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Major Fast-Food Chain Faces Wave of Restaurant Closures as Franchise Giant Files for Bankruptcy
thelibertydaily.com ^ | October 29, 2026 | Tyler Durden, Zero Hedge

Posted on 10/29/2026 10:24:47 AM PDT by Red Badger

Wendy’s could see up to 60 more restaurants closed across the United States through mid-November as one of its largest franchise operators battles bankruptcy, according to USA Today.

Meritage Hospitality Group, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on September 17, has already shuttered 33 restaurants since entering bankruptcy proceedings and could reportedly shut down dozens more by November 13.

Meritage previously closed 60 underperforming locations before filing for bankruptcy. Reports differ on whether the 33 closures since the filing count toward the up-to-60 figure, so the total could reach roughly 120 or more.

The restaurant company operated 314 Wendy’s restaurants across 15 states when it filed for bankruptcy.

Meritage reported a $31.5 million net loss in 2025, followed by another $23.1 million loss during the first half of 2026, according to QSR Magazine.

The franchisee blamed weak sales, aggressive discounting and what it described as less effective Wendy’s marketing under the chain’s previous leadership. The financial pressures have been compounded by stubbornly high beef prices, which the Trump administration has struggled to bring down despite aggressive efforts to boost imports.

In February, President Donald Trump authorized an additional 80,000 metric tons of tariff-free beef imports from Argentina. Moreover, the White House in August allowed another 300,000 metric tons of foreign beef trimmings into the country at reduced tariff rates in hopes of lowering hamburger prices. However, the measures have delivered little relief so far. Ground beef prices have climbed over 22% since Trump returned to office.

Meritage’s bankruptcy has also triggered a bitter financial dispute between the restaurant company and Wendy’s, with the fast-food chain claiming the operator owes approximately $147 million in royalties, fees and other contractual charges.

The latest development has only made Wendy’s already difficult few years go from bad to worse. The burger chain has suffered over 300 net restaurant closures since 2024, including 245 during the first half of 2026, according to NRN.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Food; Health/Medicine; Society
KEYWORDS:

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To: Red Badger

Wendys is yuck. I only eat Culvers if I get a burger out.


61 posted on 10/29/2026 12:12:57 PM PDT by dforest
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To: Puppage

Best burgers in the fast food world.

++++++++++++++++++++++++

Agree. And a burger for about $3.. Can’t beat it!


62 posted on 10/29/2026 12:20:16 PM PDT by sonova (No money? You're free to go.)
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To: Red Badger

Wendy’s has been doing poorly for decades.
McDonald’s too.


63 posted on 10/29/2026 12:21:31 PM PDT by Zathras
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To: Robert DeLong

I didn’t make note of the order number because I was foolishly relying on the integrity of the system (which I had used several times before.)


64 posted on 10/29/2026 12:43:28 PM PDT by fwdude (Why is there a "far/radical right," but damned if they'll admit that there is a far/radical left)
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To: fwdude

I gotcha. You played a role whcich compunded the problem. Easy enough to happen.


65 posted on 10/29/2026 12:52:42 PM PDT by Robert DeLong
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To: Spacetrucker

YUP


66 posted on 10/29/2026 1:03:37 PM PDT by ridesthemiles (not giving up on TRUMP---EVER)
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To: Son-Joshua

I USE THAT COMPARISON—WAGES-—THEN I TELL PEOPLE TO REVIEW HOW MUCH THEY THINK THOSE WORKING ON BUILDING A HOUSE SHOULD EARN.


67 posted on 10/29/2026 1:05:26 PM PDT by ridesthemiles (not giving up on TRUMP---EVER)
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To: fwdude

“The black b**ch manager said she couldn’t do anything about it. I was out the money, until I contested the charge to my bank.”

i can actually believe that ... but you have the correct solution: never go back ..


