FAST FOOD giant Wendy’s has startled fans by announcing it will close hundreds of underperforming branches over the next year or two.
The figure is thought to represent about 5 per cent of its US footprint.
The move follows news that national sales fell 4.7 per cent in the latest quarter.
We don’t yet know which states will be most affected, how many closures there will be per region or whether some areas will be unaffected.
The news sent people racing to Google to find out more – making “hamburger chain restaurant closures” one of the most popular searched phrases this week.
Axing outlets is part of a broader turnaround strategy, codenamed “Project Fresh”, to revitalize its proposition, focus on stronger locations and boost profitability.
For Wendy’s, the hope is that by channeling resources to fewer but better performing units, the business will become more competitive.
Interim chief executive Ken Cook told investors on Friday: “When we look at the system today, we have some restaurants that do not elevate the brand and are a drag from a franchisee financial performance perspective.
“The goal is to address and fix those restaurants.”
Perhaps unsurprisingly, McDonald’s still dominates searches, according to a Google Trends comparison of the major players – but Wendy’s isn’t far behind, leading Burger King and Five Guys.
Building on its US heritage, Wendy’s has been steadily expanding globally since opening its first Canadian branch in 1975.
In November 2021, a landmark thousandth international restaurant was launched in Croydon, England.
The company introduced a franchise-recruiting initiative in 2022 called “Own Your Opportunity”, plus a special fund to co-invest with franchisees on new sites, signaling a renewed push for new builds and design refreshes.
The biggest spike in interest online in Wendy’s, according to Google Trends, was in October 2024.
One likely explanation: its SpongeBob SquarePants anniversary collaboration, celebrating 25 years of the cartoon character with a special edition Krabby Patty cheeseburger and Pineapple Under the Sea Frosty.
Indeed, related search terms for Wendy’s prove this fun themed collab was a hit with fans and suggests the chain can get people talking with clever marketing tactics.
Wendy’s isn’t alone in grappling with lower sales as higher costs have hit consumers’ wallets.
Fast food chains have struggled to attract lower-income consumers in the past few years after inflation pushed up prices.
But as Google Trends shows, customers across the US aren’t losing interest in the brand – and they still care about where they can get their next burger.
