America’s fast food wars just took another turn, and this time it is not about politics in Washington. It is about something far more personal to millions of families: whether their neighborhood Wendy’s will still be there next year.
Two years ago, Wendy’s ignited a firestorm when executives floated the idea of surge pricing. The plan, which many compared to Uber-style rate hikes, suggested customers could pay more during peak hours. The backlash was swift and brutal. Loyal patrons felt betrayed by a brand built on blue-collar roots and simple value.
Now, the company is facing a very different storm.
During a February 13 earnings call, interim CEO Ken Cook delivered sobering news. Same-store sales plunged 11.3% in the fourth quarter of 2025. Cook did not sugarcoat it, reportedly calling 2026 a “rebuilding year.” That is corporate language for retrenchment.
And retrenchment is exactly what is coming.
Wendy’s plans to close between 5% and 6% of its approximately 6,000 U.S. locations during the first half of 2026. That translates to roughly 298 to 358 restaurants permanently shutting their doors. The company had already closed 28 locations in the final quarter of 2025 and another 240 during 2024.
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