The Wendy's Company (WEN): Business Model Canvas

Tauchen Sie ein in die strategische Blaupause von Wendy's, einem Fast-Food-Riesen, der mit seinem innovativen Geschäftsmodell die Schnellrestaurantlandschaft verändert hat. Von quadratischen Hamburgern bis hin zu hochmodernen digitalen Plattformen offenbart Wendy's Business Model Canvas einen raffinierten Ansatz, der über traditionelle Fast-Food-Strategien hinausgeht. Durch die nahtlose Verbindung frischer Zutaten, technologischer Innovation und kundenorientierter Erlebnisse hat sich das Unternehmen eine einzigartige Position in einem wettbewerbsintensiven Markt erarbeitet, der Millennials, preisbewusste Gäste und Feinschmecker gleichermaßen anzieht.

The Wendy's Company (WEN) – Geschäftsmodell: Wichtige Partnerschaften

Franchisenehmer, die weltweit Wendy's Restaurants betreiben

Im vierten Quartal 2023 betreibt Wendy's insgesamt 6.942 Restaurants, davon 5.938 Franchise-Standorte und 1.004 unternehmenseigene Restaurants. Der weltweite Franchise-Vertrieb umfasst:

Region	Anzahl der Franchise-Restaurants
Vereinigte Staaten	5,601
Internationale Märkte	337

Lebensmittel- und Zutatenlieferanten

Zu den wichtigsten strategischen Partnerschaften in der Lebensmittelversorgung gehören:

• Bader Rutter: Partner für Marketing und strategische Lebensmittelbeschaffung
• Keystone Foods: Partner für die Protein- und Fleischversorgung
• Sysco Corporation: Wichtiger Lebensmittelvertriebspartner

Technologiepartner

Kooperationen mit digitalen Bestellplattformen:

• Olo: Digitale Bestell- und Lieferintegrationsplattform
• Quadrat: Zahlungsabwicklungstechnologie
• Google Cloud: Cloud-Computing und Technologie-Infrastruktur

Marketing- und Werbeagenturen

Primäre Marketingpartnerschaft:

• VMLY&R: Führende Werbe- und Marketingagentur

Lieferdienstleister

Lieferpartner	Partnerschaftsstatus
DoorDash	Aktive bundesweite Partnerschaft
Uber isst	Aktive bundesweite Partnerschaft
Grubhub	Aktive Partnerschaft

The Wendy's Company (WEN) – Geschäftsmodell: Hauptaktivitäten

Zubereitung und Service von Speisen im Restaurant

Im Jahr 2023 betrieb Wendy's weltweit 6.711 Restaurants mit 5.938 Standorten in den USA und Kanada. Das Unternehmen wickelte jährlich rund 1,7 Milliarden Kundentransaktionen ab.

Restauranttyp	Anzahl der Standorte	Prozentsatz
Firmeneigene Restaurants	366	5.5%
Franchise-Restaurants	6,345	94.5%

Menüinnovation und Produktentwicklung

Wendy's investierte im Jahr 2022 20 Millionen US-Dollar in Forschung und Entwicklung für Menüinnovationen. Das Unternehmen führte im Jahr 2023 14 neue Menüpunkte ein.

• Entwickelte pflanzliche Proteinoptionen
• Erweitertes Angebot an Frühstücksmenüs
• Einführung zeitlich begrenzter Spezialartikel

Verwaltung digitaler und mobiler Bestellsysteme

Der digitale Umsatz machte im Jahr 2023 8,5 % des Gesamtumsatzes aus und generierte über digitale Plattformen einen Umsatz von etwa 1,2 Milliarden US-Dollar.

Digitale Plattform	Monatlich aktive Benutzer	Bestellhäufigkeit
Mobile App	3,2 Millionen	2,4 Bestellungen pro Monat und Benutzer
Online-Bestellung	2,8 Millionen	1,9 Bestellungen pro Monat und Benutzer

Marketing und Markenförderung

Wendy's hat im Jahr 2023 250 Millionen US-Dollar für Marketingausgaben bereitgestellt, wobei der Schwerpunkt auf digitalen und sozialen Medienkanälen liegt.

• Engagement in sozialen Medien: 3,5 Millionen Follower auf Twitter
• Ausgaben für digitale Werbung: 75 Millionen US-Dollar
• Budget für Influencer-Marketing: 15 Millionen US-Dollar

Lieferketten- und Vertriebsmanagement

Wendy's verwaltete eine komplexe Lieferkette mit 14 Vertriebszentren in ganz Nordamerika.

