Wendy's franchise
Wendy's is a quick-service hamburger chain known for square fresh-beef patties, Frostys and a busy drive-thru. Restaurants serve a uniform limited menu made to order and are designed for high volume at the pick-up window. At the end of 2024 there were 5,933 Wendy's locations in the US, 5,552 franchised and 381 company-owned.
- Cost to open
- $1.52M–$2.99M
- Franchise fee
- $50,000
- Royalty
- 4–6%
- Locations, 2024
- 5,933
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Company snapshot
- Franchisor based in
- Dublin, Ohio
- Agreement length
- 20 to 25 years
- Financing
- Introductions to lenders
From Quality Is Our Recipe, LLC’s 2025 filing.
How much a Wendy's franchise costs
Opening a Wendy's restaurant, paying cash for the building and equipment costs an estimated $1,523,957 to $2,992,000. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
Source: Quality Is Our Recipe, LLC, 2025 filing, page 25
Wendy's franchise fee
The franchise fee is $50,000, charged as a Technical Assistance Fee per restaurant ($25,000 for some non-traditional sites, $12,500 for a Frosty Cart). You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: Quality Is Our Recipe, LLC, 2025 filing, page 16
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | 4% of gross sales for traditional restaurants (5% under older Pacesetter agreements; 6% on military bases, for Frosty Carts and under Build-to-Suit), paid monthly. |
|---|---|
| Brand or marketing fund | National advertising of 1.5% to 3.5% of gross sales, plus 0.5% for local and regional advertising. |
Source: Quality Is Our Recipe, LLC, 2025 filing, page 19
Sales and earnings
Shares figures Wendy's publishes sales or earnings figures for its locations: 5,325 franchised restaurants averaged $2,108,454 in gross sales in fiscal 2024 (median $1,984,382). The full tables, with notes on which locations are counted, are in its filing.
Source: Quality Is Our Recipe, LLC, 2025 filing, page 58
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 5,591 (+56) | 403 |
| 2023 | 5,627 (+36) | 403 |
| 2024 | 5,552 (−75) | 381 |
Closed or left counts terminations, non-renewals, locations bought back by the franchisor and locations that stopped operating.
Source: Quality Is Our Recipe, LLC, 2025 filing, page 67
How Wendy's compares
Of the 11 burger franchises on this site, Wendy's is the 9th cheapest to open and the 3rd largest by number of locations.
| Measure | Wendy's | Typical burger |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $1.52M | $1.39M |
| Royalty | 4% | 4.8% |
| Change in franchised locations, 0 yrs | +0.3% | −2.4% |
| Shares earnings figures | Yes | 9 of 11 |
Typical is the median across the 11 brands in burger franchises.
Other burger franchises
Wendy's franchise questions
Does Wendy's help with financing?
Not directly. Wendy's points buyers to outside lenders it works with, but the loan is between you and the lender.
How long is a Wendy's franchise agreement?
The initial term is 20 to 25 years. Renewal is usually possible if you're in good standing, often for a fee and a remodel.
How does Wendy's compare with other burger franchises?
Of the 11 burger franchises here, Wendy's is the 9th cheapest to open (low end $1.52M against a $1.39M median) and the 3rd largest by number of locations. Its 4% royalty is below the 4.8% median.
Does Wendy's say how much franchisees make?
Yes: 5,325 franchised restaurants averaged $2,108,454 in gross sales in fiscal 2024 (median $1,984,382). Your results can differ; the filing explains which locations are counted.
Where is Wendy's based?
Quality Is Our Recipe, LLC is based in Dublin, Ohio.