Popular fast-food chain open since 1969 closing 350 stores

Popular fast-food chain open since 1969 closing 350 stores The popular fast-food chain is 56 years old and has over 7,000 locations worldwide but will now close around 350 stores forever in a major change for 'profitable growth' A major fast food chain will be closing 350 stores after first opening in 1969. Wendy's, has over 7,000 locations worldwide with more than 5,830 stores in the United States. However, as part of its new plan, roughly 350 of these will be shutting forever. The popular burger-chain announced its plan to shut around five to six per cent of locations in 2026. A restaurant at 4003 Wilmington Pike in Kettering, Ohio is the latest to seize trading, with a poster being place on the door which read: “This location is permanently closed.” Another store in the Drayton area shut within four months, the Moraine store. Wendy's has not announced details of other stores set to close. In a fourth quarter earnings call CEO Ken Cook said: “By closing consistently underperforming restaurants, we are enabling our franchisee partners to increase focus on locations with the greatest potential for profitable growth." He claimed that shutting around six per cent of locations under its Project Fresh program will improve profitability and franchisee economics. The fast-food favourite reported a 5.5% decline in global system wide sales driven by a 7.8% decrease in the US in the first quarter. The first Wendy's store was opened in Ohio in 1969 by Dave Thomas.