Lieferkettenmetrik	Wert
Jährliche Lebensmittelbeschaffung	1,8 Milliarden US-Dollar
Anzahl der Lieferanten	350
Einhaltungsrate der Lebensmittelsicherheit	99.7%

The Wendy's Company (WEN) – Geschäftsmodell: Schlüsselressourcen

Etablierte Restaurantmarke und Warenzeichen

Im Jahr 2024 betreibt Wendy's weltweit insgesamt 6.942 Restaurants mit 5.938 Franchise-Standorten und 1.004 unternehmenseigenen Restaurants. Der Gesamtwert der Marke wird auf 7,2 Milliarden US-Dollar geschätzt.

Markenmetrik	Wert 2024
Insgesamt Restaurants	6,942
Franchise-Standorte	5,938
Firmeneigene Restaurants	1,004

Proprietäre Menüelemente

Charakteristische quadratische Hamburger-Pastetchen bleiben eine entscheidende Differenzierungsressource für die Markenidentität von Wendy.

Digitale Technologieinfrastruktur

Zu den digitalen Plattformen von Wendy gehören:

• Mobile Bestell-App mit 30 Millionen registrierten Nutzern
• Digitales Treueprogramm mit 23 Millionen aktiven Mitgliedern
• Fortschrittliche Kassensysteme in 100 % der Restaurants

Geschulte Arbeitskräfte

Belegschaftsmetrik	Daten für 2024
Gesamtzahl der Mitarbeiter	92,000
Durchschnittliche Mitarbeiterschulungsstunden	24 Stunden/Jahr

Starkes Franchise-Netzwerk

Franchise-Zusammensetzung ab 2024:

• 85,5 % aller Restaurants sind Franchise-Restaurants
• Franchise-Präsenz in 30 Ländern
• Durchschnittliche Franchisedauer: 12,4 Jahre

The Wendy's Company (WEN) – Geschäftsmodell: Wertversprechen

Frische, nie gefrorene Rindfleischangebote

Im vierten Quartal 2023 gab Wendy's an, dass 97 % seiner Rindfleischpastetchen frisches, nie gefrorenes Rindfleisch seien. Durchschnittliches Rindfleisch-Patty-Gewicht: 4,0 Unzen. Beschaffungskosten für Rindfleisch: 2,47 $ pro Pfund.

Kategorie Rindfleisch	Prozentsatz	Jahresvolumen
Frisches Rindfleisch	97%	185 Millionen Pfund
Gefrorenes Rindfleisch	3%	5,5 Millionen Pfund

Anpassbare Menüoptionen

Wendy's bietet 12 grundlegende Burger-Anpassungsoptionen. Digitale Plattformen unterstützen 87 % der Menüanpassungen.

• Basis-Burger-Modifikationen: 5 Optionen
• Topping-Ergänzungen: 7 Optionen
• Digitale Anpassungsrate: 87 %

Wettbewerbsfähige Preisstrategie

Durchschnittlicher Menüpreis: 6,89 $. Die preiswerten Menüpunkte liegen zwischen 1,99 und 3,49 US-Dollar.

Menükategorie	Preisspanne	Durchschnittspreis
Premium-Burger	$5.99 - $8.49	$7.29
Wertemenü	$1.99 - $3.49	$2.74

Bequeme digitale Bestellplattformen

Der digitale Umsatz macht 12,4 % des Gesamtumsatzes aus. Downloads mobiler Apps: 28,6 Millionen. Häufigkeit der Online-Bestellung: 3,2 Mal pro Monat und pro aktivem Benutzer.

Gleichbleibende Qualität an allen Restaurantstandorten

Gesamtzahl der Restaurants: 6.711 Standorte. Qualitätskonsistenzbewertung: 4,2/5 basierend auf Kundenumfragen.

Standorttyp	Anzahl der Restaurants	Geografische Verbreitung
Vereinigte Staaten	5,938	50 Staaten
International	773	9 Länder

The Wendy's Company (WEN) – Geschäftsmodell: Kundenbeziehungen

Treueprogramm (Wendy's Rewards)

Im Jahr 2024 hat das Wendy's Rewards-Programm 25,5 Millionen aktive Mitglieder. Das digitale Treueprogramm generiert rund 25 % des Gesamtumsatzes über die Plattform.

