A well-known fast-food chain that originated in 1969 is set to close 350 of its stores as part of a new strategy. Wendy’s, a popular burger chain with over 7,000 locations globally, including more than 5,830 stores in the United States, will be affected by this decision.
The company announced its plan to shut down approximately five to six percent of its locations by 2026. One recent closure took place at a restaurant located at 4003 Wilmington Pike in Kettering, Ohio, where a notice on the door stated that the location was permanently closed. Another store in the Drayton area, the Moraine store, also ceased operations within four months.
While specific details about other store closures have not been disclosed by Wendy’s, CEO Ken Cook mentioned in a fourth-quarter earnings call that the closure of consistently underperforming restaurants is aimed at allowing franchisee partners to focus on more profitable locations for growth. This initiative, part of the Project Fresh program, is expected to enhance profitability and franchisee economics by closing around six percent of locations.
Wendy’s reported a 5.5% decline in global system-wide sales, primarily driven by a 7.8% decrease in the US during the first quarter. The first Wendy’s store was opened in Ohio in 1969 by founder Dave Thomas.
