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Wendy’s will close between 250 and 300 restaurants over the next two years as the fast-food chain works to reverse declining sales and refocus its operations on stronger-performing locations. Interim CEO Ken Cook said the closures will affect a “mid-single-digit percentage” of the company’s roughly 6,000 locations, according to CNN. The restaurants targeted for closure have been “consistently underperforming,” though the company has not released a specific list of affected sites. The closures are scheduled to begin this year and continue into 2026. Related: Wendy’s gets into the chicken tenders game with ‘Tendys’ and 6 new sauces The decision comes after Wendy’s reported a 3.6% decline in global sales to $3.5 billion during its third quarter. U.S. sales fell 4.4% for the quarter and are down 3.4% for the year. International locations showed stronger performance with an 8.6% sales increase. Company officials said inflation has driven some customers toward lower-cost dining options, cutting into profits. The closures are part of “Project Fresh,” a strategic overhaul Wendy’s launched last month. The initiative aims to strengthen the brand through changes to marketing, operations, training and how resources are distributed across the company. Related: I ate the Wendy’s Wednesday meal and ‘Blood’ Frosty so you don’t have to “Execution is underway and we are confident that Project Fresh will position Wendy’s as the industry leader—one that guests love, franchisees are proud to operate, teams are excited to be a part of, and creates significant value for our shareholders,” Cook said. More Business News People in Business: Nov. 10, 2025 Business Monday ETC: Nov. 10, 2025 Why meat processing is the missing piece in WMass local food puzzle From handmade to sustainable couture: A Springfield mom’s lifelong passion finds spotlight Flight cancellations top 1,000 for second day amid government shutdown 2025