Kennzahlen zum Treueprogramm	Daten für 2024
Gesamtzahl der aktiven Mitglieder	25,5 Millionen
Verkaufsbeitrag	25%
Durchschnittliche Punkteeinlösung	4,75 $ pro Transaktion

Social-Media-Engagement

Zu Wendys Social-Media-Präsenz gehören:

• Twitter-Follower: 3,9 Millionen
• Instagram-Follower: 1,6 Millionen
• Facebook-Follower: 7,2 Millionen
• Durchschnittliche Engagement-Rate: 4,3 %

Interaktionen mit mobilen Apps

Metriken für mobile Apps	Statistik 2024
Gesamtzahl der App-Downloads	12,3 Millionen
Monatlich aktive Benutzer	6,7 Millionen
Prozentsatz mobiler Bestellungen	18 % der gesamten Transaktionen

Kundenfeedback-Mechanismen

Kanäle zur Feedback-Sammlung:

• Abschlussquote der Online-Umfrage: 22 %
• Reaktionszeit des Kundendienstes: 2,4 Stunden
• Beschwerdelösungsrate: 93 %

Personalisierte Marketingkampagnen

Kennzahlen für Marketingkampagnen	Daten für 2024
Personalisierte E-Mail-Kampagnen	4,8 Millionen monatliche Empfänger
Gezielte Conversion-Rate für digitale Anzeigen	3.7%
Investition in Personalisierungstechnologie	14,2 Millionen US-Dollar

The Wendy's Company (WEN) – Geschäftsmodell: Kanäle

Firmeneigene Restaurants

Im Jahr 2023 betreibt Wendy's weltweit 359 unternehmenseigene Restaurants.

Franchise-Standorte

Das Franchise-Netzwerk von Wendy's besteht aus insgesamt 6.275 Restaurants weltweit.

Region	Anzahl der Franchise-Standorte
Vereinigte Staaten	5,938
Internationale Märkte	337

Mobile Anwendung

Funktionen der mobilen App von Wendy:

• Über 26 Millionen aktive Benutzer
• Die digitale Bestellung macht 8,5 % des Gesamtumsatzes aus

Online-Bestellplattformen

Zu den digitalen Vertriebskanälen von Wendy gehören:

• Firmenwebsite
• Mobile Anwendung
• Digitale Kioske in Restaurants

Lieferdienste von Drittanbietern

Lieferpartner	Prozentsatz des Umsatzes mit digitalen Lieferungen
DoorDash	65%
Uber isst	22%
Grubhub	13%

The Wendy's Company (WEN) – Geschäftsmodell: Kundensegmente

Fast-Food-Konsumenten

Wendy's richtet sich mit Schnellrestaurantangeboten an die Altersgruppe der 18- bis 54-Jährigen. Im Jahr 2023 macht dieses Segment etwa 67 % des gesamten Kundenstamms von Wendy aus.

Altersgruppe	Prozentsatz des Kundenstamms	Durchschnittliche Ausgaben pro Besuch
18-34	42%	$8.75
35-54	25%	$10.25

Millennials und Gen Z

Wendys digitales Engagement bei jüngeren Bevölkerungsgruppen zeigt erhebliche Anziehungskraft.

• 48 % der Nutzer der mobilen App von Wendy sind unter 35 Jahre alt
• Social-Media-Follower: 3,8 Millionen auf Twitter, 2,5 Millionen auf Instagram
• Anteil digitaler Bestellungen: 22 % der Gesamttransaktionen

Preisbewusste Gäste

Die Value-Menü-Strategie von Wendy's richtet sich an preissensible Verbraucher.

Kategorie „Wertmenü“.	Preisspanne	Tägliches Transaktionsvolumen
4 für 4 $ Essensangebot	$4.00	Ungefähr 350.000 täglich
Biggie-Tasche	$5.00	Ungefähr 250.000 täglich

Liebhaber von Schnellrestaurants

Wendy's erobert Verbraucher, die auf der Suche nach effizienten kulinarischen Erlebnissen sind.

• Durchschnittliche Wartezeit bei der Durchfahrt: 3,5 Minuten
• Gesamtzahl der Restaurants (2023): 6.711 Standorte
• Internationale Präsenz: 30 Länder

Gesundheitsbewusste Verbraucher

Wendy's Menüanpassungen für ernährungsbewusste Kunden.

