F&B CONNECT

America fast food chain Wendy’s is boosting its expansion plan after a better than expected sales at the five sites recently opened in the UK. As a result, the development plan for the UK market has been revised upward fro 10 to 50 locations in 2022 being a mix of dine-in, drive-thru and dark kitchens units. Wendy’s has signed a franchise agreement with SoftBank-backed Reef Technology for its delivery-only stores and already found two franchisees to open in Yorkshire and the east Midlands.

The brand is also looking for business partners to launch elsewhere in Europe with openings planned in Ireland in 2023. The majority of Wendy’s restaurants are US-based (85%) and it is famous for its square beef burgers.

The UK market has been targeted by several international fast food chains in the last months – such as Popeyes and Jollibee – and it remains an ideal testing market to enter Europe for QSR operators.