Overview
- Closures will roll out in the fourth quarter of 2025 and continue into 2026, with decisions made case by case to improve, transfer or shutter specific restaurants.
- The plan affects a mid-single-digit percentage of Wendy’s roughly 6,000 U.S. units, and the company has not identified which locations will be impacted.
- Management cited a roughly 4.7% to 5% drop in U.S. same-store sales in the third quarter alongside rising costs and tougher value competition as key drivers.
- Interim CEO Ken Cook said removing underperforming or outdated outlets is intended to boost traffic and profitability at remaining restaurants, and investor reaction has been negative.
- The initiative follows a prior wave of U.S. closures reported in 2024, and sits alongside Project Fresh efforts that include value-focused marketing and menu moves such as new chicken tenders.