Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


A local fast-food restaurant has shuttered its doors.

The Wendy’s in Holly is closed. It’s located at 4045 Grange Hall Road. A sign that reads “This location has permanently closed” is posted.

The company has been shedding low and under-performing restaurant locations and working to improve quality.

Wendy's is expected to be closing between 300 and 600 U.S. locations (5-6% of its total) in the first half of 2026 as part of a major "Project Fresh" restructuring plan. The plan follows significant sales declines in late 2025.

The company reported un-audited first quarter earnings results on Friday.

Global systemwide sales were $3.2 billion, a decrease of 5.5%. International system-wide sales grew 6%. The company also entered into a franchise agreement to build up to 1,000 restaurants across China.

Interim CEO Ken Cook stated the following:

"We are taking decisive action to strengthen the Wendy's system and improve performance. During the first quarter, we introduced a new Biggie platform, upgraded our premium hamburgers, and launched new chicken sandwiches. Additionally, our focus on operational excellence is driving improvement in order accuracy and key customer satisfaction metrics. While our first quarter results reflect a business in the early stages of a turnaround, we are making progress to improve our U.S. business and are confident in the direction we are heading.

Our international business continues to deliver strong results, with systemwide sales up 6.0% in the quarter supported by further expansion in key growth markets. We're also excited to announce today a new franchise agreement with an experienced restaurant operator to build up to 1,000 restaurants across China over the next 10 years and look forward to bringing Wendy's to more fans around the globe.

These actions are strengthening our foundation and positioning Wendy's to regain momentum and deliver sustainable growth and long-term value creation."

Photos: Amanda Wood - Google Street View