Wendy’s, a major player in central Ohio’s fast-food scene, is set to shut down 140 locations that are not meeting performance expectations and are considered outdated by year’s end.
The announcement was made by Kirk Tanner, President and CEO of Wendy’s, who highlighted that the shutdowns are integral to the company’s plan to enhance and grow its restaurant operations.
“We’re focused on opening new restaurants because they consistently perform better than older, underperforming locations,” Tanner said. “Our goal is to enhance the customer experience with the best restaurants.”
Wendy’s, based in Dublin, Ohio, has a total of 6,012 locations across the country. Ohio boasts 405 Wendy’s outlets, placing it third nationally, behind Florida and Texas, which have 520 and 470 locations, respectively.
The company has yet to reveal which locations will be shut down, including the potential impact on stores in Ohio. However, a representative for Wendy’s indicated that the plan is to launch 250 to 300 new restaurants throughout the U.S. this year.
The representative emphasized that shutdowns are a routine aspect of ensuring a robust operation and that the organization anticipates net unit growth in 2024 to stay approximately unchanged.
The inaugural Wendy’s location was established in Columbus, Ohio, back in 1969 on East Broad Street. The previous site, which did not feature a drive-thru and offered minimal parking, was shut down in 2007.
The organization is currently prioritizing the enhancement of its dining establishments as a key element of its future plans.