Wendy's to Close Hundreds of U.S. Restaurants, Push Value Menu
Chain will close 298–358 U.S. locations in the first half of 2026 and launch permanent Biggie Deals after weak 2025 sales.
Overview
Wendy's said it will close between 298 and 358 U.S. restaurants in the first half of 2026.
Wendy's global same-store sales fell 10% in the October–December quarter, the company said.
Interim CEO Ken Cook said the chain overemphasized limited-time promotions and rolled out a permanent Biggie Deals menu with $4, $6 and $8 tiers.
Wendy's revenue fell 5.5% in the fourth quarter to $543 million, above analysts' $537 million forecast, the company reported.
The company said it expects global systemwide sales to be flat this year and will rely on U.S. turnaround plans and international growth to arrest its sales slide.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame Wendy's as a domestic turnaround crisis, emphasizing closures, falling same-store sales and stock declines while noting international growth as contrast. They use negative verbs ("shutter," "struggling"), prioritize company financial metrics and CEO statements, and omit franchisee or customer perspectives that could soften the crisis narrative.
Sources (3)
FAQ
Wendy's is closing these underperforming locations due to declining sales and profitability, with U.S. system-wide sales down 5.2% and same-restaurant sales down 5.6% in 2025.
The Biggie Deals is a permanent value menu launched by Wendy's with $4, $6, and $8 tiers to address overemphasis on limited-time promotions.
Wendy's revenue fell 5.5% to $543 million in Q4, beating analysts' $537 million forecast, but global same-store sales dropped 10% in October-December.
Wendy's expects global systemwide sales to be flat this year, relying on U.S. turnaround plans like Project Fresh and international growth.
Wendy's international sales grew with systemwide sales up 8.1% and same-restaurant sales up 1.3% year over year.
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