Support provided by Northwell’s Mather Hospital, which delivers the five-star difference in exceptional care and is ranked by Medicare in the top 5% of hospitals nationwide for overall clinical performance and patient experience.
Where’s the beef? We’re not really sure.
That’s because Wendy’s seems to be taking the one step back, two steps forward approach to its business operations.
The iconic fast-food chain announced plans to close 140 underperforming U.S. restaurants before the year is out — on top of the 100 closures it committed to in May. But according to reports, the company said the closures will be offset by up to 300 new restaurant openings in 2024.
Which, if any, of Wendy’s two-dozen Long Island locations will close is not known. More than 80% of Wendy’s 7,292 restaurants are located in the United States.
Wendy’s CEO Kirk Tanner, during an earnings call, outlined the reasoning for the plethora of closures, noting that those restaurants identified for closure are “outdated and located in underperforming areas” and performing “well below the system average.” He did not provide a list of the closures, only saying that they are spread out across the country.
Tanner noted, that “Wendy’s restaurants continued to deliver sales growth during the third quarter, maintaining overall traffic and dollar share in the QSR burger category.” He said the chain expects to build on this progress into the close of this year with exciting new programming to showcase our craveable core, impactful innovation, and relevant value offerings.”
Wendy's to close 140 more restaurants by end of year to offset openings in new locations. https://t.co/jkcvwGdAim
— CBS New York (@CBSNewYork) November 1, 2024
Wendy’s is also hopeful of growth through its recently launched limited-time Krabby Patty Meal and by leaning into its partnership with Coca-Cola Freestyle via a $1 promotional beverage deal, Tanner said.
Greater Long Island inquired specifically with Wendy’s on which Long Island locations may close, and where new Wendy’s could pop up in Nassau and Suffolk counties, but did not hear back from the company by the time of publication of this story.
It’s been a rough year for some longtime popular restaurant chains. In May, Red Lobster filed for bankruptcy and closed more than 50 restaurants. Earlier this month, Denny’s announced it will shutter 150 restaurants by the end of 2025.
Top photo: Wendy’s in Miller Place (Credit: Brian Harmon).