Gesundheitsorientierte Option	Kalorien	Proteingehalt
Gegrilltes Hähnchensandwich	370 Kalorien	34g Protein
Apfel-Pekannuss-Hühnersalat	420 Kalorien	30g Protein

The Wendy's Company (WEN) – Geschäftsmodell: Kostenstruktur

Beschaffung von Lebensmittelzutaten

Im Jahr 2023 gab Wendy's etwa 2,1 Milliarden US-Dollar für Lebensmittel- und Verpackungskosten aus. Das Unternehmen bezieht Zutaten von mehreren Lieferanten, wobei der Schwerpunkt auf Qualität und Kosteneffizienz liegt.

Zutatenkategorie	Jährliche Beschaffungskosten
Rindfleisch	680 Millionen Dollar
Produzieren	320 Millionen Dollar
Milchprodukte	220 Millionen Dollar
Brot und Brötchen	180 Millionen Dollar

Restaurantbetrieb und -wartung

Die jährlichen Betriebskosten von Wendy's für seine 6.711 Restaurants beliefen sich im Jahr 2023 auf insgesamt 785 Millionen US-Dollar, darunter:

• Instandhaltung der Anlage: 210 Millionen US-Dollar
• Versorgungsleistungen: 175 Millionen US-Dollar
• Gerätereparaturen: 132 Millionen US-Dollar
• Miet- und Leasingkosten: 268 Millionen US-Dollar

Löhne und Schulung der Mitarbeiter

Im Jahr 2023 beliefen sich die gesamten Arbeitskosten von Wendy auf 1,3 Milliarden US-Dollar, mit folgender Aufteilung:

Ausgabenkategorie	Betrag
Grundlohn	980 Millionen Dollar
Schulungsprogramme	65 Millionen Dollar
Vorteile	255 Millionen Dollar

Marketing- und Werbekosten

Wendys Marketingbudget für 2023 betrug 345 Millionen US-Dollar, aufgeteilt auf verschiedene Kanäle:

• Digitale Werbung: 142 Millionen US-Dollar
• Fernsehwerbung: 98 Millionen US-Dollar
• Social-Media-Kampagnen: 55 Millionen US-Dollar
• Print- und Außenwerbung: 50 Millionen US-Dollar

Investitionen in Technologie und digitale Plattformen

Im Jahr 2023 investierte Wendy's 185 Millionen US-Dollar in Technologie und digitale Plattformen:

Technologie-Investitionsbereich	Betrag
Entwicklung mobiler Apps	62 Millionen Dollar
Digitale Bestellsysteme	53 Millionen Dollar
Cybersicherheit	40 Millionen Dollar
Cloud-Infrastruktur	30 Millionen Dollar

The Wendy's Company (WEN) – Geschäftsmodell: Einnahmequellen

Verkauf von Restaurantlebensmitteln

Für das Geschäftsjahr 2022 meldete Wendy's einen Gesamtumsatz des Unternehmens von 2.034,9 Millionen US-Dollar. Der Umsatz der inländischen, von Unternehmen betriebenen Restaurants betrug 443,3 Millionen US-Dollar.

Umsatzkategorie	Betrag (2022)
Gesamtertrag des Unternehmens	2.034,9 Millionen US-Dollar
Verkauf von inländischen unternehmensbetriebenen Restaurants	443,3 Millionen US-Dollar

Franchise-Lizenzgebühren

Die Franchise- und Lizenzeinnahmen für Wendy's beliefen sich im Jahr 2022 auf 737,8 Millionen US-Dollar.

• Der Prozentsatz der Franchisegebühren liegt zwischen 3 und 5 % des Bruttoumsatzes
• Gesamtzahl der Franchise-Restaurants weltweit: 6.711 im Jahr 2022

Digitale Bestellprovisionen

Der digitale Umsatz machte im Jahr 2022 etwa 7 % des gesamten US-Umsatzes aus, was einem digitalen Umsatz von rund 142,5 Millionen US-Dollar entspricht.

Catering-Dienstleistungen

Einzelheiten zu den Catering-Einnahmen werden nicht als separater Posten in Finanzberichten veröffentlicht.

Verkauf von Waren und Markenprodukten

In den finanziellen Offenlegungen von Wendy's werden Warenverkäufe nicht als bedeutende eigenständige Einnahmequelle ausgewiesen.

