Wendy’s, a major American hamburger chain, has announced that it will close several hundred of its outlets in the coming years. This news further underscores the growing trend of hamburger chain restaurant closures in the United States. According to Wendy’s, approximately 5% of its total restaurants, or about 200-350 locations, will be closed by the end of 2025.
Wendy’s is the second-largest quick-service burger chain in the United States. It was founded in the Midwest and is headquartered in Ohio (Midwestern region). The company had approximately 6,011 US outlets at the end of the third quarter. Closing about 5% of these outlets would result in the closure of approximately 300 restaurants. Wendy’s had also announced the closure of 240 outlets in 2024. Other chains have followed a similar trend in recent months: for example, Jack in the Box announced the closure of 200 outlets and Red Robin announced the closure of approximately 70 outlets. These events are all part of a series of hamburger chain restaurant closures.
Wendy’s interim CEO, Ken Cook, said that removing underperforming outlets would boost sales and profits at the remaining restaurants. He explained, “We have some restaurants in our system that don’t elevate the brand and are a burden on the franchisees, so our goal is to either fix them or close them.” The aim of this decision is to strengthen the remaining branches by eliminating weak outlets, thereby increasing customer traffic and profitability in the surrounding areas.
Key facts and figures:
- Wendy’s total US outlets (as of Q3 2025): approximately 6,011.
- Plans to close: 5% (approximately 200-350 restaurants)
- Outlets already closed in 2024: 240
- Objective: To increase sales and profits of the remaining branches by eliminating underperforming outlets.
- This decision reflects the growing trend of hamburger chain restaurant closures.
Analysts say that rising inflation and increased competition have put pressure on the fast-food industry in recent years. Low-income customers are cutting back on spending, which is challenging many brands. In this environment, news of hamburger chain restaurant closures has become common.
The company stated that this initiative will improve the performance of the remaining outlets and increase profits in the long term. This move is considered part of a series of hamburger chain restaurant closures aimed at strengthening the remaining branches so that Wendy’s and its franchisees can benefit in the future.
Also read:
A popular burger chain in the Midwest is closing hundreds of its outlets.
