Wendy’s plans ‘Son of Baconator’ freebie event for Boston City Hall Plaza

By Chris Reidy, Globe Staff

Discerning epicures could be flocking en masse to Boston City Hall Plaza Thursday as the Wendy’s restaurant chain prepares to give away free samples of one of its latest menu items --- the Son of Baconator Cheeseburger.

Thursday’s plan calls for Wendy’s to hand out free Sons of Baconator from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. --- or as long as supplies last. These burgers will be thoughtfully accessorized with a Wendy’s Frosty on the side, the company says. And there will be plenty of “bacon-themed” T-shirts and merchandise to boot.

How did this bacon madness start?

First, there was the Wendy’s Baconator, a joyful and outsized union of beef and bacon that began showing up on Wendy’s menu a few years ago.

And now there is the Son of Baconator, a sort of pocket battleship version of the original expressly designed for the demure chowhound of more modest appetites. The Son of Baconator debuted on Wendy’s menu about a month ago.

According to Wendy’s, a Son of Baconator entree is made up of such ingredients as four strips of applewood smoked bacon, two 2.25-ounce patties of 100 percent fresh beef, and a toasted and buttered bun. (By way of comparison, the Baconator features six strips of bacon.)

To promote the Son of Baconator, Wendy’s has launched a TV ad campaign. A 20-stop road trip is also part of the effort to alert bacon lovers everywhere that they have a new menu option. The official name of the road trip is the “Ultimate Baconator Challenge Tour of America,” and its goal is to give away more than 30,000 free Sons of Baconator, Wendy’s said.