Wendy's Plans to Close Nearly 300 Stores in 2025
Wendy's, a fast-food chain headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, is preparing to shut down approximately 240 to 360 of its about 6,000 locations nationwide in late 2025. This follows a previous closure of 140 stores a year earlier.
Details of the Closure
During a quarterly earnings call on November 7, interim CEO Ken Cook stated that the company would close a “mid single-digit percentage” of its outlets, which translates to roughly 240 to 360 stores. An investor estimated the number at around 300 locations.
“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.”
The company intends to improve underperforming locations through upgrades or transferring them to new operators. In some cases, closures will be necessary.
Growth and Strategic Changes
In 2024, Wendy's opened about 250 to 300 new stores, but after a strategic review, the company expects the number of closures to balance the openings, resulting in flat net growth of units for the year.
The closures are set to begin in the fourth quarter. However, a specific list of locations scheduled for shutdown has not been disclosed.
Wendy's Presence in Michigan
According to its official website, Wendy's currently has 218 locations in Michigan.
Author's Summary
Wendy's plans to close up to 360 stores nationwide in late 2025 to improve overall performance, with no specific closures announced for Michigan, which hosts 218 of their locations.