Wendy's — page 9

Bob Wright was named CEO of the sandwich chain Potbelly in July 2020, after spending several years with Wendy’s.

The Wendy’s Franchise Association, representing 80% of the brand's franchised units, has endorsed Bob Wright’s appointment to drive operational excellence and growth.

Wendy's appoints Robert D. Wright as its new president and CEO, effective May 21, with Wright also joining the board.

- Quick Service - Executives - News Bob Wright returns to Wendy’s as its CEO Wright, who spent years at the fast-food chain, had previously been the CEO of the sandwich chain Potbe

Industry veteran Bob Wright returns to the fast-food giant to focus on operational excellence and strengthening the financial model for the brand's franchisees.

Former Potbelly CEO Bob Wright takes the helm at Wendy’s as the burger chain navigates same-store sales challenges and an ongoing turnaround strategy.

DUBLIN, Ohio, May 20, 2026 // PRNewswire // -- The Wendy's Company ("Wendy's" or the "Company") today announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Robert D.

Andolini’s Pizza founder Mike Bausch shares insights on scaling restaurant operations and building brand influence within the pizza industry.

Former Nike executive and current Taco Bell CEO Sean Tresvant is leveraging "drop culture" to drive loyalty and digital engagement across the franchise system.

This is from the weekly restaurant finance newsletter The Bottom Line.

Top burger chains like Shake Shack outperformed the market through aggressive menu innovation and brand-specific limited-time offerings beyond their core burger products.

BURLINGTON, Ontario, May 14, 2026 // GLOBE NEWSWIRE // -- Wendy’s Canada is introducing fresh summer flavours with the Strawberry Salad and new beverages, including Watermelon Lemonade, for seasonal menu items.

Some trends are easier to derive in this industry than others.

Upstart concepts with high-quality reputations are gaining market share as legacy burger chains struggle with rising beef costs and anemic sales growth.

Culver's and Shake Shack gain market share with 14.2% and 15.2% growth

The National Restaurant Association Show has revealed its 2026 FABI Award winners, highlighting operational efficiency and global flavors as key trends for restaurant operators.

Vicious Biscuit, a Southern-born brunch franchise, has named Mike Stevens chief development officer and director of supply chain.

The sandwich chain is accelerating its franchise development with new multi-unit agreements as it nears its goal of 500 open locations nationwide.

In March of 2025, Wendy’s under then-CEO Kirk Tanner revealed a set of aggressive targets that it expected to reach by 2028.

May 12, 2026 // Franchising.com // CHICAGO – Potbelly continues to build momentum across the system, driven by franchise development growth, new shop openings, operational performance and continued investment in the brand experience.

This is from the weekly restaurant finance newsletter The Bottom Line.

Wendy's franchisee EBITDA margin declined 270 basis points last year.

Shake Shack misses Q1 expectations with a 1 cent loss per share

Wendy’s interim CEO Ken Cook told investors Friday that Q1 results were mostly in line with what the company expected. But still not where the chain wants to be. The brand’s U.S. c