Wendy's closes US restaurants and focuses on value to turn around falling sales

AP News • February 13, 2026 • business

Key Points:

Wendy’s reported a 10% decline in global same-store sales for Q4, worse than the expected 8.5% drop, with U.S. locations experiencing an even steeper decline.
The company plans to close 298 to 358 underperforming U.S. restaurants in the first half of 2025, adding to the 240 closures in 2024, citing outdated locations as a key reason.
To attract inflation-conscious customers, Wendy’s is shifting focus from limited-time promotions to everyday value, launching a permanent “Biggie Deals” value menu with multiple price tiers.
Despite a 5.5% revenue decline to $543 million in Q4, Wendy’s remains optimistic about its U.S. turnaround