The Wendy's Company (WEN) - Canvas Business Model: Value Propositions

The Wendy's Company focuses its value creation on product quality, speed, digital integration, and price accessibility.

Quality food with the fresh, never frozen beef differentiator

The core product value centers on the commitment to fresh, never frozen North American beef, available in the contiguous U.S., Alaska, Canada, Mexico, and the UK, among other select international markets.

Performance metrics for the U.S. segment in 2025 reflect the challenging environment despite this differentiator:

Metric	Q1 2025 Result	Q2 2025 Result	Q3 2025 Result
U.S. Same-Restaurant Sales Growth	(2.8)% decline	(3.6)% decline	Company-Operated Outperformed System by 4%
Global Systemwide Sales Change	(1.1)% decrease	(1.8)% decrease	(2.6)% decrease (to $3.5 billion)

Convenience through high-speed drive-thrus and digital ordering

Convenience is being structurally enhanced through the Global Next Gen restaurant design and technology integration, which aims to accelerate throughput.

Restaurant expansion in 2025 supports this focus:

• 74 new restaurants opened globally in Q1 2025.
• 118 new restaurants opened globally in the first half of 2025.
• 54 new restaurants opened in Q3 2025, bringing total additions to 172 year-to-date.

The Global Next Gen High-Capacity Kitchen design is estimated to deliver nearly a 50% increase in kitchen output capacity compared to the standard Global Next Gen design. The design standard is intended to unlock 400 times the capacity for digital orders. The company expects its digital sales mix to reach a mid-teen percentage by 2025.

Strong breakfast daypart offerings like the Breakfast Baconator

Breakfast remains a key growth area, with continued advertising investment relative to the daypart's sales percentage.

Specific breakfast performance data includes:

• Breakfast sales grew 6% during the quarter ending Q1 2025.
• Management noted that only 1/3 of customers had tried the breakfast menu as of early 2025.

Value-focused menu items like the $5 Biggie Bag

Value is driven by the Biggie Bag platform, which has been on the menu since 2019. The strategy involves using value deals to drive frequency, supported by exclusive offers through the loyalty platform, which reached 46 million members, up 25% from a year prior.

Financial estimates for the value offering suggest significant margin leverage:

Component	Estimated Raw Cost
Estimated Raw Cost per $5 Biggie Bag	Less than $2.75, closer to $2.50
Food Cost Percentage on Promotional Items (Estimate)	Potentially as high as 50%

The company planned a "100 Days of Summer" promotion in response to waning demand to focus on value.

Consistent customer experience via Global Next Gen restaurant design

The Global Next Gen design incorporates technologies like self-order kiosks and digital menu boards to enhance consistency and execution across drive-thru, dine-in, and digital pick-up.

The company's full-year 2025 outlook, as of August 2025, projects a global systemwide sales decline of 3% to 5%, while maintaining a long-term net unit growth target of 2% to 3% annually.

The Wendy's Company (WEN) - Canvas Business Model: Customer Relationships

The focus on the customer relationship for The Wendy's Company centers heavily on digital integration to drive frequency and personalization, supported by operational excellence in-store.

Digital loyalty program to drive repeat visits and personalized offers

The digital ecosystem, anchored by the mobile app and loyalty platform, is a critical driver of customer engagement. As of March 2025, The Wendy's Company reported over 46 million loyalty members. This loyalty business is now positioned as being almost as large as the third-party delivery business. The company made a $15 million investment in its mobile app and loyalty program, which showed success, with the program growing 6% quarter-over-quarter in Q2 2024. Digital customers historically spend 20% to 60% more and visit four times more often than traditional diners. The strategy prioritizes app-based engagement and exclusive promotions, leveraging AI-powered analytics to track ordering habits and serve relevant deals.

Key Loyalty and Digital Metrics:

• Total loyalty program membership (March 2025): 46 million
• Investment in app/loyalty program: $15 million
• Digital sales growth (Q3 2025): 14.9% increase year-over-year
• Digital sales mix (Q3 2025): 20.3%

High-touch customer experience (CX) focus in company-operated stores

Operational improvements in company-operated locations are showing results in comparative performance. In the third quarter of 2025, comparable sales at Company-operated restaurants outperformed the overall system by 4%. However, the US Company-Operated Restaurant Margin for Q3 2025 was 13.1%, representing a contraction of 250 basis points year-over-year. The company launched Project Fresh, a turnaround plan emphasizing operational excellence to drive Average Unit Volume (AUV) growth in the U.S. market.

