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One of the United States' longest-running fast-food chains is set to close an upwards of 358 restaurants across the country in the first half of 2026.
It's always a sad thing to see a longtime brand downsize, because there's so much history and nostalgia attached to it. But, sometimes, it's unavoidable, and businesses have to evolve and close locations.
Beloved Fast-Food Chain is Closing Locations
Fast-food giant Wendy's, according to research from the Associated Press, has confirmed it will shut down between 5 percent and 6 percent of its U.S. restaurants in the first half of the year. Doing the math, that's roughly 298 to 358 locations, according to ABC News.
Wendy's first announced its plans to close restaurants at the end of 2025. Back on Nov. 7, Wendy's interim CEO Ken Cook stated that "a mid-single-digit percentage" of the restaurant's nearly 6,000 U.S. restaurant locations would be closing soon, according to a report from Good Morning America. The fast-food restaurant already closed roughly 240 U.S. locations in 2024.
"Like McDonald's, Taco Bell and other rivals, Wendy's also plans to emphasize value as it tries to win back inflation-weary customers," the Associated Press added.
Fast-Food Chain's CEO Says Its Still Keeping In Line With Expectations
"Our fourth quarter performance was in line with our expectations, reflecting the challenges we anticipated," interim CEO Ken Cook said in an official statement. "We are making progress against our Project Fresh turnaround plan in the U.S. and continue to deliver strong growth internationally."
Cook also said that the company is "encouraged by the operational improvements we've driven at U.S. Company-operated restaurants and our marketing calendar for 2026, which includes new everyday Biggie value offerings and upcoming innovation across our core menu. We're executing Project Fresh with urgency to strengthen our foundation and position Wendy's for long-term success."
So, if you live near one of these closing locations, you'll have to find another way to get your Wendy's Frosty fix. No word yet on exactly which restaurant will close, but those details will likely be updated on Wendy's official website when they're announced.