There are two fewer places to grab a quick bite near downtown Fresno and Highway 99.
The KFC and Wendy’s on C and Fresno streets — which operated next door to each other for years — are now closed. The windows are boarded up and the buildings are surrounded by chain-link fence. The signs are gone, only the metal frames remaining. Weeds are starting to grow.
What happened?
Neither the local management nor the parent company returned messages seeking comment about the closures, which happened in recent weeks.
But Wendy’s is in the process of closing hundreds of underperforming locations nationwide. It started the closures last year .
It could close between 240 and 360 restaurants, according to ABC news. It follows a tide of 140 Wendy’s closures that ended in 2024.
The most recent closures include locations owned by franchisees, said Ken Cook, interim chief executive officer, when announcing the cutbacks in the 2025 third-quarter earnings call in November.
The underperforming restaurants are a financial drag on the brand, he said. The shutdowns are expected to boost sales at nearby Wendy’s, he said.
“In (some) cases, the solution will be to close consistently underperforming restaurants,” he said in the call. “These actions will strengthen the system and enable franchisees to invest more capital and resources in their remaining restaurants.”
The closures are a reaction to Wendy’s sales falling 4.7% according to its latest quarterly report. Its rivals, including McDonald’s and Burger King, saw sales rise.
Last month, Wendy’s in Selma, and on Dinuba Boulevard in Visalia also closed, according to the Mid Valley Times.
No additional Wendy’s locations have been identified for closure in Fresno. JEM Restaurant Management, which owns numerous Wendy’s and KFC franchises in Fresno, did not immediately return calls seeking comment.
Wendy’s still has a healthy presence in town, with seven restaurants open in Fresno and one in Clovis.
The Wendy’s, foreground, and adjacent KFC on C Street just south of Fresno Street are closed, seen Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026 in Fresno. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA ezamora@fresnobee.com KFC
The KFC at 1110 C St. has also closed.
It follows the closure of three other locations in Fresno: The “Next-gen” location Herndon and Spruce avenues, another at First Street and Bullard Avenue, and one at Dakota and West avenues.
All were owned by JEM Restaurant Management.
The classic fried chicken chain has struggled in recent years with slipping sales. But the last two quarters, KFC has turned things around, squeezing out an increase in sales.
KFC has six locations in Fresno and two in Clovis.
The signs for Wendy’s and adjacent KFC on C Street just south of Fresno Street are empty, as both restaurants have closed. Seen Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026 in Fresno. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA ezamora@fresnobee.com
Chain link fencing surrounds the closed Wendy’s and adjacent KFC on C Street just south of Fresno Street. Photographed Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026 in Fresno. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA ezamora@fresnobee.com
The Wendy’s and adjacent KFC on C Street just south of Fresno Street are closed, leaving only the empty sign out front, seen Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026 in Fresno. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA ezamora@fresnobee.com
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Bethany Clough covers restaurants and retail for The Fresno Bee. A reporter for more than 20 years, she now works to answer readers’ questions about business openings, closings and other business news. She has a degree in journalism from Syracuse University and her last name is pronounced Cluff.