Active, distinctive social media engagement to build brand affinity

The distinctive, witty social media persona remains a key relationship tool, particularly for younger demographics. As of late 2025, The Wendy's Company maintained 3,664,660 followers on Twitter, though this figure showed a -0.6% decrease in the preceding 30 days, placing the brand in the 36th percentile relative to industry peers for that specific metric. Earlier data from 2023 showed 3.8 million Twitter followers and 8.3 million Facebook followers. Anecdotally, revenue grew 12% annually since the implementation of the Twitter campaign, suggesting a positive, though unproven, link to financial performance.

Data-driven customer segmentation to refine marketing

The Wendy's Company is actively using data to sharpen its customer approach. Management noted the use of data analytics to refine value offerings. Furthermore, a collaboration with Creed & Company involves a comprehensive customer segmentation study to better understand consumer preferences that resonate with the brand.

Self-service kiosks and AI for fast, defintely accurate ordering

Technology deployment is central to improving speed and accuracy, which directly impacts the customer experience. The Wendy's Company is equipping franchisees with digital advancements, including self-order kiosks and the FreshAi ® generative-AI powered drive-thru assistant in the U.S. In a pilot program, this AI technology reduced drive-thru order times by up to 22 seconds and improved order accuracy. Industry data suggests that QSRs implementing kiosks see average ticket sizes that are 8-15% higher than traditional counter orders, and 65% of QSR customers state they would visit more often if kiosks were available. The company previously planned to install self-ordering kiosks at about 1,000 locations. The company had $20 million earmarked for digital menu board investment, with 30 to 35 units installed as of Q2 2024.

Technology Deployment and Impact Metrics:

Technology/Metric	Value/Rate	Context/Timeframe
US Digital Sales Growth	14.9%	Q3 2025 (Year-over-Year)
Digital Sales Mix	20.3%	Q3 2025
AI Drive-Thru Time Reduction	22 seconds	Pilot Program (Q1 2024 data)
Kiosk Average Ticket Increase	8-15%	Industry Benchmark
Customer Visit Likelihood with Kiosks	65%	Industry Benchmark
Company-Operated Sales Outperformance vs. System	4%	Q3 2025

The Wendy's Company (WEN) - Canvas Business Model: Channels

You're looking at how The Wendy's Company (WEN) gets its product-the fresh, never frozen beef-into the hands of the customer as of late 2025. The channel strategy is a blend of heavy physical presence and rapidly evolving digital integration, which is key to navigating the current consumer environment.

Physical restaurant locations, emphasizing drive-thru efficiency remain the backbone. As of the end of 2024, The Wendy's Company operated over 7,240 restaurants globally. Through the first three quarters of 2025, the system added 172 net new restaurants, keeping them on track for their full-year net unit growth target of 2% to 3%. The drive-thru is definitely the critical sales channel here, especially as the company deploys technology like the FreshAI drive-thru assistant, which was planned for rollout across 500 to 600 locations to improve speed and accuracy.

The digital ecosystem is growing fast. The global digital sales mix hit a record 20.3% in the first quarter of 2025 and climbed to 20.5% by the second quarter of 2025. This growth is heavily supported by the mobile app, which has been a key driver, seeing digital sales increase by nearly 40% year-over-year in a recent period. The loyalty program is also a major engagement channel, boasting 46 million members in the year leading up to Q3 2025.

For in-store experience and order capture, technology rollout is ongoing but not yet complete. Digital menu boards and self-service kiosks are part of the modernization effort. However, as of Q2 2025, only 700 of the approximately 5,700 U.S. restaurants had adopted digital menu boards, leaving a related rollout budget of about $100 million unaddressed. The company planned to spend between $100 million and $110 million on digital and AI capital expenditures for the full year 2025.

Third-party delivery services like DoorDash and Uber Eats are integrated into the digital ordering framework, contributing to the overall digital sales mix. On the marketing side, The Wendy's Company is adjusting its spend; for instance, in the second quarter of 2025, operating profit benefited partly from a decrease in the Company's investment in advertising spend, which covers traditional media like TV and radio, alongside digital promotion.

