Wendy's opens 118 new locations worldwide in first half of 2025
An Ohio-based quick-serve hamburger giant is making progress towards its goal of 1,000 new restaurants by 2028.
Wendy’s announced that in the first half of 2025, it opened 118 restaurants globally. The chain says it remains on track to increase global units by 2% to 3% in 2025 while continuously strengthening its long-term development pipeline.
Wendy’s opened 23 restaurants across 15 countries in the second quarter of 2025, bringing its annual total to 44 new international restaurants opened across the globe. Notably, Wendy’s finalized new development agreements to build 170 restaurants in Italy over the next 10 years, and 20 restaurants in Armenia over the next five years, adding up to 190 new locations. Wendy’s says these deals reflect its “ambitious plans” to grow its global business, aiming to reach 2,000 international restaurants by 2028.
In the second quarter, Wendy’s opened 21 locations in the United States. At its 2025 Investor Day event in March, the chain said it planned to add 1,000 net new restaurants globally by 2028, reaching between 8,100 and 8,300 total.
“The progress we’ve made halfway through 2025 is only possible with the dedication of our franchisees and restaurant teams,” said Tatiana Lambert, VP and U.S. chief development officer at Wendy’s. “Our mutual pursuit of excellence fuels our growth and the powerful partnerships we continue to build. As we welcome new franchisees who align with our vision, our focus remains the same: providing our fresh, famous food to local communities and fostering meaningful connections within them.”
Wendy’s noted that many of its new stores feature its Global Next Gen restaurant format, which features “cutting-edge” technology and flexible layouts for self-order kiosks, digital menu boards, and more.
The expansion comes amid a leadership shakeup for the hamburger chain. In July, president and CEO Kirk Tanner departed Wendy’s to become the CEO of The Hershey Company. CFO Ken Cook was named interim CEO. Weeks later, Wendy’s announced the appointment of supply chain leader Pete Suerken as U.S. president.
[READ MORE: Wendy's promotes supply chain leader to president, U.S.]
Founded in 1969 and based in Dublin, Ohio, Wendy’s operates over 7,000 restaurants worldwide.