68 posted on 10/29/2026 1:30:11 PM PDT by catnipman ((A Vote For The Lesser Of Two Evils Still Counts As A Vote For Evil))
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To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Arthur Wildfire! March; Berosus; Bockscar; BraveMan; cardinal4; ...

69 posted on 10/29/2026 1:30:58 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (TDS -- it's not just for DNC shills and jihadists anymore -- oh, wait, yeah it is.)
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To: Bullish

“A good burger needs some seasoning as it cooks.”

without such seasoning [salt, pepper], most meats have very little flavor ...


70 posted on 10/29/2026 1:31:49 PM PDT by catnipman ((A Vote For The Lesser Of Two Evils Still Counts As A Vote For Evil))
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To: Dr. Sivana

I thought it was just ME that noticed that burgers are a lot drier than they used to be. I had assumed it was to try to manage a low-ish calorie count. So they drain them, and get as much grease as possible out of them.

But it COULD be that the fillers are absorbing the grease, or repelling the grease or something. But I’m right there with you. Even freshly cooked burgers are dry.


71 posted on 10/29/2026 1:53:59 PM PDT by FrankRizzo890
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To: Red Badger

Wendy’s near me is full dine-in and clean with ordering kiosks. However, it obviously isn’t meant for in house dining as going inside is a minimum 20 minutes to get any food and that is if you are the only person in the pleace. And it’s. Usually closer to 30 minutes. If you go through the drive thru its super-fast. 5 minutes tops. They don’t want you to come inside!

Grandkids love Wendy’s so...


72 posted on 10/29/2026 2:06:11 PM PDT by subterfuge (Sorry, I don't read taglines. Just say what you gotta say.)
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To: Red Badger

Wendy’s left here a decade ago. Did like their jr. bacon burgers.


73 posted on 10/29/2026 3:08:44 PM PDT by bgill
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To: Political Junkie Too
The nearest Wendy's to me is 4 miles away, and on an intersection with difficult access to the roads. The next closest Wendy's is 6 miles away. Plus, I have to go through the intersection at I-45 to get there. No thanks.

Lol! The nearest Wendy's to me is 205 miles away, I only go there when I drive down to see my kids.

74 posted on 10/29/2026 3:26:06 PM PDT by Inyo-Mono
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To: Red Badger

How is that ‘surge pricing’ for hamburgers working out for Wendy’s?

Sorry, they said they weren’t doing surge pricing, it was ‘dynamic pricing’ with the higher prices at high demand times being the regular pricing and the lower pricing the rest of the time being discounts.


75 posted on 10/29/2026 3:35:41 PM PDT by PAR35
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To: Political Junkie Too

Even Whataburger has gone downhill since the Chicago crowd took it over. But it still beats Wendy’s.


76 posted on 10/29/2026 3:41:36 PM PDT by PAR35
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To: Puppage

I agree. Loved those Frostys too. Stopped eating fast food years ago, but I used to like Wendy’s and BK whoppers.


77 posted on 10/29/2026 4:09:28 PM PDT by FrdmLvr
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To: ComputerGuy

They can’t help it, beef and other prices are thru the roof. No relief since Covid unlike other consumer items. Their burgers are a signature size. A lot of burger joints have gone down to 3.2oz or lower burgers, stacked them into a double or triple and fooling people. Burger biz is hard right now, and has been for 3 years.


78 posted on 10/29/2026 4:42:40 PM PDT by pangaea6
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To: Robert DeLong
"I tried it several years back after having moved away from it because I no longer lived where one was colse by. It tasted nothing like the original at all. I never went back."

I had similar experience. Loved it in the 70's. I'd always order a single with mayo, pickle, ketchup and onions. Sometimes I'd just get a Frosty. Following a relocation separation I tried another single in the late 90s and then never went back. Yech!
79 posted on 10/29/2026 4:50:13 PM PDT by clearcarbon (Fraudulent elections have consequences.)
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To: pangaea6

Roger that


80 posted on 10/29/2026 5:16:28 PM PDT by ComputerGuy
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