Wendy’s is due to open its first UK franchise location next month with partner Square Burgers, as it looks to expand nationwide.
The US burger chain has six franchise partners signed up for UK territories so far, with the first location due to open in Sheffield, in December.
Square Burgers will be focused on opening restaurants in South Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. Company-owned units are also due to open shortly in Liverpool and Greater Manchester.
The business, which currently operates 10 company-owned and operated restaurants and 15 delivery-only kitchens, believes it is likely to end up operating around 20-25 of its own sites, with the remaining growth to come from franchise partners, Abigail Pringle, president of Wendy’s international operations and chief development officer told The Times.
She said lessons had been learnt after its unsuccessful bid to launch in the UK two decades ago, and that the company had taken “a fresh look at our overall international growth strategy” before deciding to return to Britain.
In the long-term Wendy’s believes it could reach 300 to 400 restaurants in the UK.
“We felt we could compete very successfully in the UK market, particularly in relation to the competition that was there,” she said.
Earlier this month, Todd Penegor, president and chief executive of The Wendy’s Company said that while the UK currently had a macro backdrop “that is a little bit more challenged”, it was “still committed to building up that market” and continued to see the UK as “the big opportunity in Europe”.
