National Fast Food Chain With Hundreds Of NJ Locations Dramatically Downsizing

One of the nation's largest fast food chains, which operates numerous restaurants across New Jersey, will be shuttering hundreds of eateries across the country.

Wendy's expects to close approximately 5 to 6 percent of its locations nationwide, including 28 restaurants that closed 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 shutter 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 hundreds of locations nationwide last year.

• Read More: Major Fast Food Chain To Close Hundreds Of Locations: What To Know In NJ

According to the chain's website, Wendy's currently has 146 locations in New Jersey. The company did not specify which locations will be closing across the U.S.

On a more 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."

This article contains reporting from Patch Editor Eric Heyl.