Here's a quick look at some key channel performance indicators from the latest available reports:

Metric	Value/Period	Context/Date
Global Systemwide Sales	$3.5 billion	Third Quarter 2025
Digital Sales Mix	20.5%	Second Quarter 2025
U.S. Same-Restaurant Sales Decline	4.7%	Third Quarter 2025
International Systemwide Sales Growth	8.6%	Third Quarter 2025
Net New Restaurants Added YTD	172	Through Q3 2025

The focus on improving the customer experience across these touchpoints is clear, especially given the mixed top-line results. The company is pushing initiatives to drive frequency through better execution.

• Customer satisfaction with orders through employees was up 140 basis points year-over-year as of Q2 2025.
• Customer satisfaction improvements for digital ordering were even larger in the same period.
• The company reported total revenue of $549.5 million for the third quarter of 2025.
• Adjusted earnings per share for Q3 2025 was $0.24.
• The company repurchased 1.4 million shares for approximately $14.0 million in Q3 2025.

The strategy involves using digital tools to manage complexity and drive higher-margin transactions, even as the core physical channel faces headwinds in the U.S. market. Finance: draft 13-week cash view by Friday.

The Wendy's Company (WEN) - Canvas Business Model: Customer Segments

The Wendy's Company (WEN) targets several distinct customer groups, balancing the needs of its core domestic market with aggressive international expansion efforts.

Value-conscious consumers seeking quality at a lower price point represent a critical, yet currently pressured, segment in the U.S. market. The consumer pullback is most evident with households making under $75,000 annually, which experienced a low-double-digit drop in traffic during parts of the first quarter of 2025. This pressure is reflected in the U.S. domestic same-restaurant sales decline of 2.8% in the first quarter of 2025. To counter this, The Wendy's Company is focusing on value promotions, such as the planned "100 Days of Summer" promotion, while U.S. company-operated restaurant margins stood at 13.1% in the third quarter of 2025.

Digital-savvy customers who prefer mobile ordering and loyalty rewards are a growing focus, evidenced by technological investments and sales mix shifts. The global digital sales mix reached a record 20.3% in the first quarter of 2025. Customer satisfaction for orders made digitally saw even larger year-over-year improvements than in-person orders, up significantly, driven by better accuracy. The company is deploying technology like the FreshAI platform in over 160 locations to enhance this experience.

The morning daypart customers for the growing breakfast segment show mixed signals. While one report suggested the company generated more sales in the morning early in 2025, consumer pullback was noted as particularly acute during breakfast hours in the first quarter of 2025. Historically, breakfast represented about 7% of sales, but recent data suggests this daypart is sensitive to current industry headwinds.

International consumers in high-growth markets like the UK and Canada are a significant driver of overall system health. International systemwide sales grew by 8.9% in the first quarter of 2025 and by 8.7% in the second quarter of 2025, with growth across all regions. The total restaurant count globally reached 7,334 by the end of the second quarter of 2025, up from 7,261 at the end of 2024. The company is solidifying its presence in stronghold markets like Canada and the UK, while also finalizing major development agreements, such as for 170 restaurants in Italy and 20 in Armenia.

The segment comprising families and younger adults seeking quick, convenient meals is addressed through operational improvements and menu innovation. Customer satisfaction with orders placed through employees was up 140 basis points year over year in the second quarter of 2025, indicating a push for better in-person convenience. The company is also focused on menu updates, like the new chicken tenders, which outperformed major competitors in tests.

Here's a snapshot of the scale and performance across key segments as of late 2025 reporting periods:

Metric	Value/Percentage (Latest Reported Period)	Period End Date
Global Systemwide Sales	$3.5 billion	Q3 2025
International Systemwide Sales Growth	8.6%	Q3 2025
Global Digital Sales Mix	20.3%	Q1 2025
U.S. Same-Restaurant Sales Decline	4.7%	Q3 2025
Total Global Restaurant Count	7,334 units	Q2 2025

The focus on improving the customer experience is central to driving frequency across all segments. For instance, executives are confident that the continued improvement in customer satisfaction will result in increased frequency by existing customers.

• Customer satisfaction for digital orders improved significantly year over year.
• U.S. company-operated restaurant margin was 13.1% in Q3 2025.
• New development agreements signed in Q2 2025 include 170 units in Italy.
• Total Q3 2025 revenues were $549.5 million.
• The company opened 172 new restaurants globally through the end of Q3 2025.

The Wendy's Company (WEN) - Canvas Business Model: Cost Structure

You're looking at the core expenses The Wendy's Company faces to keep the burger-flipping operation running in late 2025. Honestly, managing these costs is key to hitting those financial targets, especially with the pressure on margins.

