It looks like even one of the most iconic fast food chains has taken a hit as a result of suffering for four years of “Bidenomics.” Wendy’s just announced plans to close hundreds of restaurants across the United States after seeing its profits and revenue take a sharp hit. According to interim CEO Ken Cook, Wendy’s will likely shut down a “mid-single-digit percentage” of its 6,011 U.S. locations — roughly 300 stores — starting in the fourth quarter of this year.
Wendy’s quietly confirms 300 store closures next year https://t.co/RbizZB5DXs pic.twitter.com/LPngXngZse
— New York Post (@nypost) November 11, 2025
That’s not a small number. We’re talking about hundreds of stores closing and thousands of workers losing their jobs or facing reduced hours, all because consumers, especially lower-income Americans, can’t afford to eat out anymore. Inflation and higher costs have hit the fast-food industry hard, but let’s be honest, it’s the average working-class families who are paying the real price here. Wendy’s and McDonald’s have been scrambling to offer so-called “value meals” — $5 or $8 combo deals — just to get customers in the door. But even that hasn’t been enough to offset the fact that a burger, fries, and drink can now easily cost over $12 in some places.
During a call with investors, Cook admitted what everyone already knows: lower-income consumers are cutting back. He said many Wendy’s locations are “a drag” on franchisees and don’t “elevate the brand.” That’s corporate speak for “we can’t make enough money when people are too broke to buy lunch.” He also noted that Wendy’s same-store sales fell 4% in the first nine months of this year compared to last year. Revenue dropped by 2%, and net income plunged 6% to $138.6 million. That’s a steep slide for a company that just a few years ago was expanding aggressively and boasting about its digital ordering success.
In some cases, Wendy’s plans to revamp struggling stores with new tech or upgraded equipment. In others, it’ll transfer ownership to new operators. But for many locations, the writing is on the wall — they’ll just shut their doors. It’s another symptom of an economy where inflation eats away at every paycheck while corporate overhead keeps rising.
The Associated Press and CBS both pointed out that these struggles are widespread across the fast-food industry. McDonald’s has faced the same issue, especially with lower-income diners walking away from $15 Big Macs. The era when fast food was the cheap, dependable option for families is gone, replaced by sticker shock and dollar menus that don’t actually cost a dollar anymore.
What’s really telling is that Cook doesn’t expect the financial pressure on lower-income Americans to ease anytime soon. Translation: the economic pain isn’t temporary. For all the talk out of Washington about “recovery,” “growth,” and “Bidenomics working,” reality is hitting home — literally, in the form of restaurant closures.
So now, Wendy’s joins a growing list of companies struggling to survive in an economy where the middle class keeps shrinking and “affordable” food isn’t affordable anymore. You can slap all the value menus you want on a board, but when gas, groceries, and rent keep going up, Americans are going to skip the drive-thru. And that’s not just a problem for Wendy’s. It’s a warning sign for the whole economy.
Leave a Comment