A Wendy's near you may be closing soon

"Wendy's won't say which locations will close, but the company said during its Friday earnings call that it plans to shut down about 5% to 6% of its U.S. restaurants, roughly 300 stores. The company already closed 28 locations in the final few months of 2025. According to its latest annual report, the company and its franchisees operate over 7,000 restaurants worldwide, with about 5,600 in the U.S."

"The closures are part of Wendy's " Project Fresh," which will close underperforming stores, while investing in locations with the greatest growth potential. Under the plan, the company, known for the slogans "Where's the beef?" and "Always fresh, never frozen," hired industry consultancy Creed UnCo - led by Greg Creed, the former CEO of Taco Bell and Yum! Brands - to guide a major brand revitalization effort."

""Wendy's Board of Directors and management team are dissatisfied with the current valuations of the Company," said Chairman of the Board Art Winkleblack in an October statement. Winkleback said he hopes that the plan "will position Wendy's as the industry leader - one that guests love, franchisees are proud to operate, teams are excited to be part of, and creates significant value for our shareholders.""

Wendy's plans to close about 5% to 6% of its U.S. restaurants — roughly 300 stores — as part of a turnaround to improve profitability. The company already closed 28 locations in the final months of 2025. The company and its franchisees operate over 7,000 restaurants globally, about 5,600 in the U.S., including 98 in Massachusetts. Project Fresh will shutter underperforming stores and redirect investment to locations with the greatest growth potential. Wendy's hired consultancy Creed UnCo, led by Greg Creed, to guide a major brand revitalization and is rethinking labor, operating hours, customer experience, and store efficiency. Interim CEO Ken Cook reported encouraging early results, and the board seeks higher valuations and greater shareholder value.

Read at Boston.com