- Wendy’s announced two new development agreements with franchisees in the Republic of Ireland and Romania, supporting the brand’s expansion goals of opening hundreds of restaurants across Europe over the next 10 years.
- The Republic of Ireland and Romania are new markets for Wendy’s, with the company planning to open restaurants there from 2025.
- Wendy’s is well positioned to re-enter the UK in 2021 and continue to expand in the market to 400 stores over time.
- The company is actively seeking franchisees in European markets to expand its restaurant footprint across the continent.
DUBLIN, Ohio , July 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Wendy’s, the well-known U.S.-based global quick-service restaurant brand, today announced that it has signed two new development agreements with franchisees in the Republic of Ireland and Romania.
These franchisees are expected to support Wendy’s expansion goal of opening hundreds of restaurants across Europe over the next 10 years, starting in 2025. The company is also actively seeking potential franchisees with established presence in European markets to expand its restaurant footprint across the continent. Wendy’s is seeking franchisees with extensive operating experience, local development expertise and a proven track record of rapidly growing its brands.
Wendy’s re-entered the UK in 2021, marking a springboard for growth across Europe. The company expects to have up to 50 stores in the market by the end of the year, putting it in a good position to continue expanding the brand to 400 stores in the UK.
Wendy’s continues to expand its brand presence across the UK, including in the North, with plans to open a restaurant in Liverpool this summer. The company has invested heavily in local resources to support its growth across Europe, including a strong supply chain, regional operations teams and world-class marketing and creative agency partners.
“We are continuing our journey to become a brand of increasing global importance, and Europe is a top strategic growth market for expanding Wendy’s international presence. To accelerate our momentum, we are focused on building relationships with franchisees who share our ambition to expand Wendy’s restaurant footprint across the continent,” said EJ Wuntch, president, international, The Wendy’s Company.
“It’s exciting to be part of the Wendy’s team in Europe,” said Michael Clarke, managing director, Wendy’s Europe. “Fans and customers of the brand continue to ask: ‘Where’s Wendy’s next?’ We’re ready to meet that demand by putting more Wendy’s in more places – and more people – and that means putting our fresh, high-quality, delicious food in the hands of European consumers where they live, work and play.”
Wendy’s continues to recruit strategic partners for opportunities across Europe. To learn more about Wendy’s franchise opportunities in Europe, please email internationalfranchising@wendys.com.
Wendy’s is best known for its square hamburgers made with fresh beef and cooked to order. Wendy’s serves a wide range of signature menu items that fans know and love, including the Baconator®, Dave’s Single™, spicy chicken sandwich and Frosty® desserts that are thick enough to be eaten with a spoon and smooth enough to be eaten with a straw. Wendy’s has more than 7,000 restaurants in more than 30 markets and territories, and the brand continues to execute on an ambitious strategy to accelerate its global growth and expand its international presence.
Wendy’s international expansion represents 70 percent of the brand’s planned expansion through 2025, with several phased and accelerated initiatives being implemented to rapidly expand the brand’s global footprint and make meaningful progress toward further strengthening its long-term development pipeline.
In 2023, Wendy’s achieved its 13th consecutive year of global same-store sales growth and continues to experience accelerated growth in markets around the world, made possible by the strong partnerships the brand has built with its franchisees and supplier partners.
About Wendy’s:
Wendy’s founder Dave Thomas opened the first Wendy’s restaurant in 1969 with an unwavering commitment to serving fresh, high-quality food at a fair price in a comfortable atmosphere. Based in Columbus, Ohio, USA, this global quick-service restaurant brand is best known for its made-to-order square burgers, fresh salads, and other signature menu items such as chili, baked potatoes, and Frosty desserts. Wendy’s and its cameo character logo (a redheaded girl with pigtails) are world-famous, and even today, after more than 50 years of success in the quick-service restaurant industry, Dave’s guiding principles of “quality is our secret sauce,” “doing the right thing,” and “treating people well” still guide the Wendy’s system today. Today, Wendy’s and its franchisees employ hundreds of thousands of people in more than 7,000 restaurants around the world with a vision to become the world’s most thriving and beloved restaurant brand.
Media Contact:
Megan Hill
Director of U.S. Communications, Wendy’s Company
mediarelations@wendys.com
