Wendy’s is a fast food restaurant business in the United States that was created by Dave Thomas on November 15, 1969, in Columbus, Ohio. On January 29, 2006, the company’s headquarters were relocated to Dublin, Ohio. Wendy’s, after Burger King and McDonald’s, was the world’s third-largest hamburger fast-food chain as of December 31, 2018, with 6,711 outlets. The company announced a merger with Triarc Companies Inc., a publicly traded company that is the parent company of Arby’s, on April 24, 2008. The headquarters of Wendy’s remained in Dublin. Triarc was renamed Wendy’s/Group, Arby’s and then Wendy’s Company, following the merger.
There were 6,711 outlets as of December 31, 2018, with 353 company-owned and 6,358 franchised sites; 92 percent of the system-wide locations are in North America. While Wendy’s sets the requirements for each store’s outside aesthetic, food quality, and menu, the store owners decide the hours of operation, interior decor, pricing, employee uniforms, and salaries.
Square hamburgers, sea salt fries, and the Frosty, a soft-serve ice cream with carbohydrates, are among the chain’s most popular items. Burgers, chicken sandwiches, French fries, and beverages like the Frosty are the mainstays of Wendy’s menu. The company no longer has a hallmark sandwich, such as the Burger King Whopper or the McDonald’s Big Mac, since the Big Classic was phased out. Dave’s 14 pound (110 g) Single was released in 2011 as Dave’s Hot ‘N Juicy, a reworking of Wendy’s Single (reduced to simply Dave’s in 2016), a square-pattied burger produced with fresh ground beef instead of round frozen patties. Wendy’s signature item is square hamburger patties that dangle over the edge of a circular bun.