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Wendy's to Close 6% of Restaurants Amid Sales Decline

2/16/2026

39 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Wendy's plans to close 5%–6% of underperforming restaurants in 2026 after reviewing nearly 6,000 locations, to help franchise partners focus on profitable sites, per Interim CEO Ken Cook.
Wendy's brand value fell 4% to $4.9 billion, ranking ninth among global restaurant brands.
The company faced a 2025 decline in U.S. sales and profits, while expecting flat global sales in 2026 under the Project Fresh turnaround plan.

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Story summary

Wendy's plans to close 5%–6% of underperforming restaurants in 2026 after reviewing nearly 6,000 locations, to help franchise partners focus on profitable sites, per Interim CEO Ken Cook.
Wendy's brand value fell 4% to $4.9 billion, ranking ninth among global restaurant brands.
The company faced a 2025 decline in U.S. sales and profits, while expecting flat global sales in 2026 under the Project Fresh turnaround plan.