Wendy’s is officially on the comeback trail.

On Thursday, the burger giant announced Project Fresh, a new strategic plan with four key goals: revitalize the brand, optimize the system, improve operations, and reallocate capital and resources.

“Wendy’s Board of Directors and management team are dissatisfied with the current valuation of the Company and have been working to put the Company on the right path to create value for our franchisees, employees and shareholders,” chairman Art Winkleblack said in a statement.

Under that first pillar, Wendy’s hopes to enhance brand relevance and do a better job of reaching the next generation of customers. To do this, the company partnered with Creed UnCo, a consultancy firm led by Greg Creed, former CEO of Taco Bell and Yum! Brands. Together, they will look to increase the effectiveness of Wendy’s marketing strategies based on comprehensive analysis of customer data.

The chain is also targeting higher AUVs in the U.S. Wendy’s believes it will get there by optimizing labor and operating hours across dayparts, partnering with franchisees to maximize profitability, using key insights from company-operated restaurants, and adopting a returns-based approach to operator investments. Internationally, Wendy’s said it will continue to use capital to support net unit growth; the brand remains optimistic about its potential in markets outside the U.S.

As for operations, the company plans to increase investments to boost the customer experience—by creating more efficiency around hospitality, digital channels, and equipment, streamlining processes, labor, and technology, and upgrading training procedures.

In terms of capital allocation, Wendy’s will reduce money spent on its build-to-suit program by roughly $20 million in 2025, and will cut it by an even larger amount in 2026. This will give the chain more room to invest in other areas to drive AUV growth, like technology and marketing. Wendy’s is also working with an independent advisor to find other opportunities to optimize its capital. The chain said earlier this year that it would invest about $70 million into the build-to-suit program, which tries to minimize financial barriers for franchisees by offering support through startup phases, such as site selection and construction.

“Wendy’s is a brand built on quality, authenticity and innovation,” interim CEO Ken Cook said in a statement. “With Project Fresh, we’re taking decisive steps together as One Wendy’s to strengthen our foundation, enhance restaurant performance and modernize how our customers experience the brand. Project Fresh is about reigniting the energy and distinctiveness that have always made Wendy’s special, while positioning the Company and our franchisees for profitable growth.”

U.S. same-store sales fell 3.6 percent in Q2 and dropped between 5 and 6 percent to kick off the third quarter in July. Wendy’s attributed the negative figures to its disappointing 100 Days of Summer programming, which featured a variety of promotions and a Takis partnership that didn’t resonate with guests. Cook described the platform as too confusing for customers and difficult for employees to execute.

The response was to simplify the marketing calendar in the back half of 2025, remove broad promotions in favor of more targeted efforts within the app, and to put more weight behind beverages and chicken—two categories with significant momentum across the QSR segment. In September, the company launched a new hot coffee blend; the chain also has a lineup of sparkling energy drinks. Even more recently, Wendy’s jumped into the chicken tender wars with its own iteration called “Tendy’s.” The product is made with seasoned, crispy breading and all-white-meat chicken and can be paired with six new dipping sauces.

Amid Wendy’s new turnaround framework, it’s still searching for a new CEO after former leader Kirk Tanner left in mid-July. He just spent a year and a half at the helm. The company wants to complete the CEO selection process by the end of 2025.

“We are working with a leading global executive search firm and are carefully evaluating internal and external candidates to ensure the strongest leadership to guide the Company through its next phase of growth,” Winkleback said. “The Board remains focused on advancing the Company’s strategic priorities in close collaboration with interim CEO, Ken Cook.”

Author: Staff Writer | Courtesy of “Forbes” | Edited for WTFwire.com | SOURCE: QSR Magazine