National Fast Food Chain To Close Hundreds Of Restaurants; New Hampshire Locations May Be Impacted

NEW HAMPSHIRE — Wendy's, a major fast-food chain with nearly two dozen restaurants in the Granite State, plans to close hundreds of locations nationwide.

The company projects shuttering approximately 5 to 6 percent of its locations nationwide. This includes 28 restaurants that already closed during the fourth quarter of 2025.

Ken Cook, Wendy's acting CEO, discussed the strategy during an investor earnings call on Friday. Cook said that closing consistently underperforming restaurants allows franchisee partners to focus on locations with greater potential for profitable growth.

These planned closures follow the shuttering of 240 Wendy's locations nationwide in 2024. Despite the closures, Wendy's reported positive customer response to new menu items last year. These additions included new chicken tenders and an upgraded sauce lineup, which boosted satisfaction.

Menu enhancements also feature a cheesy bacon cheeseburger, a chicken tenders ranch wrap, and improved chicken sandwiches with bun upgrades. This indicates a renewed focus on the company's core burger and chicken platforms.

Cook also outlined future plans for menu development. He stated that in 2026, the company will prioritize meaningful innovation across both hamburgers and chicken. The focus will be on launches that restaurants can execute with excellence while reinforcing the brand's quality positioning.

In addition to the new menu approach, Wendy's plans to enhance the effectiveness of its marketing efforts. This includes optimizing its marketing mix by allocating more spending towards digital, social, and streaming platforms.

With 5,969 locations reported at the end of last year, these closures could impact nearly 360 Wendy's restaurants during the first half of this year. According to the chain's website, Wendy's currently operates 23 locations across New Hampshire, including Concord, Londonderry, Manchester, Milford, Nashua, Portsmouth, and Salem.