One of the nation's largest fast food chains, which operates numerous restaurants across Florida, will be shuttering hundreds of eateries in the U.S.
Wendy's expects to close about 5 to 6 percent of its locations nationwide. The popular eatery, known for its biggie deals and Dave's burgers, shuttered 28 restaurants during the fourth quarter of 2025.
With 5,969 locations across the country reported at the end of last year, that means nearly 360 Wendy's restaurants could close during the first half of this year.
"By closing consistently underperforming restaurants, we are enabling our franchisee partners to increase focus on locations with the greatest potential for profitable growth," Wendy's acting CEO Ken Cook said in an earnings call with investors on Friday.
The closure announcement comes on the heels of Wendy's shuttering 240 locations nationwide in 2024.
Wendy's currently operates 490 locations in Florida, with the majority of its sites in Miami. It is unknown if any local Wendy's restaurants will close.
On a positive note, Wendy's said that new chicken tenders and an upgraded sauce lineup resonated with customers and boosted satisfaction last year. Menu additions feature a cheesy bacon cheeseburger, a chicken tenders ranch wrap and improved chicken sandwiches with bun upgrades, signaling a renewed focus on core burger and chicken platforms.
"In 2026, we will prioritize meaningful innovation across both hamburgers and chicken, focusing on launches that restaurants can execute with excellence while reinforcing our quality positioning," Cook said. "In addition to a new menu approach, we are elevating the effectiveness of our marketing and optimizing our mix by allocating more spend towards digital, social and streaming platforms."
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