Wendy's to Close Around 300 Stores Nationwide in Late 2025
Ohio-based fast-food chain Wendy's, which operates about 6,000 restaurants across the United States, plans to close roughly 300 locations nationwide by the end of 2025. The decision comes just a year after shuttering 140 outlets.
Company’s Announcement and Rationale
Interim CEO Ken Cook shared the details during a quarterly earnings call on Friday, November 7. He stated that the Dublin, Ohio-based company expects to shut down a "mid single-digit percentage" of its restaurants, which translates to approximately 240 to 360 closures.
"When we look at the system today, we have some restaurants that do not elevate the brand and are a drag from a franchisee financial performance perspective," Cook said. "The goal is to address and fix those restaurants."
Cook explained that some locations will undergo upgrades—such as new equipment or technology—while others may be transferred to new operators. In certain cases, however, closures will be inevitable.
Openings and Net Growth
According to spokesperson Heidi Schauer, Wendy’s opened between 250 and 300 new locations in 2024. She noted that after a strategic review, the company expects an equal number of closures, resulting in flat net growth for the year.
"After our strategic review, we now expect a similar number of closures as openings, so we expect net unit growth in 2024 to be roughly flat," Schauer said.
Timeline and Michigan Impact
The closures are expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2025. A detailed list of affected locations has not been released. According to Wendy’s website, there are currently 218 restaurants in Michigan, though it remains unclear if any will be impacted by the downsizing plan.
Author’s Summary
Wendy’s plans to close about 300 underperforming restaurants nationwide by late 2025, balancing closures with new openings to maintain steady overall growth.