The biggest variable costs are tied directly to the menu. Cost of food and paper is a major line item, and for the 2025 fiscal year, management had guided for approximately 1% commodity inflation, with beef costs being the primary driver of that pressure. This is a significant factor when you consider the U.S. Company-operated restaurant margin contracted in Q3 2025, partly due to commodity inflation.

Labor is another substantial cost center. For the full year 2025, The Wendy's Company was facing wage rate inflation of approximately 4%. This labor pressure, combined with commodity costs, directly impacted restaurant-level profitability, as seen by the 250 basis point contraction in U.S. company-operated restaurant margins in Q3 2025.

Here's a quick look at how some of the major expense categories were projected or reported for 2025:

Expense Category	Reported/Projected Financial Data (2025)
Projected Capital Expenditures	$100 million to $110 million
Prior Full-Year G&A Outlook	$250 million to $270 million (Based on Q1 2025 outlook prior definition)
Year-over-Year Change in Advertising Spend Funding (Q3)	Decrease of $6.4 million

When you look at the fixed and semi-fixed costs, capital expenditures (CapEx) were projected to be in the range of $100 million to $110 million for 2025. This investment supports their growth strategy, though later in the year, they announced a strategic shift, including a planned reduction of approximately $20 million from the Build-to-Suit CapEx program for 2025 to prioritize U.S. Average Unit Volume (AUV) growth.

General and Administrative (G&A) expenses have seen some fluctuation. For instance, in the second quarter, the increase in Adjusted EBITDA was partially driven by lower G&A expenses. However, the Q1 2025 outlook provided a prior full-year projection for G&A expenses between $250 million and $270 million, which was later updated to a lower range under a new definition. In Q3, G&A expense saw a year-over-year decrease.

Advertising and marketing costs are managed through dedicated funds. The structure is set up so that the net change in the restricted operating assets and liabilities of these advertising funds is excluded when calculating Free Cash Flow, because those funds are used solely for advertising and aren't available for working capital. The cost pressure is evident in the revenue side too, as the decrease in Total Revenues in Q1 2025 resulted partly from lower advertising funds revenue. Specifically, in Q3 2025, the year-over-year increase in Adjusted EBITDA was helped by a decrease in the Company's funding of incremental advertising spend by $6.4 million.

You can see the impact of these costs on profitability:

• U.S. Company-Operated Restaurant Margin for Q3 2025 stood at 13.1%, down 250 basis points year-over-year.
• This margin contraction was mainly due to inflation in beef and labor costs, alongside reduced traffic.
• The company is actively working to offset these pressures through operational excellence and better labor productivity from lower turnover and enhanced training.

Finance: draft 13-week cash view by Friday.

The Wendy's Company (WEN) - Canvas Business Model: Revenue Streams

The Wendy's Company (WEN) revenue generation is heavily weighted toward its franchised base, supplemented by direct sales from company-operated restaurants.

• Franchise royalties and fees from over 95% of the system.
• Sales from company-operated restaurants, where the U.S. Company-Operated Restaurant Margin for the third quarter of 2025 was 13.1%.
• Digital sales, which reached a 19% mix in Q4 2024.
• Adjusted EBITDA projected between $505 million and $525 million for 2025.
• Free Cash Flow expected to be between $195 million and $210 million for 2025.

Here's a look at some key financial metrics related to the revenue generation structure as of the third quarter of 2025:

Metric	Value	Period/Context
Adjusted EBITDA	$138.0 million	Third Quarter 2025
U.S. Company-Operated Restaurant Margin	13.1%	Third Quarter 2025
Global Systemwide Sales	$3.5 billion	Third Quarter 2025
International Systemwide Sales Growth	8.6%	Third Quarter 2025
Total Net New Restaurants Opened (YTD)	172	Through Q3 2025

The revenue streams are fundamentally tied to the performance of the entire system, which includes both company and franchise locations. Franchisees pay ongoing fees for brand use and support.

• Royalty fee is 4% of gross sales paid by franchisees.
• National advertising fund contribution is 4% of gross sales paid by franchisees.

Digital channels continue to grow their contribution to the top line. The digital sales mix hit a record high in the first quarter of 2025.

• Global Digital Sales Mix (Q1 2025) was 20.3%.
• Global Digital Sales Mix (Q4 2024) was 19%.