"One learning from 2025 around value, we swung the pendulum too far towards limited-time price promotions instead of everyday value," said Ken Cook, Wendy's interim CEO and chief financial officer, in a conference call with investors. In January, Wendy's introduced a permanent "Biggie Deals" value menu with three price tiers: $4 Biggie Bites, $6 Biggie Bags and an $8 Biggie Bundle. Cook said Wendy's also has new products coming this year, including a new chicken sandwich."
"Wendy's is closing several hundred U.S. restaurants and increasing its focus on value after a weaker-than-expected fourth quarter. The Dublin, Ohio-based company said Friday that its global same-store sales, or sales at locations open at least a year, fell 10% in the October-December period. That was worse than the 8.5% drop expected by analysts polled by FactSet. U.S. same-store sales fell even further in the fourth quarter."
"Wendy's said it already closed 28 restaurants in the fourth quarter and ended 2025 with 5,969 U.S. locations. It expects to close between 5% and 6% of its U.S. restaurants - or 298 to 358 locations - in the first half of this year. Those actions come on top of the closure of 240 U.S. Wendy's locations in 2024. At the time, the 57-year-old chain said many of its locations are simply out of date."
Global same-store sales fell 10% in the October-December period, missing analysts' expectations and showing a steeper decline in the U.S. Wendy's closed 28 restaurants in the fourth quarter and ended 2025 with 5,969 U.S. locations. The company expects to shutter 5% to 6% of U.S. restaurants (298 to 358 locations) in the first half of this year, adding to 240 closures in 2024. Revenue fell 5.5% to $543 million in the fourth quarter. Wendy's is emphasizing everyday value with a permanent Biggie Deals menu and plans new product introductions, including a chicken sandwich.
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