Wendy's Closing Hundreds of Restaurants: What We Know and Why It Sucks

Alright, so Wendy's is apparently planning to shutter a bunch of locations – somewhere around 300, give or take. This after already closing 140 not that long ago. Honestly? I say good riddance.

The McProblem

Interim CEO Ken Cook – and who even knew Wendy's had an interim CEO? – says these are locations that "do not elevate the brand and are a drag from a franchisee financial performance perspective." Translation: they're garbage locations nobody wants to go to.

I mean, let's be real. When was the last time you walked into a Wendy's and thought, "Wow, this is an exceptional dining experience?" It's a fast-food joint. You go there because you're hungry, it's cheap(ish), and it's…there.

And that's the problem, isn't it? Wendy's, like so many other fast-food chains, has become synonymous with mediocrity. They're not bad, per se, but they're definitely not good. They're just…meh. Is that enough to survive in today's market? I guess not.

Cook says they're gonna "address and fix those restaurants." Fix 'em how? New paint job? A motivational poster in the break room? You can't fix a fundamentally broken business model with a fresh coat of lipstick.

The NJ Question (Who Cares?)

Of course, everyone's wondering if their local Wendy's is on the chopping block. "Are any Wendy's closing in New Jersey?" one article asks. Who cares? Seriously. If your biggest concern is whether you'll still be able to get a mediocre burger and some soggy fries at 2 AM, you've got bigger problems than Wendy's closing down.

There are 145 Wendy's in New Jersey apparently. That's 145 too many if you ask me.

And get this – they’ve got a restaurant locator tool on their website. A restaurant locator tool for Wendy's. As if finding a Wendy's is some kind of Herculean task. I mean come on.

Speaking of tools...I need a new wrench. My garage is a disaster. Where was I? Oh yeah, Wendy's...

The Inevitable Demise

Look, I'm not saying Wendy's is going to disappear completely. They're too big to fail, probably. But this whole situation smacks of a slow, agonizing decline. They’re going to close these stores starting in the fourth quarter. They want to save some of the locations, offcourse. But ain't that what Blockbuster said? Wendy's to close roughly 300 stores nationwide starting in late 2025

Maybe they'll pull a rabbit out of their hat. Maybe they'll invent some newfangled burger that will blow our minds. Maybe they'll finally figure out how to make a decent french fry. But honestly, I doubt it.

I mean they did try those breakfast sandwiches. What was that all about?

So, What's the Real Story?

Wendy's is dying a slow death, and frankly, they deserve it. They’ve become complacent, serving up the same tired menu in the same tired locations. Maybe this is a wake-up call. Then again, maybe I'm just hungry.