Wendy’s will close hundreds of restaurants across the United States in an effort to boost lagging sales.
During an earnings call last week, the fast-food giant reported a 10% decline in global same-store sales for its last quarter of 2025, or October through December. Performance in the United States alone dropped 11.3%.
Interim CEO Ken Cook stated that Wendy’s will close between 5% to 6% of its U.S. restaurants within the first half of this year. That’s about 298 to 358 locations.
As of the end of 2025, there were 5,969 locations in the United States.
It’s currently unclear which locations will close in the first half of 2026.
It’s part of the company’s plan, “Project Fresh,” which involves evaluating older and underperforming locations.
Wendy’s also plans to focus on everyday values for customers, rather than limited-time offers.
“We’re encouraged by the operational improvements we’ve driven at U.S. Company-operated restaurants and our marketing calendar for 2026, which includes new everyday Biggie value offerings and upcoming innovation across our core menu,” said Cook. “We’re executing Project Fresh with urgency to strengthen our foundation and position Wendy’s for long-term success.”
Cook said that 2026 will be a “rebuilding year” for Wendy’s. He pointed to the rollout of a new chicken sandwich and a cheesy bacon cheeseburger coming to menus soon.