On a recent earnings call, Wendy’s announced plans to close 140 U.S. restaurants before the end of this year on top of the 100 closures announced in May. The fast food chain is targeting outdated, underperforming restaurants. However, the plan is to replace these locations with new, more profitable ones. Here's what you need to know about the latest Wendy's closings.
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Why is Wendy’s closing?
While Wendy’s has actually seen some growth over the past quarter, the company wants to focus on building the brand with more successful locations. The restaurants set to close have been deemed outdated, making far below the average that other locations pull in.
Which Wendy’s restaurants are closing?
The chain has not announced the specific locations that will be closing, but they did indicate that they are spread around the country.
How many Wendy’s restaurants are there?
At the end of the third financial quarter, Wendy’s had 7,292 locations. More than 80 percent are in the U.S. The chain plans to open between 250 and 300 new restaurants this year, locations that the chain expects to perform much better than the shuttered locations.
Other major closures in the U.S. this year
Wendy’s is yet another chain that has announced closures this year. So far in 2024, closures have been announced for nearly 100 Red Lobster restaurants, 150 Denny’s restaurants, several Pizza Huts in the Midwest, 1,200 Walgreens and 300 CVS pharmacy locations around the country.