Is there really a ‘demon in the fridge’ at Lacey Wendy’s?

For the past few days, locals have been pitching in about social media reports of paranormal activity at the Lacey Wendy’s on Sleater Kinney Road.

A Facebook post in the popular group Washington State Memes read, “What the heck is going on at the Wendy’s in Lacey, WA?”

The photo captured a sign on a drive-thru menu declaring the presence of a malignant spirit who allegedly had been driving away staff members.

“We are short staffed. Please be patient with the staff that did show up. There’s a demon in the fridge. No one wants to work anymore,” it read.

“Having been to Lacey, can confirm, there’s probably a demon in the fridge,” one person responded.

Another comment read, “The Demon is doing his best to make your Dave’s doubles, please be patient with him.”

The Olympian staff decided to investigate the claims of a demon haunting the Lacey Wendy’s.

On Tuesday afternoon, a line of about five cars waited for their lunch. Perhaps locals were unaware of the reported otherworldly being — or they were willing to brush off its supernatural powers for a cool frosty to beat the heat.

Upon speaking with staff members, managers said the image circulating on the internet was not associated with the Lacey Wendy’s. One manager said, “This is the first time I’ve ever heard of a demon.”

Other Wendy’s management pointed out a sharp difference between the menu board in the photo and the menu at the Lacey Wendy’s location.

The manager of the Wendy’s on Martin Way East (which is in Olympia), Mark Lanz, said, “If you look at the menu board, it’s sitting in bark, and the Lacey store is all concrete.”

The menu board of the Lacey Wendy’s drive-thru does stand on a concrete platform, indicating that the photo was not taken at the Lacey Wendy’s.

The same image circulated on local Facebook groups across the country, reaching as far as Polk County, Florida. While the image popped up on the Washington State Memes Facebook page on June 21, it has been shared around Facebook and Reddit since as early as 2021.

So what does this mean for Lacey residents and Wendy’s fans? The Olympian’s findings could be a nudge for community members to call out online misinformation. But for anyone craving a Dave’s Double, this might just be a sign that the Wendy’s in Lacey is safe for a quick stop.

This story was originally published June 25, 2025 at 11:38 AM with the headline "Is there really a ‘demon in the fridge’ at Lacey Wendy’s?."