Wendy's: History, Key Facts and Reviews

1969-1979: Dave Thomas opens Wendy’s in Columbus

Wendy’s began on November 15, 1969, when Dave Thomas opened a hamburger restaurant in Columbus, Ohio, and named it after his fourth child, Melinda Lou, nicknamed Wendy (Wikipedia). The patties were square, a shape that fits more meat on a grill than round ones, and Thomas created the Frosty in that first kitchen by blending chocolate and vanilla ice cream. In August 1972 L.S. Hartzog signed the first franchise agreement, for Indianapolis. Growth was fast: the chain crossed into Canada with a restaurant in Hamilton, Ontario, in 1975 (Wendy’s), opened its 500th restaurant in Toronto in December 1976 and its 1,000th in Springfield, Tennessee, in March 1978.

1980-2002: “Where’s the beef?” and Dave Thomas on screen

Wendy’s became a household name through television. On January 9, 1984, the actress Clara Peller asked “Where’s the beef?” in a commercial whose line quickly entered American pop culture; she left the campaign in 1985. Dave Thomas then fronted the brand himself and appeared in more than 800 commercials, more than any other company founder, until his death in 2002. Abroad, the chain tested Europe early, with restaurants in Germany from 1979 to 1990, in Spain from 1980 to 2000, and in the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1986 and again from 1988 to 2001.

2006-2021: Dublin, Arby’s and a return to Britain

Wendy’s has been run from One Dave Thomas Boulevard in Dublin, Ohio, since January 29, 2006. On September 29, 2008, it merged with Triarc Companies, the parent of Arby’s, to form Wendy’s/Arby’s Group. The group sold Arby’s in 2011 and took the name The Wendy’s Company on July 5 of that year (Form 10-K 2025). In 2021 Wendy’s returned to the United Kingdom with a restaurant in Reading. Its bacon burgers remain a menu pillar; our Son of Baconator copycat recipe rebuilds the smaller of the two at home.

2025: 7,397 restaurants and a push abroad

At the end of fiscal 2025, on December 28, Wendy’s had 7,397 restaurants: 5,969 in the United States and 1,428 in 38 other countries and US territories, all but 434 run by franchisees. Global systemwide sales fell to $13.96 billion from $14.49 billion in 2024, while international sales grew 8.1% to $2.06 billion. The company launched a US turnaround plan called Project Fresh and targets 2,000 international restaurants by 2028. In July 2025 it signed for 170 restaurants in Italy through 2035, the first two due in Milan in 2026, and 20 in Armenia (Wendy’s). Canada counted 460 restaurants in August 2026. Our look at the 2026 burger value wars shows how Wendy’s fights McDonald’s and Burger King on price.

Key dates

• 1969: Dave Thomas opens the first Wendy’s in Columbus, Ohio, on November 15.
• 1972: first franchise agreement, for Indianapolis.
• 1975: first restaurant outside the US, in Hamilton, Ontario.
• 1978: 1,000th restaurant, in Springfield, Tennessee.
• 1984: the “Where’s the beef?” campaign starts on January 9.
• 2008: merger with Triarc, the parent of Arby’s, on September 29.
• 2021: return to the United Kingdom, in Reading.
• 2025: 7,397 restaurants at the end of the fiscal year.