's packed a staggering 1420 calories and 79 grams of fat, 190 mg of . cholesterol, 2040 mg of sodium, and a total of 119 grams of carbohydrates. This is much higher than the calories in other Wendy's burgers, including the JBC (Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger) at 310, the Baconator at 970 and Dave's Hot 'N Juicy 3/4 lb triple at 1120. Competitive: Wendy's hopes its new pretzel burger will compete with high end fast food outlets . While the potential high calorie count may please taste buds, Wendy's concoction reflects its strategic direction. Associated Press reports the burger is a sign of the chain's emphasis on offering more premium breads that raise perceptions about . the quality of its food without raising its own costs too much. Specifically, a unique bun is cheaper . than giving customers more meat, particularly at a time when beef . prices have been climbing. The strategy is in line with a push . by Wendy's to cast itself as being on the higher end of the fast food . industry, which it says will allow it to charge higher prices more in . line with Panera and Chipotle. Innovative?: Food experts predict Wendy's new pretzel burger will change the industry and be popular with diners . CEO Emil Brolick and other Wendy's . executives have noted that small adjustments like bread can have a big . impact on how customers perceive the quality and healthfulness of the . chain's food. It's not just the pretzel bun; Wendy's has said it's . looking at a variety of options, including flavored buns and wheat buns. It rolled out a chicken flatbread sandwich earlier this year that is priced on the higher end of the menu. Of course, there's the fun factor for . customers too. Taco Bell's test of a waffle taco with egg has generated . excitement online as well. A spokesman for Wendy's Co., based in Dublin, Ohio, wasn't immediately available for comment.
Wendy's will unveil a new bacon cheeseburger with a soft pretzel bun to take on high end fast food outlets .
Food experts predict the cheesy sandwich will transform the industry .
Wendy's remains tight-lipped about its latest venture, but the move reflects its emphasis on offering premium products .
By . Associated Press and Rosemarie Lentini . PUBLISHED: . 12:53 EST, 31 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:59 EST, 31 May 2013 . It's a twist on a bacon cheeseburger that has foodies excited but health nuts checking the calorie count. Wendy's is set to roll out a pretzel bacon cheeseburger this fall, replacing the traditional hamburger bun with soft pretzel bread. While the popular chain is not giving anything away about the new sandwich ahead of its official release, experts say it could take the fast food world by storm. New: Wendy's latest cheese bacon pretzel burger with a pretzel bun . 'This could be a very, very big deal,' Christopher Muller, professor of . hospitality at Boston University's School of Hospitality Administration, told International Science Times. 'I . don't know why, but there's nothing else on the market quite like it. If it's a . hit, others are guaranteed to follow.' According to Nation's Restaurant News senior editor Mark Brandau, . pretzels are a growing trend in the casual dining food industry. They're already popular in Europe, while sandwich chain . Blimpie first introduced a line of pretzel bread rolls a couple years ago. While it has been reported Wendy's pretzel burger was a hit with test groups, the chain has yet to unveil the official calorie count for its latest sandwich. However according to Daily Burn, a version of the pretzel burger offered by family restaurant chain Friendly's packed a staggering 1420 calories and 79 grams of fat, 190 mg of . cholesterol, 2040 mg of sodium, and a total of 119 grams of carbohydrates. This is much higher than the calories in other Wendy's burgers, including the JBC (Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger) at 310, the Baconator at 970 and Dave's Hot 'N Juicy 3/4 lb triple at 1120. Competitive: Wendy's hopes its new pretzel burger will compete with high end fast food outlets . While the potential high calorie count may please taste buds, Wendy's concoction reflects its strategic direction. Associated Press reports the burger is a sign of the chain's emphasis on offering more premium breads that raise perceptions about . the quality of its food without raising its own costs too much. Specifically, a unique bun is cheaper . than giving customers more meat, particularly at a time when beef . prices have been climbing. The strategy is in line with a push . by Wendy's to cast itself as being on the higher end of the fast food . industry, which it says will allow it to charge higher prices more in . line with Panera and Chipotle. Innovative?: Food experts predict Wendy's new pretzel burger will change the industry and be popular with diners . CEO Emil Brolick and other Wendy's . executives have noted that small adjustments like bread can have a big . impact on how customers perceive the quality and healthfulness of the . chain's food. It's not just the pretzel bun; Wendy's has said it's . looking at a variety of options, including flavored buns and wheat buns. It rolled out a chicken flatbread sandwich earlier this year that is priced on the higher end of the menu. Of course, there's the fun factor for . customers too. Taco Bell's test of a waffle taco with egg has generated . excitement online as well. A spokesman for Wendy's Co., based in Dublin, Ohio, wasn't immediately available for comment.
on a bacon cheeseburger that has foodies excited hamburger bun with soft pretzel bread. While the its new pretzel burger will compete with high end fast food outlets . While the potential high concoction reflects its strategic direction. the chain's emphasis on offering more premium Panera and Chipotle. Innovative?: Food experts predict Wendy's new pretzel burger will change